Yellow timing lawsuit lost

Drivers lose their yellow-light lawsuit against Cary’s red-light cameras

Drivers had enough time to avoid running red light, judge says
http://www.carynews.com/2013/01/18/69683/drivers-lose-lawsui...

"Even if the yellow light should have lasted longer, Ridgeway [the Judge] said, Ceccarelli could have stopped in time by hitting the brakes harder. Instead, Ceccarelli testified that he had stepped on the gas in an attempt to speed through the intersection before the light turned red."

This case brings up a couple of interesting points within the information provided. The State evidently sets the timing on this particular signal and the city sets the speed limit for the road. The State had a 4 second yellow time for a 35 MPH speed and the city upped the limit to 45 but the signal timing was not reset. This points to a breakdown in communication between the city's managers and the state DOT. The signal timing was evidently reset after the state was notified of the problem. In my estimation the suit was against the correct party, the city but the wrong argument was used. It wasn't so much about the physics as it was about the misfeasance of the city to notify the state it had changed the speed limit.