New York, NY - Unlimited Traffic Cameras

 

Source: NY Post, February 1, 2009
http://www.nypost.com/seven/02012009/news/regionalnews/mike_...

Drivers beware: Big Brother could be watching you at every Big Apple intersection soon.

The mayor's preliminary budget released Friday proposes to amend state law to allow for traffic-light cameras at "unlimited locations" in the city and to raise the fine from $50 to $100.

"The program has been successful, and we want to expand it," Mayor Bloomberg spokesman Marc LaVorgna said.

The state Legislature has capped the number of cameras at 100. The cameras snap photos of cars passing through a red light - including the license plate. The registered owner of the vehicle is automatically mailed a ticket.

The preliminary budget calls for adding 20 more cameras, which would bring in $6.2 million in fiscal year 2009-10.

In his latest budget proposal, Gov. Paterson supported the removal of the cap on cameras. The Legislature would also have to approve the measure.

"If the state legislation becomes a reality, we would be free to continue to add cameras as needed," LaVorgna said of the city program.

WoW

Would it really help the traffic conditions in NYC?

Believe it or not

It actually does ...

If they do install more, my suggestion would be in those "box" intersections.

This will prevent those drivers from stopping in the middle of a jammed intersection even when there is no room for them on the other side and prevent them from blocking the cross traffic and create a traffic jam.

Being a professional driver in NYC, I have to deal with drivers like this all the time. If nothing else, a $100 photo fine will discourage them very quickly.

Fine?

jimmy.chen wrote:

It actually does ...

If they do install more, my suggestion would be in those "box" intersections.

This will prevent those drivers from stopping in the middle of a jammed intersection even when there is no room for them on the other side and prevent them from blocking the cross traffic and create a traffic jam.

Being a professional driver in NYC, I have to deal with drivers like this all the time. If nothing else, a $100 photo fine will discourage them very quickly.

Correct me if I am wrong, NYC already has a stiff fine for blocking the box. And the cameras would just bolster the fine process, I wouldn't have a problem with those cameras actually.

--
Using Android Based GPS.The above post and my sig reflects my own opinions, expressed for the purpose of informing or inspiring, not commanding. Naturally, you are free to reject or embrace whatever you read.

You are correct ...

Blocking the box is now at least $230 since you will receive one ticket for parking and one for traffic violations (w/ 2 points).

Problem with this is it requires the presences of a police officer to catch you. This then translates to the city's budget expense. Most of the time those guys are so busy doing nothing, they don't really issue tickets anyway.

A camera, on the other hand, can generate over 3 million dollars per year as indicated and w/o the need to have to hiring anyone controlling the corners.

jc

those guys are so busy doing nothing,

Dear Jimmy.Chen,

A policeman's priority is not giving out tickets. But if you send me your plate number, I'm sure we can make an exception.

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Alan-Garmin c340

camera is good enough

why we need cops to write tickets?
red light/speed cameras are good enough for doing better job on this.

$$$$$$$$$$$

It,s a pure capital thing...Actually has little to do with safety, sadly enough...In fact, seems to create problems here for everyone who knows where they are and stop short as the dont walk signal starts flashing. Emergency vehicles have also been seen jumping center medians because no one will yeild at the red light because they don't want the ticket and a trip to manhattan to fight it. Let's cause total havoc and put one everywhere...Thanks Mayor Bloomberg rolleyes

RE: Alanrobin1

I wish what you said is true, but in Manhattan, most of the time that is what you see those guys doing, nothing. Especially when there are two traffic cops at the same intersection. Most of the time they are just busy chatting instead of preventing congesting.

Don't forget, Mike's most recent increase of traffic cops came with the added ability to issue parking tickets along with the 2 point traffic tickets.

The "brownies" are never police officers but are part of the police department. And I quote "NYPD Traffic Enforcement has many duties including directing traffic, writing traffic tickets, towing vehicles, and enforcing traffic laws. ... TEAs of Level 1-3 status have no powers beyond that of a private citizen."

Where will it end?

Where will it end? They are putting up many NYPD cameras too. Before you know it they will be all over as well.

