March27
Six U.S. cities have been found guilty of shortening the amber cycles below what is allowed by law on intersections equipped with cameras meant to catch red-light runners. The local governments in question have ignored the safety benefit of increasing the yellow light time and decided to install red-light cameras, shorten the yellow light duration, and collect the profits instead.
The cities in question include Union City, CA, Dallas and Lubbock, TX, Nashville and Chattanooga, TN, Springfield, MO, according to Motorists.org, which collected information from reports from around the country. This isn't the first time traffic cameras have been questioned as to their effectiveness in preventing accidents. In one case, the local government was forced to issue refunds by more than $1 million to motorists who were issued tickets for running red lights.
The report goes on to note these are just instances that have been identified, and there may be more out there, and urges visitors to send in their own findings.
It's been demonstrated that the accident rate actually rises at camera-equipped intersections. Their mere presence changes driver behavior, and not in a good way.
Exactly. People are more likely to jam on their brakes to avoid running the light and thus increasing the likelihood of a rear end collision
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
OH I CAN'T BELEIVE THIS!
Politicians would do this?
Politicians would recklessly view traffic cameras as a means to cyphon money from the pockets of drivers while endangering the population as a whole??
No no no, not in America. This doesn't happen in America. Never.
There things need to be removed.
oops "These" things need to be removed
fuck those fuckers
got'a love the great state of Texas
$$$$$$$$$$ rules everything around me cream get the money dolla dolla bill ya'll.
WU-tang!
Them thare thangs needz ta goh.
Here in DC, we now have speed cameras. Funny thing, they post a manned police cruiser about 25 ft behind to ensure no one tampers with it!
I can tell you that in my city, the light running has gotten to a point where you don't dare go when your light turns green (not sure if this is a nation-wide problem. anybody else?). I'm talking 3 or 4 seconds after your light turns green a car will come blazing through the red light. This was not the case twenty years ago when I first started driving. These cameras are more than likely not the answer, but somethings got to give with these Fast and the Furious assholes that learned how to drive on a video game killing hookers and cops.
Most police departments main goal isn't to encourage safe driving, just looking for the next easy revenue stream (see: central Florida speed traps). It got so bad in these small towns in Florida, that the state had to pass a law requiring the local police departments to hand over any excess cash made from these specially designed speed traps. Now it appears they're moving on to fixing the light running deterrent, which is a disservice to us all.
Also, labeling the 40,000 or so deaths every year on the roads in the US as accidents is a f**king joke. And no, I'm not 65 years old! Most of the deaths are from shitty drivers, plain and simple. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go before I miss the early-bird special at the IHOP.
hell where i'm at- they took some elderly lady to court to make her pay a fine for her not coming to a COMPLETE stop at the intersection that had these cameras, it made the news as well, basicly she had the red light and was going to turn while the other traffic had their own turning light on first,she did a "rolling" stop and gave her a ticket for not coming to a COMPLETE stop, ghey- needless to say- the city won the arguement and she had to pay the fine
This is very interesting. I live about 15 mins south of Union City, CA. I recently moved to the area and didn't realize there were cameras because the area I moved from doesn't have them. I BARELY got caught on red one time about 4 months ago cuz I saw the flash in my mirror but, I still haven't received a ticket in the mail. Maybe this is why, those fuckin assholes.
jumpoffit, making a right turn on red, whenever and wherever is allowed is the equivalent to a STOP sign that requires a complete stop. Rolling stop is not a complete stop. It has nothing to do with her age whatsoever. Besides, what does it have to do with traffic camera?
These cameras exist just to increase profit. Not every yellow lights have the same duration, so whenever I come to an intersection with these cameras, people always thought they could beat the light, then realize they don't want to risk a ticket, slam on their brakes and we have a pile up! Idiotic to say the least.
it has to do with traffic camera because they used the video in court to show that this woman didn't come to a complete stop(it was a her word Vs. their video) i'm just pointing out what lengths they go to get their money on tickets for violations, yeah she didn't stop- but there was also no cars going in her direction yet- just pointing out the nit pickey city here
I got a yellow/red light ticket in Baltimore Go online and get a glossy spray that makes your license hard to read I went back did the same thing and I didnt get a ticket
These are set up to do just what the article says MAKE MONEY ! just like all tickets This country is corrupt that is why I laugh at anyone remotely patriotic
Well…well…well…anything for a buck, eh? The money-guzzling scumbags who make these types of decisions should be rotting in jail!
mark, 441, global, 1c3dog: you're all right.
