Why I hate Red light cameras

It's either revenue from the cameras or increased taxes to cover wasteful spending

No cams and lower taxes. If accidents increase after the cams are installed, is it lawful to sue these bureaucratic boneheads?

here is the 2nd of 5 articles published in 2002 on red light cameras
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/00...

Might get use to it, they are here to stay and are multiplying like rabbits! City governments going broke>police officers laid off>less enforcement of redlight runners by police=redlight cameras & speed cameras.

Like every other tax, once enacted they're never really removed. My guess is that within another decade or so, virtually every controlled intersection will have a camera operated revenue enhancement system.

Or a camera control booth revenue agent observing the traffic live by CCTV and remotely commanding the light to turn red when it is impossible for the motorist to stop in time. "A winner every red light cycle."

If that eventually happens, then the risk of rear end collisions may be reduced since everyone will know that every intersection is monitored. As it is now, with the limited number of such intersections, and in many cases no signage, the rear ends are happening because the overzealous drivers want to blow through the yellow.

Good Morning Double Tap, I agree!!

Once municipalities figure out that redlight cameras are an easy way to "generate" revenue, they will go up all over town.

We a have a little town (community) up north that if you are traveling east or west, you "must" go through their little "community". There isn't much there so nobody really stops there. The one major street/highway goes right through their community and I would guess it's about 1 mile in length maybe a little more with no stoplight and a speed limit of 45mph. They do catch folks (out of towners on vacation or out of staters) In that short stretch they have 4 or 5 speed cameras. With no intersections with traffic control lights and no stoplights in town, and because there is nothing there for anyone to stop and spend their money...guess how they get those dollars rolling in? With 4 or 5 speed cameras along a 1 - 1 1/2 mile section of highway that everyone has to drive through.

REVENUE GENERATORS

Surely red light cameras can contribute to a reduction in T-bone accidents. I agree they may have little effect on reducing rear enders, which are often caused by drivers not paying attention to driving (engaged in text-messaging, for example).

And, yes, they're all about money.

You may be right, but there is hope that people will yet come to their senses in many locales. Here in northern Illinois, an RLC hotbed, some suburbs are continuing to install them this year, but others are beginning to push back, and after a year or two of experience and after examining accident statistics and sentiments from angry residents, some suburban officials are telling Redflex to remove their cameras. At least one other suburb is using them intelligently, requiring police officers to review taped evidence and only issue RLC citations for egregious violations for which they would have stopped the motorist and written a ticket if they had been there in a squad car. Of course, at some point, the temptation is strong to just write everyone up and mail them out. But I'm not convinced that RLCs are coming everywhere to every intersection near you.

I have not had any experience with them but man they have to do something about all the people running reds like a wagon train and blocking intersections because they want to get in the lane they should be waiting for then no one moves cause they are now stuck at a red light.

How did the RLC cause the second driver to follow too closely or not pay attention to the car ahead? Instead of a red light, what if the driver had stopped suddenly because a little kid ran into the street? If you maintain a safe distance, you should be able to stop without running into the car ahead of you (and yes, I drive in NYC and LI every day, so I'm quite familiar with the traffic around here)

How much do they collect on each ticket they create?

The poor schmuck that got hit might have tried to get through the yellow instead of stopping to avoid a possible ticket. People like you seem to live in a fantasy land where everything is perfect and if you stop quickly the person behind you has maintained the proper distance because he is just as perfect as you are.

im afraid, we can't do anything about this

Knowledge is power, and knowing where the red light cameras are is half the battle.

So many times I see folks slam on their brakes at a light that just turned yellow.

With the increasing need for more revenue and more cameras, I want to thank this website and all the participants that are updating the red light camera poi file.

Remember in the '80s when certain political faction proclaimed, "What I'm suggesting is not a tax hike but a revenue enhancement"?

If they did away with red light cameras and raised taxes for the lost revenue these cameras provided; they would put them back later for more money. GOVERMENT is a money pit!

If they did away with red light cameras and raised taxes for the lost revenue these cameras provided; they would put them back later for more money. GOVERMENT is a money pit!

I don't know if they will install as many as elsewhere to generate cash of course, now NJ drivers have to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks now the light turns red and the car behind you gets a ticket for going thru a light.

the collision was not the fault of red-light camera; the problem was inattention of the second driver, he was too damned close! That's like blaming your pen for misspelling. The driver in the front obeyed the law, he stopped at a yellow/red light. When I learned to drive, you did that, not sped up to try to get one over on the system!

