red light cameras in general

 

Yesterday, I thought about it again, as I passed through the cam at 34th and Grays Ferry in Phila., making a left turn.

Two cars ahead of me ran 3 consecutive lights heading west. That would be 35th, S Harmony, and Grove. This happens every day, day in, day out. But very few people run 34th and Grays Ferry.

This is the best example I can think of where the light is effective. When 34th in the SW direction is clear (not very often), I have observed wrecker trucks crossing the double yellow and running the rlc intersection--they are professional drivers, they must know that this works.

There can never be a rlc at every intersection, imho, so running red lights can never be 0%. But it would seem the cams do a little, like dropping a pebble in the ocean!

I am not for speed cams nor video tolling (this has its own set of problems, and there, I acknowledge rental car cos. gouge and take advantage), but I am for red light cams and maybe speed cams only in school zones.

I see it all the time

Not a day goes by that I do not see multiple cars running red lights.

Most of these violations I see occur during the (generally) two second "all red". These drivers are banking on the the fact that the other direction's drivers will take time to react to their light having just turned green.

There is one red light where, a couple of times a week, I see a driver going thru the intersection I am about to enter when I already have a green light. That means that such driver went thru the intersection on a red at least two seconds after it changed to red.

So many people seem to be in a hurry and view traffic laws as just "suggestions".

And yet, you're not going to

And yet, you're not going to convince those of us who prefer to have the RLC and Speed POI's loaded and active on our GPS.

--
I never get lost, but I do explore new territory every now and then.

no

KenSny wrote:

And yet, you're not going to convince those of us who prefer to have the RLC and Speed POI's loaded and active on our GPS.

because if you think about it, all you have to do is go to work, or watch a documentary on lions.

Are you a wolf, or are you a sheep? A wolf (and a lion) is opportunistic. There is no reason to not run the lights for some. RLC is one. Because to run that knowingly is plain stupidity, doesn't even matter if you are wealthy. You can do a lot more good diverting the funds elsewhere.

.

jgermann wrote:

Not a day goes by that I do not see multiple cars running red lights.

Most of these violations I see occur during the (generally) two second "all red". These drivers are

banking on the the fact that the other direction's drivers will take time to react to their light having just turned green.

There is one red light where, a couple of times a week, I see a driver going thru the intersection I am about to enter when I already have a green light. That means that such driver went thru the intersection on a red at least two seconds after it changed to red.

So many people seem to be in a hurry and view traffic laws as just "suggestions".

You've never driven in the Philadelphia area have you?

There is so much traffic here that on intersections without a left turn arrow people jump the red to turn left as the cross traffic signal is turning red, and then again at the end of the cycle jumping the turning red signal to make the turn. People here just don't give you a chance, even doing this only a couple cars get to turn.

Some intersections that do have left arrows they stagger them, one direction gets the left at the beginning of the cycle and the opposing gets it at the end, but because of the common practice of jumping/running the light they have two signs to hopefully stop the light jumpers:

"Opposing Traffic Has Extended Green" & " Wait For Green"

Just the fact we have those signs tells you how many folks run lights around here.

--
. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .

OMG

To OP:
So, you think that the reason we have RLC poi's is to run red lights? We all get it that you think the RLC and Speed POI's are "bad" and somehow are making those that use them "bad" citizens.
Get Real!

--
I never get lost, but I do explore new territory every now and then.

where

KenSny wrote:

To OP:
So, you think that the reason we have RLC poi's is to run red lights? We all get it that you think the RLC and Speed POI's are "bad" and somehow are making those that use them "bad" citizens.
Get Real!

did I say pois are bad? lol I have the cyclops as well. I think rlcs are good, and running lights is bad.

I said no I am not trying to convince you. Likely you missed the "NO" in the subject line.

I know

soberbyker wrote:
jgermann wrote:

Not a day goes by that I do not see multiple cars running red lights.

Most of these violations I see occur during the (generally) two second "all red". These drivers are

banking on the the fact that the other direction's drivers will take time to react to their light having just turned green.

There is one red light where, a couple of times a week, I see a driver going thru the intersection I am about to enter when I already have a green light. That means that such driver went thru the intersection on a red at least two seconds after it changed to red.

So many people seem to be in a hurry and view traffic laws as just "suggestions".

You've never driven in the Philadelphia area have you?

There is so much traffic here that on intersections without a left turn arrow people jump the red to turn left as the cross traffic signal is turning red, and then again at the end of the cycle jumping the turning red signal to make the turn. People here just don't give you a chance, even doing this only a couple cars get to turn.

