Running red lights?

 

grin I was just wondering how often the people here are running red lights? Is this just like the George Carlin joke?

How often do you run red lights? Is it a monthly accident, weekly or god forbid daily?

Why not treat every light like it has a camera and you should be ticket free.

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Nuvi 3790LMT, Nuvi 760 Lifetime map, Lifetime NavTraffic, Garmin E-Trex Legend Just because "Everyone" drives badly does not mean you have to.

Id use the database for

Id use the database for safety.

Red light camera intersections are usually altered to have a shorter yellow period or some other alteration to generate more money for the police.

Other than that, I have only ran a red light 2 times. First was me being confused and I don't feel like explaining it. Second time I wasn't paying attention and almost hit another car. Both times freaked me out so I try to be safer at intersections and that comes back to the red light POI list.

Bad location Warning.

Some city also setup RL camera at locations where there are high incidents. So even if you don't run red lights, the location of RL can indicate a trouble location (safety concern).

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Garmin Nüvi 650, 255WT

While it hasn't happened to

While it hasn't happened to me yet (knock on wood), I still appreciate the warning a poi database provides.

I especially find it helpful when driving in unfamiliar areas (mostly rural) where higher speed limits sometimes tempt even the most careful of drivers to try and beat the light.

A few times orange

As long as I remember I've never run a red light. A few times orange grin and that's it.

Redlight Cameras -

I use the Red Light POI file because - as some of the others have said or indicated - it gives me a "heads up" that a dangerous intersection is ahead.

I think I did run a red light many years ago - hard to remember when - by not paying attention but never intentionally. I was lucky I didn't hurt or kill someone. I do pay a lot more attention now. It's just not worth it.

I don't do it anymore since I am getting older

The older you are the slow you drive hahaha....

Treat every light like it has a camera

I like to get the alert from the Red Light POI file because it bring's to my attention approching a dangeras intersection and to make sure I come to a complete stop on red before making a right turn.
especialy at a red light camera location.
The people I know who have gotten tickets from red light cameras are getting their tickets from not completing a stop but rolling threw a stop instead before they turn.
I feel I am more alert at all traffic lights more now than before.

.

onestep wrote:

I was just wondering how often the people here are running red lights?

If you think the file is only good for telling you where you can and cannot run redlights, you are missing one of the key points. Many studies have shown increased rear-end accidents at these location due to people opting to be "overly careful" and slamming on their brakes unexpectedly (even with a green light). It is great info to know that the car in front of you might panic at the next intersection when he sees the camera, a sign, or a yellow light.

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Nuvi 660 -- and not upgrading it or maps until Garmin fixes long-standing bugs/problems, and get maps to where they are much more current, AND corrected on a more timely basis when advised of mistakes.

Running Red Lights

I can only remember two instances of running a red light (other than the California Roll of course). The first time was also my very first time to drive in downtown San Diego after living on the East Coast my entire life. Not being used to having signal lights only at the corners but none over-head, that incident quickly taught me a lesson in intersection attentiveness and a rather personal understanding of the Young Frankenstein reference to having two hampers, one for my shirts and pants and the other for my socks and poo-poo undies. Probably two feet from having my Come to Jesus Meeting sooner rather than later.

We're the lucky bunch

I've run it twice as far as I can remember. Thank God there was no traffic from other directions. Neither of them was intentional. One time I was dialling a number on my cell. I realized the mistake right after clearing the intersection, looked in the rearview mirror, at the lights... RED!!! OMG! This is why I strongly support cell phone/texting law which is recently passed in CA.

The other time I had so much going on in my mind. I realized that I ran a red light when my passenger asked me: "wasn't that a red?"

I'm a human being. I make mistakes. What really counts is learning from my mistakes to avoid repeating them in the future. The past 10 to 15 years have been great as far as driving is concerned. I hope this won't jinx it (knock on wood very hard). I have to thank God for protecting me.

Bus drivers prospective.

