false Red light camera alerts in Palo Alto, CA?

A number of intersections in Mountain View (particularly along El Camino) are marked as red light cameras. A number of the intersections have "photo enforcement" (red light camera) signs, but no cameras (for example El Camino and Grant Road/hwy 237).

I had a chance to ask a local law enforcement officer what was going on with these -- he rolled his eyes, and from what he said, the politics are thick.

I'm watching these as well. For now, I'd say leave the alerts in place -- the photo enforcement signs are up, even though they don't have the cameras -- yet?

Cheers--

Thanks for the info. I did not see any warning signs, but I may have missed them when I was driving.

I agree, better to have the warning and not need it, than not to have the warning and actually encounter a camera.

It's interesting, in Chicago I've noticed the same thing as well. There are places where they post "speed enforced by photo radar" but I can detect no photo cameras whatsoever.

Maybe the signs are cheaper than actual cameras?

I have noticed this same issue in Orange County where the sign is posted but I have yet to see any Red Light Cameras in these places. YOu kind of get a feeling it is cheaper to make people think that a camera exists than to actually spend the money to purchase and install them

One of our neighbors has a sign on their back gate "BEWARE OF DOG"

Which is interesting, because they don't have a dog. Wife is terrified of dogs.

We have two (springer spaniels), with good voices, good eyesight, and keen noses.

It undoubtedly cost our neighbors less for the sign than what we pay for dog food, grooming, and such.

But we get the fringe benefits -- companionship, early warning when someone is coming to the door, protection against marauding squirrels, and of course all that dog hair.

In Missouri, we have a number of instances of signs without the cameras being placed. The state legislature is looking at making changes to the law that will essentially make it impossible to place the cameras. Therefore, some cities here have delayed putting up the cameras (but not the signs) until the dust has settled.