St Petersburg FL Red Light Cameras Coming Down
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 11:20am
16 years
|
St Petersburg FL red light camera program comes to an end tonight. Cameras being removed.
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/26664561/red-light-camera...
Thanks!
I had this on the calendar to remove today.
Will be ready for tomorrow's Red Light Camera file update.
~Angela
I figured
Not surprised you're on top of things... finger on the pulse... etc.
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold
observation
I wonder that if cameras come down, are the benefits still there? Meaning if people got used to cameras, and stopped running red lights, do they continue with their habit of stopping, even though the lights are gone.....
Interesting question
I wonder that if cameras come down, are the benefits still there? Meaning if people got used to cameras, and stopped running red lights, do they continue with their habit of stopping, even though the lights are gone.....
Hard to answer with statistics that they might be able to capture. Usually when red light cams went in, accidents were slightly down but rear end acidents were initially up, which opponents like thenewspaper.com gleefully reported.
The trouble with collecting data is that - over time - there are other confounding factors that are hard to control for.
However, St Pete may keep accident statistics by intersection - so we will have to wait a year and see what is reported (if anything).
"Reasonable Driving Standard"
As many Law Enforcement Professionals realize, the average driver acts within the boundary of publicly acceptable government regulation. What this means is that if government mandates laws that are perceived by the public to be reasonable, most citizens will voluntary comply without the need for sanctions. However, as most cops know, when a regulation is perceived to be punitive or political in nature as opposed to reasonable, a backlash appears which is harmful in multiple ways. Obviously, the first is to disregard the regulation. More ominously, however, is the tendency to then develop contempt for other regulations which may in fact be valid. Had our officials created red light, speeding, and school zone enforcement programs that were perceived to be fair, a lasting change of attitude might prevail and even be welcome. Sadly, revenue inspired manipulations such as shortening yellow lights, adding no turn on red, reducing previous speed limits, and school zone enforcement during summer periods, not to mention the proliferation of stop signs, have reduced a program, which might have engendered public support, to a "gotcha" mentality. As such, we can expect the public to go right back to the "reasonable standard" in negotiating red lights and other traffic regulations shortly after removal of the cameras.
Stay Safe Out There
Shortening of red lights
Yes trianj, St Petersburg has some 4 second red lights even in areas with 40-45 mph speed limits. I've timed some. I got caught after checking my mirrors and then looking up to see yellow flash to red just as I entered the intersection - where one of those unreasonable cameras were. First I timed the light in the video, then I went back to the intersection and timed a few cycles. No test was longer than 4 secs. Then I checked a few other intersections. What a scam - now gone. Now, I just wish we could get those administrators that caused the misuse of the cameras to also be gone.