I drive a long (45') bus. What happens at a red light camera, it takes a picture from the rear. So, if you passed the light when it turned yellow, you’ll get a picture, because your tail is still in the intersection!

my first and only ticket

was the reason i ended up here. i've run through lights several times since then. each time was inadvertent. all told, i seem to be doing it three or four times a year.

--
"is it possible to found a party for those who are not sure they are right? that would be my party. in any event, I do not insult those who are not on my side. that is my only originality." — albert camus

not accurate

MrUnknown wrote:

Id use the database for safety.

Red light camera intersections are usually altered to have a shorter yellow period or some other alteration to generate more money for the police.
[clip]

Thats not the norm and if it was, things would be shut down rather quickly.
I'm sure if you do a Google search you will find a few municipal localities that have been busted for short cycling the caution timing. However this is far from your statement of usually altered.

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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.

It's a paranoia that I have.

It's a paranoia that I have. As for whether I've ran one, I've yet to run a red light camera (or get a speeding ticket or any ticket for that matter). I just don't like enforcement cameras personally. I have came close to running one though (it was still yellow when I got into the intersection and it turned red as I was halfway through it). I would've stopped but the person behind me would have rear-ended me.

ok

onestep wrote:

grin I was just wondering how often the people here are running red lights? Is this just like the George Carlin joke?

How often do you run red lights? Is it a monthly accident, weekly or god forbid daily?

Why not treat every light like it has a camera and you should be ticket free.

I run every red light I can, and go at least double the speed limit.

grin

Ok not really, red light cameras and speed cameras are another tax and I do my best to avoid that "tax".

As long as humans drive cars, humans make mistakes, and that mistake should not be so costly.

For example, here in Phoenix the speed limit changes from 55 to 65 and back. You may think you're fine going ~65, and sham, you accidently stray into a 55mph zone while going 66, and you're the happy recipient of a speeding tax ticket.

The GPS files help avoid this mistake. Just one example of how it helps to even the playing ground for motorists who are subject to taxation from the government.

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http://www.poi-factory.com/node/21626 - red light cameras do not work

Red light warnings are great

Red light warnings are great and in my city a lot of the red light cameras are where you can't see if the light is red in time so having a warning in the car is nice.

the yellow light

we need the camera light notification because of how how tricky the yellow light can be. sometimes it's 3 seconds sometimes 5, sometimes who knows. that's why we need it, to know ahead of time what we can expect.

even the odds

I use the red light dbase to even the odds that are stacked against drivers. I do not run lights (intentionally) but use extra caution when approaching all "watched" intersections.

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“It’s their world. We’re just living in it.”

As long as I remember...

...I've never run a red light. A few times yellow but that's it!!

Don't

I may have passed a few yellow's because they change as soon as I get to the light, but not red's.

I see drive's pass red like its still green, just pisses me off to no end.

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Nuvi 50LM Nuvi 2555LM

Two definitions of Red Light

It appears from the various threads here that there may be two or more definitions of red light violation.

- Entering an intersection on red. Clearly illegal.

- Being in the intersection when red. Entering on yellow is legal here but not getting out before the light is red, is illegal. This is the local definition and catches people in very slow traffic.

A variation is cars stuck in grid-lock: Blocking an intersection here is illegal too and can be recorded on a red light camera.

Another variation is the pedestrian law. If you are driving through an intersection legally and a pedestrian enters the crosswalk on the far side, you must stop (in the intersection) and risk violation.

Why not treat every light like it has a camera...

Like others have said, red light cameras are a very good indication of problem intersections as identified by the local jurisdiction. It's nice to know when to be extra careful. Most of us try to be careful all the time, but knowing you are crossing an intersection where red light runners are a big problem may just get you home alive that day.