Charlie Chan: "Once out, very difficult to put genie back in bottle"

I'd love to see an organized protest of red light cameras. I'm not talking not stopping at red light camera intersections, but something like, no turns on red, or slowing down 5 mph going through said intersections. Or driving through the intersection while braking, instead of just driving.

It's rather difficult to avoid the intersections since any route I take, they're there. One particular intersection didn't even have a problem with accidents. It doesn't have a right turn lane, so their answer was to install a RLC instead of a turn lane because they couldn't afford to install one. Well, couldn't they use the money they generated from the RLC to change that? The same community installed RLCs at intersections that are 30 mph. I can't imagine there being many accidents at those intersections either. CHA CHING!

This is another case of a "solution" being overzealously applied to a problem, the fact that lots of revenue can be generated here only sweetens the pot and encourages its implementation.

We've all seen lights at intersections turn green on our side and then had to wait while 7 more cars went through the intersection before we could proceed... that's a pretty good argument for an RLC.

However, if they had truly thought things through before implementing these cameras, with reasonable yellow times and perhaps even a short grace period of a few hundred milliseconds when the light turns red, we wouldn't have people slamming on their brakes and potentially causing rear-end collisions.

Unfortunately, poor planning and in many cases - greed, caused these lights to initially be set up improperly, accidentally or on purpose... and now the motoring public is understandably afraid of them. I imagine that we'll be burdened with this legacy for quite some time.

- Phil

To Solve The Problem.. all the city needs to do is install "seconds countdown timer/indicators" located on the pedestrian walk/don't walk lights.

Recently I've seen these countdown timers (in seconds), that have been installed where the pedestrian walk/don't walk lights are. Twenty five (25) seconds before the light is about to change from green (going your way) to red the visible countdown time begins.

I have found it quite easy to determine (via my speed and distance to intersection) if I have enough time to safely pass through the intersection.. or if I should start slowing down for the changing light to come.

I don't see why most intersections couldn't be this way.. but of course that would reduce the red light fees coming in to the city so there's a reason why NOT to do it. Money over safety.. and don't let anyone tell you differently!

Nuvi1300WTGPS

the duration of the amber is long enough to provide any reasonable driver with time to safely and comfortably stop their vehicle, tractor trailers and beverage trucks included (which is the only real way to make intersections safer). That way if you blow a light you're likely way too impatient AND reckless (yeah, yeah there might be extenuating circumstances but we don't live in a perfect world), and you should never have to worry about slamming on your brakes to stop before the light.

I agree countdown timers on all the intersections would be nice, but installation isn't just a simple replacing of the walk/don't walk signs. In addition to the signs, new wiring has to be installed to support the feature and the signal controller has to be upgraded. That costs and the cities don't have the money to pay for those changes.

Sure they do, just add more RLC to raise the necessary funding.

Because with or without them you are gambling, there is a good chance there will be no COPS near there to give you a ticket, there is also a 50/50 chance you will not be T-bone or you doing it to someone else.

With the corner camera if you run the light there is a 99.9% chance you will get a ticket in the mail, you still have the same chances for a T-bone if you are running it but it you decide to slam on the brakes you add another 50/50 chance of being rear ended.

So it boils down to how much in a hurry are you, and do you like to gamble?

If it's true that red light cams are causing more accidents, auto insurance companies should make a statement condemning them.

My daughter's car was just totaled as a result of a red light camera. She was about 4 cars back when the guy in the front panicked at a RLC intersection. #5 back hit my daughter.

But, there is another issue here besides the money. AND, it is ALL ABOUT THE MONEY. I was involved in the discussions and it kept coming to the money. But, placement is key as well. Placement has NOTHING to do with accident rates, but everything to do with revenue potential AND maintaining appropriate statistical balances in their ticketing. Some of the most dangerous intersections in town are not RLC'd because they are in the wrong part of town.

Your government officials are addicted to your money and will not stop taking it until you stop them.

The question is, how do we stop them?

I'm sorry about your daughter's car. She's okay though, right?

You asked "how do we stop them?"

You don't, because the vast majority of Americans believe they have it good and are unwilling to rise up against the de facto ruling class in this country. They would rather believe what has been spoon fed to them from the networks and the newspapers. They would rather believe that the government works for them and not the other way around. They would rather give up their liberty for a little safety.

They are not Americans. They are sheep, willing to be fleeced for the ruling class, and cut into lamb chops for the greater good.

America's transportation infrastructure is crumbling, and instead of worrying about road and bridge repairs, the ruling class worries about red light cameras because greed has replaced serving your fellow man as the creed of the government official.

