Someone agrees with me about red light cameras

[Hawkmoon]

https://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/457790-red-light-cameras-undermine-rule-of-law

I think they are antithetical to traffic safety. I hate 'em.

And I'm not a habitual red light runner. On occasions when I do go through a yellow and then wonder if I should have tried to stop, I almost always look in my mirror and see at least two cars that rolled through the light behind me. It leaves me wondering if the car behind me would have even tried to stop if I had braked for that light instead of going through it.

[230RN]

Well, moderately abrupt stopping for it, besides risking a rear-ender, would have resulted in an "aggressive driving" tick on your nanny monitor.

I got one of those from the insurance company, and when I found out what a lousy driver I was I turned it back into them with some terse suggestions and the pointed fact that I haven't had a ticket in well over 25 years or so.

Excessive use of horn. Sure.  I toot twice when backing out of a space.

Excessive sharp turns.  Sure.  I cruise around the parking lot a couple of times to wait out a handicapped spot.

Hawkmoon's aforementioned "orange" light.

Et cetera.

I'm not clear on the legalities of it, but it seems like since they took traffic violations out of the criminal category, you ain't got no rights at all left to defend yourself since it's merely an "offense," and what the equipment or the cop says, goes.

<snarl>

Terry

[charby]

I'm under the philosophy of no cop then no ticket.

[brimic]

They are illegal in my state.
I see ghetto denizens blow through red lights at least 3 times per day, metering lights on ramps get completely ignored as well, I've seen people blow right through red lights in the right turn only lane and make a left turn into cross traffic...
Having them issue tickets won't change a thing, especially if the cars are stolen, unregistered, or the drivers are unlicensed already.

[MechAg94]

The main red light runners I see are dump trucks.  The light where I pull out from work is bad for that.  55 MPH road with a light at this plant entrance.  The dump trucks hauling whatever regularly run the red.  Most everyone I have talked to takes it easy pulling out on a green light to watch for traffic running the red light. 

[Ben]

Something I've found is almost worse than red light runners is people who think the flashing yellow left turn arrow is a game of chicken. We didn't have them in CA, but we have them here in ID and several surrounding states. For those not familiar, when you're in a traffic light controlled left turn pocket, besides the regular solid red, yellow and green arrows, you can have a flashing yellow arrow, where if it looks safe, you can turn left just like you would for a normal green light where there is no turn pocket - proceed when safe.

I guess these are supposed to be like traffic roundabouts - keeping traffic flow moving better. I think they're great in rural and low traffic areas, but in the city, people seem to think it's a game of Frogger, where they HAVE TO turn left in between oncoming traffic, no matter how close they cut it. I've learned to use extreme caution when I'm the oncoming traffic.

[Brad Johnson]

My problem with red light cameras isn't the cameras, it's the camera companies and their "suggested" policy & procedure changes to the partnering agencies.

They invariably and inevitably recommend a yellow period which is unrealistically short. They also suggest making the infraction a civil penalty against the vehicle owner rather than a moving violation against the driver. The former guarantees an increased number of "red light runners" for reasons of simple physics. The latter means there is no need for that pesky innocent-until-proven-guilty business of needing a clear picture of the driver's face. The common denominator isn't safety, it's revenue.

I haven't seen a single, reputable, repeatable study showing that red light cameras have any measurable positive effect on safety (though the red light companies will wave several at you which, when you dig a little, are funded via their own interest groups from cherry-picked data). I have, however, seen several reputable studies showing the combination of lengthened yellow periods and overlapping red periods have a marked, statistically repeatable positive effect on intersection safety. Can't write tickets for that, though.

Brad

[Devonai]

The main red light runners I see are dump trucks.

You would be right at home in East Granby, CT.

[230RN]

The quality of life in a place is inversely related to number of traffic lights per mile.

[RoadKingLarry]

The quality of life in a place is inversely related to number of traffic lights per mile.

There also seems to be an inverse relation with the volumn of traffic and driving skills.

[cordex]

There also seems to be an inverse relation with the volumn of traffic and driving skills.

I think you've got the causality wrong on that.

[grampster]

When I'm at a red light and it turns green for me, I always look right and left a couple times before proceeding.  Actually, I'm wary at any intersection I'm approaching that has a traffic signal of any kind.

Around here when a traffic signal turns red, the signal for the cross traffic doesn't go green for a few seconds.  Evidently the traffic engineers around here have a bit of understanding regarding light runners.

As for the gizmo in your car to monitor your driving?  No way.  I'd bet your insurance rate has an increase if you go over a threshold of what they consider aggressive driving before you get any discount.  No for me.

