Ohio Cities See Increase of Red-Light Runners

No more cameras, no example on the media clip, yet the "study" by a single interest group (probably subsidized) says "violations are up" obviously by their own stats.

Sure I'll believe that ..... any more bridges for sale .....

I thought that was the responsibility of municipal traffic control...... maybe even the police

@pb46, Did you read this? "Trotwood police told ABC 22/FOX 45 that violations are up 77 percent." (emphasis added)

And, are you saying that this "single interest group (probably subsidized)" (according to your suppositions) furnished the Trotwood police with this group's "own stats"?

So what's Trotwood crabbing about? The cops are writing 77% more tickets than the cameras were. Sounds like a win/win to me. The city gets ALL of the ticket revenue and the good citizens get the police state that some of them want.

Phil

Indeed a win/win.

I find it strange that folks seem to be against police enforcing the law .....

Force of habit, I guess ...... called indoctrination.

I not sure that I would call it a win-win. The fact that violations are up 77% above the level that was average when there were RLC means that there are now more opportunities for wrecks and possibly loss of life.

From the sparse data we have from the link, we do not know whether or not the violations in Trotwood actually received tickets. Indeed, if the violators were indeed ticketed, then it would not be a win-win for them because they might have received "points" and for sure their insurance companies would know of the violations.

The thrust of my original post was to point out that it was not the "single interest group" (with an implication that their numbers would be suspect) which furnished the percentage number quoted in the link, but rather was the "municipal traffic control...... maybe even the police" from which the numbers were sourced.

Would agree.

"Security guards fall asleep. Items missing from distribution center."

Newsworthy?

Thanks --- now if only we could get #$#$%#$^@#$#@$ Ohio drives to STOP driving in the left lane down the interstates!

I for one am glad the cameras are turned off and I hope they stay that way. The numbers cited in the story seem to have come from those who profit from red light cameras, but its really hard to tell where they came from. In any case, I feel safer with the cameras off. Now, to get rid of them permanently......

I think the real headline should have been "While some communities have stopped using the traffic cameras because of an earlier court ruling, the City of Dayton has continued using its cameras, after it filed a lawsuit asking to continue using them."

I want to see how this plays in court. Maybe the will of the voters in all those cities that voted to shutdown traffic cameras won't matter after all.

And I'm not convinced that red light violation deaths are such a huge number as to warrant cameras at intersections, as inferred in a previous post. The cameras were money generating schemes, pure-and-simple, concocted by the camera companies and cities looking to increase revenues all on the pretense of safety.

Sure to throw gasoline on a raging fire..

Every day when I am out driving, I will come up to a traffic light turning yellow. I slow down and come to a stop.

Many times some idiot well behind me boots it and runs through the light.

In most cases unfortunately there is NO RLC present !

I have never been ticketed by a red light camera, and I don't have the camera POI. That is likely because I stop at red lights before turning right.

Sadly, I have received a couple of tickets from speed cameras. Strangely enough, I was actually speeding both times. I was ticked off and REALLY hated paying the fines. But I was not mad at the camera for catching me - I was mad at myself for going 15 KPH faster than the speed limit!

I have no problems with automated traffic enforcement when the rules are clear. Red lights mean STOP, and speed limit signs mean DON'T GO FASTER THAN THIS.

RLC and speed cameras generate a lot of revenue because way too many people ignore the rules of the road. If you want to roll through a red light when making a right hand turn or cruise 10 - 15 MPH above the speed limit, you will eventually pay the piper... and let's hope it's just through fines - not accidents.

Not have I, that being said, I too make every legitimate effort to stop at red lights. Have I run a few, well yes, a few were on the pink side and a few were purely red. Most of them it was unsafe to stop.. Where I would have found a semi tractor in my back seat.

While I understand your position, about.not having the RLC/ Speed can POP's installed, I use the POP's more as tools.

There have been entirely to many demonstrated scenarios where the timings of lights have been adjusted to be well below the legal limit for the purpose of lining the coffers and not for safety. So the RLC warning is just that... So I'm more aware.

Speed cams, well, we all have the occasional brain fart, where we aren't paying quite the attention to our speed as we should. Do the little voice that pops up about the speed cam just tends to refocus your attention back to the task at hand.

Of those that support the city's rights to use traffic cameras, how many of you use the POI camera files to detect them?
Be honest

As I indicated in my earlier message, I don't have the camera POI. Of course, I live in a small town in a rural area and there aren't any traffic cameras around here.

But I don't download the POI when I travel to the US either.

I am neither a fan or foe of the cameras. I will have to say that the speed cameras on the interstate in my nearby city (Cedar Rapids) have improved the safety on that stretch of road by slowing people down on some dangerous curves. The red light cameras have not been as effective IMO.

But yes, I use the POI Factory files all the time. I don't intentionally speed or run red lights. But when I get an alert, I double check my speed and/or use extra diligence at that light.

And I support the right of the city/county/state to use the automated systems in instances where conditions have not been changes to increase the likelihood of increased violations.

I use the files to provide additional situational awareness to the possible actions of other drivers who may make erratic maneuvers near the devices. A typical situation around here is a speed camera on a 35 MPH street that doesn't trigger until the vehicle exceeds 47 MPH but drivers slam on their brakes and slow to 25 or less and then gun their cars.

I was in the Washington D.C. (oh you know what D.C. stands for right? NO you don't? It stands for DISTRICT of CORRUPTION) and that area has more RLC & Speed cams than anywhere else and more were being added seemingly every week, so it was only prudent to always be warned.. Especially when new ones were added..

But because I had the files did t cause me to break the laws.. Just warned me that's all.