What is and what is NOT a red light camera

Let me know the intersection names and I will get them removed.

Miss POI

I have noticed lately that there are alerts at intersections that have traffic cameras. They are not red light cameras. In some cases no camera is visible. I will have to start keeping track and send in updates.

I guess it's time to activate that screen capture function on my nuvi.

I didnt know about the ES cameras, thanks.

This is why there are some false alerts on the GPS. Some members are confusing these cameras with the real red light cameras.

Thanks for highlighting this.

If those examples of ES camera's from How Stuff Works are indeed not red light camera's, why then are the image links identified as red-light camera 8 & 14? Just wondering.

Around where I live, there are camera's atop lighting posts such as in http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/red-light-camera-14.jpg, and the local government says they are there to monitor traffic patterns, and they are not red-light camera's

I am going to add these images to the red light camera photo page located here: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6698

I will also get a hold of the source and ask them to change the title of their caption so that it is not confusing to others.

Thanks again for pointing this out, you get a gold star.

Miss POI

How did I miss node 6698? Duh, it's right there in the FAQ!

Well, unfortunately, it looks like others did as well.

Memory lapse.
Yep, I talked to a chap I know who actually runs the traffic control systems in a town in CO. OK, this was a year and a half ago. And the data came second hand. And it has been many beers since.

The problem with an inductive loop is that asphalt moves. Don't believe me? Just go look at where the trucks stop or accelerate from a stop at the lights. That breaks the wires in the loop. In CO, the problem is freeze/thaw cycles. Then they have to call out the road crew, interrupt traffic, and offer to the gods of speedy transportation one maimed or killed worker. Not the preferred choice. It's not only the loops that get killed.

The preferable new version trains the camera at the ground and identifies sitting traffic. I'm sure they get a two-fer and also recognize ES vehicles.

For the paranoid: Yes they are logging your traffic pattern and reporting all to the big head in the sky. Although in MD a suggestion was made to use cameras to log plates and a computer cross check would spot expired or invalid plates. So your paranoia may not be so far fetched.

But it is not a red light camera.

Now if we could just get a national 4 sec minimum on yellow law passed!

What about those flashing strobe slot inside the traffic control lights? I see a couple of them around here and it flashes whenever it's red. Coming out of a slot in the center of the red circle.

There's no camera's around...been told it was just to get your attention due to alot of accidents at the intersection.

That's exactly correct - to get the drivers attention.