Texas wants widespread speed cameras installed

[91TTZ]

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1800.asp

"In its request for proposals, TxDOT cited success of speed cameras in the UK, which generated £120 million (US $240 million) in revenue in 2003, and in Washington, DC, which has generated $217 million in revenue with its red light and speed cameras since 1999. TxDOT's vendor will send notices -- warnings at first -- to motorists driving just 5 MPH over the limit with an accuracy level of +/- 2 MPH, meaning those driving just 3 MPH over the limit could receive a photograph and letter in the mail."

I find it interesting that when they went to explain its "success", they showed the profit it generated and made no mention of safety.

 

[biggestmuff]

Of course it's for profit. I think the DC contract was with LM. They sold the deal to DC with the fact that LM would install the cameras for free, then get a % of each ticket. Smart.

 

[effowe]

FTA:

Time-distance ticketing systems use multiple cameras spaced far apart on a freeway. Each car is photographed once as it enters the first section of road. Miles later a second photograph is taken that allows the vehicle's average speed to be calculated from the time it took to travel between the two locations.

So basically you can't slow down if you see one of these. If your average speed is over the limit, you get a ticket.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Considering that the TX legislature is about to ban red light cameras throughout the entire state I don't see how TXDOT thinks that they could get away with something like this.
I would also be willing to bet that once a few bubba rednecks got a tickets from one of these they wouldn't be functional for very long.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Considering that the TX legislature is about to ban red light cameras throughout the entire state I don't see how TXDOT thinks that they could get away with something like this.
I would also be willing to bet that once a few bubba rednecks got a tickets from one of these they wouldn't be functional for very long.

that seems odd in light of the bill just passed giving teeth to enforcement

 

[Sukhoi]

lol traffic speed has got to slow to a crawl between the cameras.

 

[K1052]

This would never happen here in IL.

It was proposed at one point that the Speed Pass transponders for tollway payment be used to track people between tolls and calculate average speeds in order to levy fines. It was a very unwelcome suggestion.

 

[Looney]

We had these for a few years in Ontario, but got rid of them. They were vans that were parked on the side of the road that took the pictures though. Anyways, i remember we all chipped in for a ticket because we wanted to see how fast my friend's Acura went (about ~$200)

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Considering that the TX legislature is about to ban red light cameras throughout the entire state I don't see how TXDOT thinks that they could get away with something like this.
I would also be willing to bet that once a few bubba rednecks got a tickets from one of these they wouldn't be functional for very long.

that seems odd in light of the bill just passed giving teeth to enforcement

That is Harris County only.

http://www.landlinemag.com/tod...7/052107/052507-08.htm

 

[FreshPrince]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
lol traffic speed has got to slow to a crawl between the cameras.

no, traffic between those cameras are more dangerous because people drive too defensively there...

you know how it is...people get scared when they come up to those intersections and start to drive weird...

some will speed up to try to avoid getting caught, but when they realize they can't make it, they make an emergency stop, making it dangerous for everyone behind them.

some will slow down to a crawl and cause the anxious people behind them to try to pass them in another lane, again making it dangerous for everyone else behind them...

they don't do anything for us really...if people want to run red lights, they will.

if they really want to make an intersection safe, send a patrol car out and have it parked there during heavy hours. It would be cheaper than to install expensive equipment and people will actually drive normal.

 

[txrandom]

Originally posted by: effowe
FTA:

Time-distance ticketing systems use multiple cameras spaced far apart on a freeway. Each car is photographed once as it enters the first section of road. Miles later a second photograph is taken that allows the vehicle's average speed to be calculated from the time it took to travel between the two locations.

So basically you can't slow down if you see one of these. If your average speed is over the limit, you get a ticket.

No, basically you can pull over on the side of the road for a few seconds while your average speed is slowing down.

Speed = Distance / Time. You can go 100mph pass the first one, then pull over on the side of the road for a half a minute, and go on your way.