Would like to run the red lights

I would really like to run red lights differently than the city does so they would be at least half way synched to the speed limit. As an alternative I would like to create a database of red light schedules that I could somehow use to tell me how much I have to slow down or speed up so that. I did a business plan such a device. I believe it is a function that could be integrated into a GPS Nav system with a satellite or wireless internet data download to update the traffic light data base. Of course it wouldn't work in heavy traffic but if enough people had these systems traffic would be a lot less heavy.

not that simple

lotsofspam wrote:

Like others have said, red light cameras are a very good indication of problem intersections as identified by the local jurisdiction. It's nice to know when to be extra careful. Most of us try to be careful all the time, but knowing you are crossing an intersection where red light runners are a big problem may just get you home alive that day.

It's not that simple.

Everyone could treat every light as if there's a camera, but then they'd be completely worried about a ticket, and not pay attention to the road.

Same as a speed camera - everyone can travel 10 mph under the speed limit to avoid a ticket, but again, it's not in the best interest of safety and practicality either.

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http://www.poi-factory.com/node/21626 - red light cameras do not work

Not as young and stupid anymore

When I was young and stupid, I used to try and beat the light if I thought I safely could-- not flooring the pedal when the light turned yellow, but getting through at my current speed if I thought I could-- and that meant that probably 6-12 times a year, I just missed the light change by a second or less and violated the red light law, though I never got ticketed for it without cameras around. (Cops usually didn't pull people over even if they saw you just barely miss, here.)

With all the red light cameras and other stupid drivers around and hopefully a little better judgment and maturity on my part, I do not try to beat traffic lights any more. I practice what most of us were taught by driving school instructors: stop when the light turns yellow if you can.

My biggest fear now about red lights and red light cameras is getting rear-ended because I can stop and the guy behind me wasn't paying attention or assumed I would go, or braking hard at a red-light camera intersection and not quite stopping in front of the line and therefore getting a ticket, when I would have legally made the light if I'd just kept going when it turned yellow.

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JMoo On

onestep wrote: I was just

onestep wrote:

grin I was just wondering how often the people here are running red lights? Is this just like the George Carlin joke?

How often do you run red lights? Is it a monthly accident, weekly or god forbid daily?

Why not treat every light like it has a camera and you should be ticket free.

I don't trust the cameras. They are there primarily to make money for the camera companies and the cities. Depending on how they are set up, they may not be accurate or have too short a yellow light that do not give motorists an adequate enough time to stop (ie. a ticket trap). As far as running red lights, I try never to run them. I also try to avoid intersections equipped with ticketing cameras, which is why the GPS locations come in handy. Ideally, the cameras would be banned everywhere and no one would have to worry about it, but reality is that there is always someone out there trying to take your money.

Red Lights GA

In GA, a law was passed that if there was a Red Light Camera present, an extra second for the yellow light had to be added. Guess what, the Red Light Cameras are no longer making any money. Some cities are no longer using them.

From the studies I have seen

lotsofspam wrote:

Like others have said, red light cameras are a very good indication of problem intersections as identified by the local jurisdiction. It's nice to know when to be extra careful. Most of us try to be careful all the time, but knowing you are crossing an intersection where red light runners are a big problem may just get you home alive that day.

Most of the studies I have seen on red light cameras is that it is not the person that drives across an intersection when the light is red - although there are a lot of those that "try to beat the signal." It is those that stop in the middle - or even completely over - the marked pedestrian crosswalk and are "in the intersection." Couple that with those that don't come to a stop before turning on red and you have the bulk of the violations.

The first two are termed "intersection incursion" while the third is "failure to come to a complete stop." All three are dangerous habits many drivers exhibit.

Blocking a crosswalk puts the pedestrian at risk as they now are required to walk into the intersection or between two stopped cars to cross. And there is just no excuse for failing to come to a complete stop before turning on red. That's just arrogance on the part of the driver.

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ɐ‾nsǝɹ Just one click away from the end of the Internet

An extra second is a good idea

epc2 wrote:

In GA, a law was passed that if there was a Red Light Camera present, an extra second for the yellow light had to be added. Guess what, the Red Light Cameras are no longer making any money. Some cities are no longer using them.

Best idea I've read so far, especially in light of the article in www.thenewspaper.com.

I Don't Do It

but sometimes do continue through the yellow. If ever the yellow is a short timed one, it'd probably catch me.

