Cameras at Intersections

[max105]

Most intersections I know that have the redlight cameras installed also have a corresponding redlight violation sign installed too. Recently, I've started noticing little cameras (or something like looks like a camera) on a bunch of other intersections. These intersections don't have the redlight warning sign that generally comes with the redlight cameras, and these intersections don't have the big camera mounted on the higher light poles. These new "cameras" much smaller and they usually sit on the middle of the intersection light pole. Are these actually redlight cameras or are they for something else? I kinda ran a yellow and only made it halfway through the intersection when it turned red. Should I be expecting a redlight ticket?

 

[zimu]

don't think its a camera. they have a number of these things around the u.s.

they're detectors- if the road is a fairly large intersection they have these motion/ light sensing cameras that can turn the traffic signals red/ green depending upon traffic conditions at night when there isn't traffic. so basically it keeps the more busy road green at all times, and if it detects traffic coming from a less busy road it changes it to green and back to red once the car has passed the intersection. more efficient than constantly switchign the signal and once in a while having to stop traffic on the major road for no use.

 

[TonyG]

Yeah, sounds like what we have here also. They are nice, they will even pick me up on my motorcycle.

 

[Stifko]

did it happen ay night ? if so, was there a flash ? get on of those lenses that cover the plate. it blocks the pic from making out the plate number, although illegal in some States. here in NYC, the roads are wired to cameras too. on 72nd and Third there is a row of 3 cams and 3 flashes that go off at partically every red light during the Northbound weeknight rush hour home. I see so many flashes in my rearview when pushing lights. My car is a bucket and the rear hatch seal leaks streaks of black ooze on the tag. I am not too quick to clean it sometimes.

 

[max105]

Whew, that's a relief but I won't be convinced that I'm not getting a ticket until a month has passed and I don't get anything in the mail. I remember when I first came back from college my freshman year, they installed all these cameras over the freeways. I usually drive home late in the 2am-4am hours so I tend to drive a little faster. When I saw all those cameras the next day, I thought I was gonna get a reckless driving speeding ticket.

So for future reference, do all redlight cameras HAVE to display that redlight violation sign to legally take pictures of your car?

 

[max105]

Nope, no flash. This happened in the late afternoon so the sun was still above the horizon (although it wasn't very bright). I've been flashed once for driving through a green. I called the local traffic patrol station to ask about that since I was legally driving through a green light. They said they sometimes take random pictures to "test" the equipment.

 

[zimu]

So for future reference, do all redlight cameras HAVE to display that redlight violation sign to legally take pictures of your car?

no

 

[Special1Sauce]

Jeez this is getting insane before you know it bars are going to come up out of the ground on a red light

 

[PKPunk]

what kind of camera is it? is it a small black dome mounted underneath the pole that extends into the intersection? If it is one of those they mounted all in all the intersections in my town. The city says it's for trafic monitoring uses only, not for red light violations.

 

[max105]

Originally posted by: PKPunk
what kind of camera is it? is it a small black dome mounted underneath the pole that extends into the intersection? If it is one of those they mounted all in all the intersections in my town. The city says it's for trafic monitoring uses only, not for red light violations.

Yea, it's the small black ones...but they're mounted on top of the pole that extends into the intersection.