[MechAg94]

My problem with red light cameras isn't the cameras, it's the camera companies and their "suggested" policy & procedure changes to the partnering agencies.

They invariably and inevitably recommend a yellow period which is unrealistically short. They also suggest making the infraction a civil penalty against the vehicle owner rather than a moving violation against the driver. The former guarantees an increased number of "red light runners" for reasons of simple physics. The latter means there is no need for that pesky innocent-until-proven-guilty business of needing a clear picture of the driver's face. The common denominator isn't safety, it's revenue.

I haven't seen a single, reputable, repeatable study showing that red light cameras have any measurable positive effect on safety (though the red light companies will wave several at you which, when you dig a little, are funded via their own interest groups from cherry-picked data). I have, however, seen several reputable studies showing the combination of lengthened yellow periods and overlapping red periods have a marked, statistically repeatable positive effect on intersection safety. Can't write tickets for that, though.

Brad

Where I exit the highway every day to go home, I take a left turn under the overpass.  If I pass through on a yellow light, the cross traffic from the other side already has a green light and may be halfway to my side.  I am sure it is more efficient, but they are cutting it close. 

[230RN]

When I'm at a red light and it turns green for me, I always look right and left a couple times before proceeding.  Actually, I'm wary at any intersection I'm approaching that has a traffic signal of any kind.

...

As for the gizmo in your car to monitor your driving?  No way.  I'd bet your insurance rate has an increase if you go over a threshold of what they consider aggressive driving before you get any discount.  No for me.

Me, too, and I try not to be the first one through the intersection.  This can conflict a little with another of my rules: Don't do things other drivers don't expect.  But...  balance in all things, grasshopper.

(Not you, grampster, you're no grasshopper.)

[brimic]

One time, I failed to look left, right, left while approaching a light that had been green for 3 seconds already, and barely missed being t-boned by a rusted out, late 90s dodge Caravan going at least 25mph over the 25mph speed limit.

‘Drive it like you stole it’ has an actual meaning in Milwaukee, because it’s probably stolen, and/or driven by an unlicensed and uninsured driver.

[brimic]

While on the subject, a month ago, i saw a move so illegal, so brazen, that i couldn’t even get mad.
Setting: after work rush hour traffic on a main surface road.
Actors: a car load of yutes behind me.
Situation: cars are bumper to bumper stopped, backed up a block because of a red light at an intersection of another busy thoroughfare.
Action: the car load of yutes behind me pulls into the oncoming lane, speeds up to the intersection (still on a red light) and blows through the intersection.

There is literally nothing that can be done about such drivers. They don’t have insurance, don’t care if they lose their license(if they even have one), and know that the worst that is going to happen to them is that a liberal judge will give them a slap on the wrist and maybe a fine that they’ll never pay. Its like living in somolia.

[230RN]

Actually, to me, "Drive it like you stole it" would mean driving sedately and courteously so as not to attract attention.  Amiwrong?

[brimic]

Actually, to me, "Drive it like you stole it" would mean driving sedately and courteously so as not to attract attention.  Amiwrong?

It means different things to different people, depending on their level of impulse control.

[grampster]

(Not you, grampster, you're no grasshopper.)

I am a pissed off dragonfly.  I eat grasshoppers.  I want to get a cow catcher on the front of my truck so those who are in the curb lane at a red light and don't turn right, I can shove in front of the cement truck.

[Hawkmoon]

Well, well, well ...

https://www.newser.com/story/279784/aaa-puzzled-by-sharp-rise-in-red-light-deaths.html

Red light deaths have increased significantly between 2012 and 2017, and the AAA doesn't know why. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that when these companies install their red light cameras they also shorten the length of the yellow lights in order to increase their number of "captures."

"I wish we had a better answer than we do," senior researcher Brian Tefft tells the AP. He suspects distracted driving is a big part of the problem, along with traffic light cycles that may not spend enough time on yellow.

[brimic]

I want to get a cow catcher on the front of my truck so those who are in the curb lane at a red light and don't turn right, I can shove in front of the cement truck.

As a friend of mine observed.. if there is not real a consequence to anti-social driving behavior, like the perp being pulled from the car, executed, and left on the side of the road as a warning to others, anti-social driving behavior will continue unabated.

[makattak]

Well, well, well ...

https://www.newser.com/story/279784/aaa-puzzled-by-sharp-rise-in-red-light-deaths.html

Red light deaths have increased significantly between 2012 and 2017, and the AAA doesn't know why. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that when these companies install their red light cameras they also shorten the length of the yellow lights in order to increase their number of "captures."

I heard that on the radio. OF COURSE the media was spinning it that some states have outlawed red light cameras. So that is obviously the reason we're having more red light deaths.