Red light Cameras

[OBLAMA2009]

we have red light cameras here in the bay area. they are mostly in the crummy cities, although i noticed that even decent cities like san ramon are getting them now too. once that starts, they start appearing everywhere because the cities become addicted to the revenue. red light tickets are $500 in california. if you enter the intersection while its yellow youre ok. we dont have speed cameras in california that i know of, when those arrive it will make california a really unpleasant place to drive

 

[Schfifty Five]

What is the general consensus on red light cameras here?

I just had a thought a moment ago that that camera would flash because I had to rush through a yellow light and the light turned red when I was in the middle of the intersection.

Was I breaking any laws here that would warrant a flash?

Depends on your state.

In TX, as long as you crossed into the intersection before the light turns red, you shouldn't get a red light ticket.

Do cameras photograph every vehicle passing through an intersection?

No. Cameras are set so that only those vehicles that enter the intersection after the light has turned red are photographed. Vehicles entering the intersection on yellow, and still in the intersection when the light turns red, are not photographed.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/safety/camera_faqs.htm

 

[momeNt]

It's an abuse of power. They should be illegal in every state but judges have no backbones and the legislators are addicted to the revenue.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Be in the intersection before it turns red. I've blown reds several times on accident. Either I wouldn't have been able to slow down in time, or I misjudged the amount of time I had until it was red. Yellows' amount of time can widely vary.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Got caught in that situation last week, F-ing yellow's that last 2 seconds. if I had slammed 'em I would have risked getting hit from behind, it turned red just after half my car was in the intersection, I might get hit on this one..

Exactly! RLC + retardedly short yellows = :| :| :|

 

[VulgarDisplay]

So if it was at night and even if the Camera did flash at you, would you be able to clearly see it?

You can usually see the flash even during broad daylight.

 

[BUTCH1]

Exactly! RLC + retardedly short yellows = :| :| :|

You get put in the "zone", do I slam or do I slide through....

 

[lothar]

Get a standalone GPS(preferably Garmin).
Install Red Light and Speed Camera POIs from here.
Problem solved.

or

Buy an Android phone(or use your current Android phone if you already have one).
Buy RadarDroid Pro app and import Red Light and Speed Camera POIs into it from here.
Problem solved.

I have little remorse for people that get hit with red light and speeding cameras when several solutions clearly exists.
Those red light and speed camera runners help contribute to our state and local government budget which leads to me paying less taxes overall, so I'm not upset. Why would I be?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Lmao if you enter the intersection before the light turns red, whoever is in the intersection then has the right of way. Same rule that allows people to turn left when yielding after red when the traffic stops. Same rule that lets 2-3 cars do that LOL if they can squeeze into the intersection.

Gotta enter the intersection before it turns red. I saw a red light switch overtop of me and got no ticket even though it took a picture since I was inside the intersection.

Maybe in CA, here you need to clear the intersection before it turns red though it's rarely enforced.

 

[Adrenaline]

I got a ticket in the mail two years ago for turning right on red. I threw it in the trash, have yet to hear anything about it.

If they ever come to my door, I will say I never received it.

 

[gorcorps]

Wouldn't have an issue if they worked right, but too many bs tickets to people turning right on red when it's legal.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I got a ticket in the mail two years ago for turning right on red. I threw it in the trash, have yet to hear anything about it.

If they ever come to my door, I will say I never received it.

not a good idea, it means youre going to be found guilty by default and get late fees. theres a reason you dont hear from them, they dont mind if you dont respond, they like getting those late fees

 

[kranky]

I got a ticket in the mail two years ago for turning right on red. I threw it in the trash, have yet to hear anything about it.

If they ever come to my door, I will say I never received it.

I wouldn't worry about them coming to your door. I would be concerned that there could be a bench warrant out on you since it was a moving violation. If you get stopped for any reason and they run your ID, if there is a bench warrant on you they could arrest you on the spot. Depends on the jurisdiction if they issue bench warrants for unpaid tickets of the type you got.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I got a ticket in the mail two years ago for turning right on red. I threw it in the trash, have yet to hear anything about it.