1115: if you don't love your country, either leave, or do something about it so it becomes a country you can love
I guess you haven't noticed how our country is being sold off jackjimturkey. From foreign investment buying up tons of realestate, lottery management, and tollways.
I will do neither
There is a power structure that has us paying almost $4 for gas when we could be driving electric cars and have money in our pockets to live the way we want
This country sucks. I will complain and continue to feel the way I do I will avoid taxes and cut corners everywhere in order to cheat this govt the way they have been cheating us for year and years to continue. In addition GM sucks Just in case you forgot
I think its currently 5-10 cents a gallon in Iraq right now.
3 famous lies:
1. Government here to help up you
2. Black is beautiful
3. I wont ejaculate in your mouth
you can never trust the government, and the government will never trust you. Thats why all new US passports got tracking chips built in now. Land of the free my ass! I'm marrying me a hot French chick and moving to Europe!
You people should watch a film called Zeitgeist, it will completely change your perception
3 famous lies:
2. Black is beautiful
Comment by autonut, posted on March27 at 8:56 pm
WRONG Autonut your mom and sister love my Motor City Meat.
If you believe this is a money-making endeavour and it's truly evil, then don't break the law … hmmmmmm, simple huh? Don't run the yellow in hopes of beating it. Don't drive past the speed limit at intersections. You won't get a ticket. The government won't get your money.
I'm a fucking genius.
jumpoffit, gotcha. But in your case, the ticket stems from failure to come to a complete stop while the issue with most traffic cameras are running red lights. Who issued the ticket? Was there a cop or did the ticket come in the mail after being photographed? I see your argument if the camera caught her and she got a ticket. But if she was stopped by a cop and then the police used the camera as a piece of evidence, then I don't see how related it is to red-light camera.
And beware of the difference between breaking the law and getting caught. Even if she wasn't caught, she still did come to a complete stop. But I agree, the traffic cameras are there to make money. Soon enough, the government will be using GPS to track your speed and we all will get some nice tickets in the mail!
There's a reason I'd revoke my US citizenship. People thought I'm crazy but having spent most of my life in US but being able to see how other societies operate, I'd rather have real freedom.
impulsive- That would be true, if the yellow light was about 5 seconds long or so. I had once been ticketed by these machines, it was in traffic hour in D.C. and usually speed's about 30 miles per hour, so I had been caught in the intersection when it was green, and when I had came out it was red.
planet-drive- They've also talked about putting it in products, so that people won;t run out of the store with them.
Word of advise, don't believe everything in Zeitgeist. The second and third parts are pretty good, but some facts were hazy.
Zeitgeist is definately a must see documentary. I finally got a copy of the DVD, but you can see clips of it on youtube, definately worth watching and its scary.
1115: complain to what end?
'jayjc', you should have fought and won if you were green in the intersection … it is IMPOSSIBLE that the light turned from green to red in a distance of less than 20 metres … unless you were stopped in the intersection and couldn't get through.
Don't break the law and the law won't break you.
autonut:
Didn't I see yo' mama in "2 tight holes, 2 black poles?"
Funny how Chicago, IL isn't on the list for the "New 6". Know why? Because they implemented short Yellow's a LONG time ago. Yellow lights last approximately 2 seconds (if that) and they'll get you every time. Last I heard before I moved out of that corrupt city was that they were about to put in 250 new Traffic Cameras - funny, they had to raise taxes (highest in the Country) because of a supposed "deficit", but they always have money to install more cameras and secure retirement benefits for politicians. For every camera installed 3 police officers should be let go. They don't do any work anyway.
I often commute by bicycle and there are a couple intersections that are pretty dangerous for me. I did find that after the installation of traffic cameras things got better. Delaying the yellow light would probably have helped as well, and the actions of these cities is terrible, but this story alone does not discredit traffic cameras.
Just be careful in the "City of Vista, California". I happen to be from a small city in West Central Illinois, & overwhelmed by California traffic in a rental car.( By all means pay the fine ! ) I refused to pay the fine, they turned it over to a collection agency, I refused to pay them. Then threatened to garnish my wages from the state of California. All said & done, total bill was 666 dollars. Tell me those" BASTARDS AREN'T EVIL"…
I live a short distance from Vista. That's Boss Hogg-type BS.