Poll - Why Do You Use Red Light Camera POI's

to know advance so my car does not cross the line?

Jeff

There are none listed in Wisconsin.....

Aside from the fact most municipalities are money-hungry to feed the coffers, it does provide an extra measure of safety insofar as drivers coming into those intersections to insure they are mindful of yellow lights.

Was that politically correct enough?

Especially in strange cities that these cameras. Where I live and work does not have any. Don't want to be on the wrong side of the laws.

Well I never intentionally run red lights, but the POI sure is a great tool for trying not to get caught in the middle of one those go or no go situations when the light turns yellow. I drive a truck for a living, so sometimes those short yellows make you think quick. The POI makes me more aware and alert when approaching intersections.

Uhhhhhh, So I don't have to pay the man, if I do cross the line with my front tires.

Bob

Reminds you that there is a traffic control at an upcoming intersection. Sometimes, people do not pay attention and don't stop for the light.

At a red-light camera.... The thing that a lot of folks get tickets for. You see no one is coming and don't make a complete stop..

1.It reminds me to easy up on the gas pedal. (led foot here)
2.When I get my mp3 warning and I have customers in the car it makes good conversation.

I travel to a number of large cities on business monthly. I am not very familiar with certain parts of the cities I drive in and this helps make me aware of the potential risks for tickets.

An extra margin is needed since the yellow lights mostly are revised to be very very short purposely for no reason other than to snatch up as much money as possible, without any thought for public safety woven into the equation. Maryland is the worst in the entire country. I no longer think of the yellow as "caution" but STOP AT ONCE!

Since other drivers are aware of the camera, they may well stop rather abruptly and potentially cause rear end collisions. If you know in advance, you won't be surprised if they do.

It isn't perfect. There have been multiple incidents where I live (Scottsdale, AZ) where technical problems (speed sensor not calibrated properly) and times when I've seen the flashes going off when the light was still green. After it was proven, thousands of dollars in tickets were refunded.

I take measures to hide my face from the camera by pulling down my visor. Here in Arizona the ticket is only valid if given to the driver. I do not run red lights, but once again, I just have my doubts about the technology. Unfortunately, all too often the courts say that the photo proves guilt, when it really doesn't.

P.S. Although machines don't "make mistakes," those who design machines are fallible humans!

edit -- add p.s.

I don't run red light, I really don't think in 35+ years of driving I ever got a ticket for running a red light. (Speeding is a different story) So like when the first man to climb Mt. Everest was asked "Why did you do it?" My answer is the same. "Because it was there!"

Bentbiker wrote "Since other drivers are aware of the camera, they may well stop rather abruptly and potentially cause rear end collisions. If you know in advance, you won't be surprised if they do."

This is so true as people know of them are so cautious they stop on a dime. If your to close, bammmm. So it is nice to know in advance and prepare yourself.

I have absolutely no problem with air heads who speed and run red lights paying REALLY BIG $$$ for the privilege. Hopefully the $$$ goes into better roads (etc).

To avoid being one of those air heads - I use my GPS along with a load of common sense as just another tool to keep inside the rules.

I suppose when I comes down to it, I just enjoy using my gps.

When driving in a new city or thinking about work its easy to be distracted. The use of safety POI's serve as a reminder to check my driving while helping to keeps my $$ in my pocket.

As a technology and gadget guy, I thrive on one more feature and being able to use it. Sure it is also nice to help you be a little more alert in your daily driving - not only in your town, but also when you travel to new places. I have never been ticked for running a light and generally am very good about that sort of thing. So, for me, the key reason is its another feature on a techno gadget to enjoy...

sometimes things happen. i never make it a habit to run red lights. i just want to be aware and a warning.

Last week on a trip the warning for a red light camera came on. When I got to the light it was red. I needed to turn right. Started to turn "right on red" then noticed a small no turn on red sign off to the side. It was two lanes where you could turn right. A truck besides me probably didn't notice the sign and turned right and "BANG" the camera went off. Enough said.

it is fun

In wichita ks we do not have any cameras, but when I went to Atlanta I loaded the file up. As I drove around I could not beleive how many drivers would slam on the brakes as soon as it was yellow. Until you see it, you don't know how much of a danger it is.

The main thing I used if for was increased awareness and returning a rental care with no dings.

Daniel

just cuz it's available.

I don't typically run red lights, but it helps make you aware of where they are so you can be a little more careful. Particularly here in Houston where you will get a ticket if you turn right on a red light without coming to a complete stop first. Yes, it is the law, but everyone has gotten into the habit of just turning without stopping.

If it can potentially save you from a ticket, why not use it?

For the same reason you do!!

I find that most municipalities do not describe how the cameras work with enough detail. For example: will it take your picture if you are just trying to clear an intersection turning left? How long will the yellow lights be? It seems to me a little too much power in their hands and not enough in the peoples' hands. It is way of balancing that power level back out a bit. However it is the tax payers that pay for both sides. These cameras are very very expensive. Not right!

after my first and only notice, i said "never again".