--
Louie Lou Nuvi 770

More problems

jimmy.chen wrote:

I wish what you said is true, but in Manhattan, most of the time that is what you see those guys doing, nothing. Especially when there are two traffic cops at the same intersection. Most of the time they are just busy chatting instead of preventing congesting.

Don't forget, Mike's most recent increase of traffic cops came with the added ability to issue parking tickets along with the 2 point traffic tickets.

The "brownies" are never police officers but are part of the police department. And I quote "NYPD Traffic Enforcement has many duties including directing traffic, writing traffic tickets, towing vehicles, and enforcing traffic laws. ... TEAs of Level 1-3 status have no powers beyond that of a private citizen."

It has been my experience that when traffic cops are directing traffic at intersections, the situation is worse than it would have been without them.

Hehee

Happened to me just yesterday. A traffic cop was not allowing a side street entrance to the 59 st bridge to get on by allowing on cars to move every 2 or 3 traffic lights. It took close to 30 mins to travel one ave block. He didn't cared for the fact that the side streets were backed up.

My idea of the boxed intersections would be just take a photo couple of seconds after the light turns red, then you know who is blocking the box. A $100 fine there will stop those blockers very quickly and should improve traffic flow, as well as helping Major Mike to reduce budget, less TEAs required, and generate $$.

Traffic improvement? More like a cash cow than anything else.

Lets face it, NYC has traffic ticket blitzes, quotas, etc, etc. Add into this pot the plan to collect toll on the East River bridges. All to generate revenues.

If they were really serious about improving traffic, particularly in Manhattan, they will by managing the police themselves. I have frequently seen police cars parked in traffic strangle points during rush hours. One such area is the west-bound corner of 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue during morning rush hours, effective constricting westbound traffic and giving right turning drivers an agonizing experience. During other times, scores of police cars are perpendicularly parked on both sides of Broadway before 42nd street during evening rush hours turning this busy four lane road into one lane. There are others but these are the more visible situations. mad

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vvitug

Kind of funny... everyone

Kind of funny... everyone goes balistic over redlight cameras 'till they start talking about them in New York. Then it turns to, "What a great idea"

Maybe everyone should stop thinking of it as a fine for running a red light and start thinking of it as a Toll for the expresslane through an intersection.

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Fletch- Nuvi 750

I'm tired of tolls

I live in Long Island and I have to pay the city to leave NY or go upstate. Nassau may put up cameras if Suozzi gets his way.

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Mike

Going through red lights

DefMan wrote:

I live in Long Island and I have to pay the city to leave NY or go upstate. Nassau may put up cameras if Suozzi gets his way.

I live in Long Island also and the red light situation has certainly changed. It used to be that you would see one or two cars going through the light as it changed from amber to red. Now, foru or five cars will be speeding through when the light is a solid red.

WoW I think The city of new

WoW
I think The city of new york needs more money !!!!!!!!!!!!

POI

Glad my red light POI is up to date. I guess the file size will be growing a little wink

I can give a reason!

abin wrote:

why we need cops to write tickets?
red light/speed cameras are good enough for doing better job on this.

Because mechanized automated cameras, take jobs.
As a country we do need all the jobs we can muster, as we head to 1929 again.

--
Using Android Based GPS.The above post and my sig reflects my own opinions, expressed for the purpose of informing or inspiring, not commanding. Naturally, you are free to reject or embrace whatever you read.

If it helps

If the cameras help the issue with blocking the box, I am okay with it. The main reason traffic gets to a standstill if the drivers who try to jump the light and then block the road for the other cars to drive through.

Camera Type

If these are actually going to be Red-Light cameras, then it sounds like using the Red-Light POI file won't be very useful because it would be a continuous warning on every block! razz

crazy

I agree! you might as well drive like your supposed to and stop intentionally breaking laws just to save 5 minutes at the light. How about wake up 15min earlier, be safe AND $100 richer. smile

But what fun is that??

cowanthunder wrote:

I agree! you might as well drive like your supposed to and stop intentionally breaking laws just to save 5 minutes at the light. How about wake up 15min earlier, be safe AND $100 richer. smile

Then you'd miss out on the challenge of racing morning traffic, dodging school buses and the opportunity to test your luck with a red light camera. Even worse, you may not have anything to complain about if you don't get caught by one of the cameras. smile

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Fletch- Nuvi 750