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Tuckahoe Mike - Nuvi 3490LMT, Nuvi 260W, iPhone X, Mazda MX-5 Nav

I'm a yellow light runner...

I'm a yellow light runner... but might run a red once a month or so if I'm in a super rush! smile

Avoid triggering the camera.

I can only confirm this for the cameras that Montgomery County Maryland uses, but if you go through the red light at under 19mph it does not trigger the camera. I do it all the time when driving around late at night in no traffic. I come to a stop at the intersection, look around to make sure it is safe, then drift through the red light. I have never had a problem.

no cameras here

we are a small city area so we do not have the RL cameras... but I know I run one on occassion, maybe once every few months. Usually it is just a timing issue, most lights have about the same yellow light timing but a few I found have shorter yellows and thats usually when I see I have enough time and actually go, but the shorter yellow catches me off guard...

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Garmin c330 w/ 2011 maps

and the clock is ticking

stevodevo wrote:

I'm a yellow light runner... but might run a red once a month or so if I'm in a super rush! smile

Let us know when you get that ticket, Okay! wink

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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.

Just because there are no Cameras, Doesn't mean you can run red

talikarni wrote:

we are a small city area so we do not have the RL cameras... but I know I run one on occassion, maybe once every few months. Usually it is just a timing issue, most lights have about the same yellow light timing but a few I found have shorter yellows and thats usually when I see I have enough time and actually go, but the shorter yellow catches me off guard...

Whats really going to catch you off guard is, Blowing through a intersection once every few months and t-boning a car a killing someone.

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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.

Running Red Lights

If you run a redlight, you are just asking for trouble. Your odds have significantly increased to be in an accident or get a ticket. It is not worth the risk. There is a reason why the light turns red.

ran a red light tonight

ran a red light tonight. the yellow went by so quick i had no choice. Plus i was driving my wifes car so i did not have my gps on me as she had my truck. i will check that location against posted redlight cams to see if it had 1.

red light cameras

Knowing the red light camera locations is a safety issue. It warns a driver of the dangerous intersections

Vendor?

schvidah wrote:

I can only confirm this for the cameras that Montgomery County Maryland uses, but if you go through the red light at under 19mph it does not trigger the camera. I do it all the time when driving around late at night in no traffic. I come to a stop at the intersection, look around to make sure it is safe, then drift through the red light. I have never had a problem.

Interesting. What RL camera vendor does the county use? Is this a default on all that company's cameras or selected by the county?

onestep wrote: I was just

onestep wrote:

grin I was just wondering how often the people here are running red lights? Is this just like the George Carlin joke?

How often do you run red lights? Is it a monthly accident, weekly or god forbid daily?

Why not treat every light like it has a camera and you should be ticket free.

I really try not to run any red lights but when the lights suddenly change on you, I would like to at least have the option to be able to run it instead of slamming on the breaks and causing a major accident. Red light cameras would not be able to determine if that's good or bad. My 2 cents.

Yesterday

I don't normally run reds nor do I try to beat the yellows. But yesterday, man that was a fun moment.

So, I'm sitting in the intersection waiting for the last few cars to go before I can clear the intersection. This white sedan pulls out of a Horton's and is gunning for the light. It's about to change over to a yellow (The hand just stopped flashing). I'm still in the intersection and I see the woman looking up at the light. She hasn't taken her eyes off of it yet.

I roll down my window and give her the finger. Then I realised she's not going to see me giving her the finger, she's not going to look down. I threw it in to second and gunned it. At this point the light has turned yellow. The burn out made her look down and she slams on the breaks. Her back tires break loose and she fish tails. She did a 180 degree spin and came to a full stop. So now she's going east bound in the west bound lane.

I just kept on for home.

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Jesus died for your sins. If you don't sin, Jesus died for nothing.

Never Have

Never have run a red light. Even in the dark of night when it is very easy to see if someone is coming, I'd not want to take the chance. With my luck, there would be a cop sitting off to the site and ticket city would be calling me.