I agree with others here. I use it "because it's there" and because I don't trust the technology involved with the things. There are too many stories of folks being ticketed unfairly. When nearing one of these intersections I'm on the alert for the light to turn yellow and consider it a warning that I'll get a ticket if I cross on the yellow and the stupid light turns red while I'm in the intersection. I know that's not illegal but, again, too many people have been ticketed for just that thing.

I think the whole red light camera thing is a scam perpetrated on the public. It's not about ticketing people who are consciously breaking the law. It's about catching people in a 'gotcha!' moment and gouging them for every dime.

Just as I like to be forewarned of any con or scam going around, I like to be forewarned of red light cams. This way I can be wary so as not to get caught in a gotcha!.

BTW, I don't run red lights. I've never been ticketed for running a red light.

I along with most people do not run redlights but the POI warns me that there is a dangerous intersection ahead. I am sure some cities use them for puire revenue generation but I also think most if not all are generally placed at intersections with high rates of accidents

I don,t drive much in cities so it helps remind me to come to complete stop before the stop line. Also do not have spare cash to pay for tickets

Have you ever pulled up to a red-light to make a right turn, were going less than 1 or 2 mph, could see there were no cars coming and made the right turn without coming to a complete stop?

Then you have run a red-light. Do that in Los Angeles and you will get a citation.

I recently was having a discussion with my wife about the unfairness of some of those tickets, and I noticed that I failed to come to a complete stop prior to making a right turn on a red-light, there wasn’t another car in sight. Lucky for me the light wasn’t one controlled with a camera...

I also would say I don’t run red-lights…

I used it as a warning. That is all I can say

mostly as an advance warning of a revenue generating area of a city. I don't like to give them any more cash than I have to.

Too often we get in our cars and drive on auto-pilot.

Little reminders, like a red bar popping up on the top of the GPS display, or the radar detector breeping (even if it's from a retail store) remind me to pay attention to the people on the road around me who aren't necessarily paying attention to the people on the road around them...

jhmorseiv,
I want to thank you for volunteering to do this interview. It is nice to have the person who donated the locations for the Denver intersections be the one to be interviewed for a news story.

My vacation was much more relaxing once I knew that I had found someone to help out the news reporter that was looking for a Denver member to interview.

Good luck, I know that you will do well.

Miss POI

I'm not saying I've never made a mistake - I certainly have. My point is that the cameras are there to catch you making a mistake, not committing a dangerous act. Calling them safety cameras is a joke.

I really never have been ticketed for running a red light. I do stop before making the right turn - actually had this conversation with my daughter not too long ago. The rule is 'right on red after stop . . . '

But that's neither here nor there. Even though I don't run red lights, I still believe the camera will ticket me if I make a minor mistake. Therefore I am on guard and I appreciate the gps warning me of upcoming (s)cam-eras.

I use then to help keep me alert and paying attention, not that I sleep while driving or run lights, but it's fun to watch when someone does run a light and you see the flash... Sweet...

I will be posting a link to the video for this story when it is up on the site.

I am pretty excited about this story. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Miss POI

So if you live in the Denver Co are make sure to watch the Channel 7 news tonight at 10:00

I know my post is coming late but I do not use the red light camera POI's.

I think the real answer though to why you "should" use them is because red light cameras are usually placed in high problem and accident areas where people either run through the light at rush hour or it is where the traffic light would be obscured by the setting/rising sun making it hard to tell if it is green/red or yellow. So having the red light poi's would be a safety factor to the user hoping to avoid getting hit by someone else. (not to avoid paying the city more money or avoiding a ticket)

Sorry for my late reply though.

Many drivers, including me, make "rolling stops" at right turn on red.

It's supposed to be "right turn on red after complete stop," but it's an easy habit to form, making a rolling stop, when there is no traffic visible.

Good work on the presentation.

For myself, I like to be aware that the yellow light is in all likelihood going to be a short one and best to err on the side of caution. Also, they tend to be the most dangerous intersections so that's good to know so you can up your defensive driving skills.

Because it's basically become another form of taxation, and I don't agree with it.

I know of a couple in my area both are new, installed this spring - with one being only a block from my house. Another one is at the intersection of where I work - being installed in the past few weeks.

I don't personally use the POI's for stop lights, so am unable to offer my thoughts on the use of them, but I can say one thing for certain:

Being only a block away from the one at home - the amount of crashes at that intersection have all but been eliminated. Previous to this, there would be an accident at least once a week (a block away from the police station to boot) and now, there are none. I don't see anyone running that stale yellow light or the fresh red one like they used to do. We'll see in the winter how things progress.

Is this one of those "only in the USA" things??? With great interest and much non-belief have I been reading about being allowed through a red light (in any circumstance).

In Australia - red - is red - is red - means STOP until it turns GREEN. We do have some traffic light intersections that have quite separate give way turn lanes (outside the light controlled bit) so there is no confusion.

Is there anywhere else - like in Europe - where they allow legal proceed on red? (Not counting crazy driving habits....)

Many people make right turns right in front of you, you would think that they had the green light.. It used to be illegal to make a right turn on a red light in the downtown area but it's either changed or it's not enforced.. I think at present you can make a turn on a red light after a complete stop unless it is posted that you can't...

Can't have my face seen on camera...