This country is no longer a republic. It has morphed into a plutocracy, hidden beneath the trappings of a constitutional republic. To the ruling class, the Constitution is an inconvenience, to be shredded like the junk mail we get daily. It's taken twenty years to destroy our rights, and the sheep don't give a damn. They think they have it good.

There aren't many left to stand up and fight for the values that made America great. They've been drowned by the twin waves of apathy and greed. So...America as it should be isn't dead yet. But, it is on life support.

can't say I disagree with you, I wonder how many people got tickets at the rlc that really didn't do any thing wrong.

Seeing as you can't cross examine a RLC, we'll never know.

a parking ticket
Security Cameras (say from robberies)
circumstantial evidence
fingerprints
DNA

In the city that I am from, any time the RLC is triggered, it means that the driver entered the intersection on red, and the video is reviewed. If a driver enters the intersection on yellow, the RLC does not trigger. We hold an ajudication for issued tickets and the video is available for review at that point if contested. It's amazing how the driver, who is positive that the light was yellow, rethinks their plea when the video in shown.

Why isn't the video available before it's contested?

I guess I was hoping for something a little more, I don't know, possible? Like signing a petition, organized protesting, class action lawsuit, or at the very least, some sort of uniform regulations on enforcement cameras.

I know in Schaumburg Illinois, red light cameras were removed because people stopped shopping there. Woodfield Mall used to be the largest mall in America, until Mall of America opened. It's still a very large draw, and people made it clear they would not take their money to a place that made customers feel unwelcome.

And you'll get none of the above. Petitions are ignored. Protests are also ignored, and in addition you could get tasered for stepping out of line. Class action lawsuits change nothing because no wrongdoing is ever admitted, and uniform regulations on cameras hit the politicians right in the wallet. On that last one, politicians will do anything and everything possible, whether legal or not, to ensure that they continue to rape you.

I seen that line quite a few times, almost word for word, you know what, I've never seen someone admit to that.

I have never met a person that liked RLC's. I would bet that if someone ran for mayor in my hometown (Bremerton, WA) with an Eliminate Red Light Camaras platform, they would win hands-down.

If you live in Bremerton, please go for it.

and I like metal detectors and x-ray machines.

I like smoke and CO detectors.

I am grateful for police officers.

I am thankful for the veterans who have given their lives to ensure that other's freedoms were protected.

Governments, city, county, state, federal, etc., do not produce any type of product for resale.

They spend money like there is no end in the supply of money for in some cases useless buildings, i.e., art centers, concert halls, renovation of rundown shopping districts, etc., in the hopes of generating more sales and collecting more taxes. In the majority of these expenditures, the increase in sales and taxes did not happen but the money was spent. They need to replenish it for other potential money makers.

They collect taxes, fees for for various things (use of public parks, parking, various use fees included on your water/sewage bills, etc.-which our taxes paid for by the way) and fines and penalties.

Redlight cameras and speed cameras generate more revenue without the additional manpower and equipment, i.e., more law enforcement officers, patrol cars and associated maintenance costs and benefits expenses.

So might as well get used to the new governmental "piggy banks".

I wouldn't be too surprised if they just decided to significantly shorten nearly to the point of near elimination of yellow lights in many intersections. They could make the rationale simple, "we haven't increased speed limits, but the braking capabilities of vehicles has increased so we can shorten yellow lights in the cycle." Since politicians usually don't even read legislation before voting, and when they do actually read the summary they fail to think about the implications so it would be an easy law to pass.

Yawn, until people stop electing morons we can't solve these problems. Unfortunately, people simply talk about democracy this and democracy that. Democracy is nothing more than tyranny of the majority, so we are pretty much screwed until people actually think about the role of government and consider restoring the United States as a democratic republic that values individuals and recognized individual rights rather than valuing collectivist ideals.

Is Ohio the only state that regularly has the reoeal of RLCs on the ballot? Tis Election Day, Garfield Heights, Ohio- a suburb of Cleveland- is voting on banning the cameras.

You have a group of people go door to door to sign a a petition to have either a charter amendment or a city ordinance which forbids the municipality on using unmanned photo enforcement. Then after getting enough signatures it is placed on the ballot for a vote. All others in the state have passed and it is believed this one will pass as well.

If more people took action and exercised their rights then more would get done in stopping the cameras then moaning on an internet discussion board.

At first, I was wondering what reoeal meant. Then I realized it's a typo, and it should be repeal.

I'd love to see this happen in my state. Thank you for the excellent advice. The unmanned photo enforcement is exactly what we have here, and it's the reason my father has had to pay 2 RLC fines that were not his.