 

[effowe]

Originally posted by: FreshPrince

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
lol traffic speed has got to slow to a crawl between the cameras.

no, traffic between those cameras are more dangerous because people drive too defensively there...

you know how it is...people get scared when they come up to those intersections and start to drive weird...

some will speed up to try to avoid getting caught, but when they realize they can't make it, they make an emergency stop, making it dangerous for everyone behind them.

some will slow down to a crawl and cause the anxious people behind them to try to pass them in another lane, again making it dangerous for everyone else behind them...

they don't do anything for us really...if people want to run red lights, they will.

if they really want to make an intersection safe, send a patrol car out and have it parked there during heavy hours. It would be cheaper than to install expensive equipment and people will actually drive normal.

the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is moving forward on a proposal to deploy photo radar on state highways

Not intersections.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: FreshPrince

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
lol traffic speed has got to slow to a crawl between the cameras.

no, traffic between those cameras are more dangerous because people drive too defensively there...

you know how it is...people get scared when they come up to those intersections and start to drive weird...

some will speed up to try to avoid getting caught, but when they realize they can't make it, they make an emergency stop, making it dangerous for everyone behind them.

some will slow down to a crawl and cause the anxious people behind them to try to pass them in another lane, again making it dangerous for everyone else behind them...

they don't do anything for us really...if people want to run red lights, they will.

if they really want to make an intersection safe, send a patrol car out and have it parked there during heavy hours. It would be cheaper than to install expensive equipment and people will actually drive normal.

You're talking about red light cameras (I think). I was talking about VASCAR type speed cameras. But yes red light cameras are also a mess. A month ago was the first time I drove through an area with them, and I definitely did not drive normally. As you said I'd roar up onto a green intersection to try to make it through, and whenever one went yellow I'd hit the brakes far earlier than normal. I also had no clue what exactly the cameras looked for when making rights on red.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
You're talking about red light cameras (I think). I was talking about VASCAR type speed cameras. But yes red light cameras are also a mess. A month ago was the first time I drove through an area with them, and I definitely did not drive normally. As you said I'd roar up onto a green intersection to try to make it through, and whenever one went yellow I'd hit the brakes far earlier than normal. I also had no clue what exactly the cameras looked for when making rights on red.

There is no need to drive differently for red light cameras. They only take a picture when you RUN a red. If you're rushing to beat yellow lights on a daily basis, you probably will get a well-deserved ticket eventually...if you're making right turns on a red, the photo will clearly show your blinker and your car turning right, and you won't have a pay a ticket (you DO come to a stop, or at least slow way down before right-on-red, true?)

I don't have much of a problem with red-light cameras, because running red lights is always dangerous. Going 5-10 over the limit? Almost never dangerous.

 

[FreshPrince]

Originally posted by: effowe

Originally posted by: FreshPrince

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
lol traffic speed has got to slow to a crawl between the cameras.

no, traffic between those cameras are more dangerous because people drive too defensively there...

you know how it is...people get scared when they come up to those intersections and start to drive weird...

some will speed up to try to avoid getting caught, but when they realize they can't make it, they make an emergency stop, making it dangerous for everyone behind them.

some will slow down to a crawl and cause the anxious people behind them to try to pass them in another lane, again making it dangerous for everyone else behind them...

they don't do anything for us really...if people want to run red lights, they will.

if they really want to make an intersection safe, send a patrol car out and have it parked there during heavy hours. It would be cheaper than to install expensive equipment and people will actually drive normal.

the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is moving forward on a proposal to deploy photo radar on state highways

Not intersections.

lol, I gues it would've helped if I read the entire thread? my bad!

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
You're talking about red light cameras (I think). I was talking about VASCAR type speed cameras. But yes red light cameras are also a mess. A month ago was the first time I drove through an area with them, and I definitely did not drive normally. As you said I'd roar up onto a green intersection to try to make it through, and whenever one went yellow I'd hit the brakes far earlier than normal. I also had no clue what exactly the cameras looked for when making rights on red.

There is no need to drive differently for red light cameras. They only take a picture when you RUN a red. If you're rushing to beat yellow lights on a daily basis, you probably will get a well-deserved ticket eventually...if you're making right turns on a red, the photo will clearly show your blinker and your car turning right, and you won't have a pay a ticket (you DO come to a stop, or at least slow way down before right-on-red, true?)

I don't have much of a problem with red-light cameras, because running red lights is always dangerous. Going 5-10 over the limit? Almost never dangerous.

Oh I never actually run red lights. I hate those people. I just go through intersections doing 5-10 over...not one of the idiots that slows down for a green light.