If they ever come to my door, I will say I never received it.

Good luck ever trying to register a vehicle again. You're going to owe a ton in late fees.

 

[lothar]

I got a ticket in the mail two years ago for turning right on red. I threw it in the trash, have yet to hear anything about it.

If they ever come to my door, I will say I never received it.

Just because you have not yet heard anything about it does not mean late fees and penalties are not accumulating on it.

 

[gorcorps]

I got a ticket in the mail two years ago for turning right on red. I threw it in the trash, have yet to hear anything about it.

If they ever come to my door, I will say I never received it.

Aren't tickets sent through certified mail? They know it was delivered so you can't do that. Plus what everybody else said. They aren't going to keep bothering you about such a ticket, but if you get pulled over again there's a good chance you'll have an unpaid ticket on your record. Best case is the cop ignores it, but then knows you have a prior record so won't give you a warning for what he just pulled you over for. Worst case is you can be arrested then and there.

 

[96Firebird]

Pretty sure I went through one today... Didn't even know the cameras were at the intersection, I just noticed the yellow was insanely short so I looked it up and sure enough there is a camera there. I always thought people made up the story about shorter yellows, now I see it is true.

 

[shortylickens]

My thoughts:

If people obeyed the fucking law those things wouldn't even exist.

 

[JoeyP]

Never enter an intersection until you know you can make it out of the box before your light turns red.

It used to be the case that for an unprotected left on a green, you could camp in the box and wait for oncoming traffic to allow you through. The risk is when your light turns yellow: do you gun it in hopes oncoming traffic stops when they see their yellow? Or do you wait until you know you have a red and then make your hasty left to clear the box? In either case, you could get t-boned.

Really, the best course of action is to never enter unless you can exit before red. This is true regardless of cameras or yellow duration.

 

[DaTT]

Get one of THESE and you'll be fine.

 

[Juddog]

Never enter an intersection until you know you can make it out of the box before your light turns red.

It used to be the case that for an unprotected left on a green, you could camp in the box and wait for oncoming traffic to allow you through. The risk is when your light turns yellow: do you gun it in hopes oncoming traffic stops when they see their yellow? Or do you wait until you know you have a red and then make your hasty left to clear the box? In either case, you could get t-boned.

Really, the best course of action is to never enter unless you can exit before red. This is true regardless of cameras or yellow duration.

My thoughts:

If people obeyed the fucking law those things wouldn't even exist.

^^ Both of these posts are common sense; people need to obey the law and quit complaining when they get busted.

 

[Adrenaline]

Aren't tickets sent through certified mail? They know it was delivered so you can't do that. Plus what everybody else said. They aren't going to keep bothering you about such a ticket, but if you get pulled over again there's a good chance you'll have an unpaid ticket on your record. Best case is the cop ignores it, but then knows you have a prior record so won't give you a warning for what he just pulled you over for. Worst case is you can be arrested then and there.

It wasn't sent by certified mail. I gave gotten a few speeding tickets since and nothing ever said.

The only thing they can get me with is missing court. I have a friend that is a cop and asked him about it.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I don't even understand the entire complaint about shorter yellows. I'm guilty of gunning it through yellows every once in a while, but the entire damn point of them is to tell you to slow down.

 

[lxskllr]

...but the entire damn point of them is to tell you to slow down.

It's a fine point, but that's not what they're for. It's to signal a light change, and to clear the intersection by any legal means necessary. Short yellow lights are unsafe, and if they were made short to generate revenue, the perpetrators should be heavily fined.

 

[JoeyP]

I don't even understand the entire complaint about shorter yellows. I'm guilty of gunning it through yellows every once in a while, but the entire damn point of them is to tell you to slow down.

This is pretty much true. You can stop in a shorter distance when going slower. People are blasting into and out of intersections to beat the light cause accidents.

Avoidable: someone trying to beat the red by barreling straight through the intersection, while someone oncoming is trying to make an unprotected left. Both drivers should be going slow enough to stop short as soon as they see yellow.

Leave a couple minutes early so you don't feel pressured to rush and make costly or potentially fatal mistakes.