Some intersections that do have left arrows they stagger them, one direction gets the left at the beginning of the cycle and the opposing gets it at the end, but because of the common practice of jumping/running the light they have two signs to hopefully stop the light jumpers:

"Opposing Traffic Has Extended Green" & " Wait For Green"

Just the fact we have those signs tells you how many folks run lights around here.

You are familiar with the turn I am describing....cars abide by 34th and Grays Ferry because of the rlc, then blow the next 3 red lights as they go west on Grays Ferry--not even close, blatantly. It's so wild wild west....even if there's an accident on the news, we're so numb...

There are better alternatives !!!

soberbyker wrote:

There is so much traffic here that on intersections without a left turn arrow people jump the red to turn left as the cross traffic signal is turning red, and then again at the end of the cycle jumping the turning red signal to make the turn. People here just don't give you a chance, even doing this only a couple cars get to turn.

Some intersections that do have left arrows they stagger them, one direction gets the left at the beginning of the cycle and the opposing gets it at the end, but because of the common practice of jumping/running the light they have two signs to hopefully stop the light jumpers:

"Opposing Traffic Has Extended Green" & " Wait For Green"

Just the fact we have those signs tells you how many folks run lights around here.

I think Mexico has a far better solution to handling left turns at a traffic light.
In larger towns or cities they have the "Straight Through" lanes. Then they have a lateral road to the "right" where you position yourself for a left turn.
What happens next is that the through lanes in both directions go red and the laterals in both directions get a green light to make left turns !!!! A far more elegant solution!

--
Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

a

Melaqueman wrote:
soberbyker wrote:

There is so much traffic here that on intersections without a left turn arrow people jump the red to turn left as the cross traffic signal is turning red, and then again at the end of the cycle jumping the turning red signal to make the turn. People here just don't give you a chance, even doing this only a couple cars get to turn.

Some intersections that do have left arrows they stagger them, one direction gets the left at the beginning of the cycle and the opposing gets it at the end, but because of the common practice of jumping/running the light they have two signs to hopefully stop the light jumpers:

"Opposing Traffic Has Extended Green" & " Wait For Green"

Just the fact we have those signs tells you how many folks run lights around here.

I think Mexico has a far better solution to handling left turns at a traffic light.
In larger towns or cities they have the "Straight Through" lanes. Then they have a lateral road to the "right" where you position yourself for a left turn.
What happens next is that the through lanes in both directions go red and the laterals in both directions get a green light to make left turns !!!! A far more elegant solution!

imho there is a problem with a disregard for rules, laws, and signals.

Another issue with the intersection which I describe, is people attempting to get further ahead in the center, then cutting someone off already to the far left.

This happens at Wharton, one block south of the rlc, and also, at the rlc. Add people who exit at University, speed up 34th, then reenter 76W, to beat out a small section of stopped traffic on the expressway. All of these pieces are going on at the same time. There ought to be in an ideal world, 16-20 or so rlcs at this location. I am curious to see if there is any such thing? Four, are not enough to handle what's going on.

NJ

Melaqueman wrote:

I think Mexico has a far better solution to handling left turns at a traffic light.
In larger towns or cities they have the "Straight Through" lanes. Then they have a lateral road to the "right" where you position yourself for a left turn.
What happens next is that the through lanes in both directions go red and the laterals in both directions get a green light to make left turns !!!! A far more elegant solution!

New Jersey has a similar thing they call jug handles, to make a left you actually turn right which circles around and puts you on a cross street. The problem is they are not consistent, you never know if you need to be in the left lane or right lane to make a left turn.

.

--
. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .

And then there's

Places like Detroit (if I recall correctly) where you can't actually turn left the intersection. Instead, you pass through the intersection and about 1/4 mile you make a left handed U-Turn and cross the traffic to the right hand lane to right on your desired street.

It's an interesting solution to a sticky situation.

I don't know how well it works in reality...

--
Never argue with a pig. It makes you look foolish and it anoys the hell out of the pig!

maybe

Maybe a little bit of awareness will help.

Yesterday, I was at 19th and Vine, wanting to make a left, as were the two cars in front of me.

There is no, "No Turn on Red" sign, yet, nobody is doing anything. The car in front should have turned left on red, yet they just stood there wasting everybody's time. I saw that the vehicle had VA tags, so I let it go.

I always think, traffic should flow just like data on the internet, or packets rather. What if packets all violated protocols and simply did whatever they wanted? Or a packet from VA acted differently than one from PA? There needs to be some cooperation and consideration. Only then can we remove rlcs imho. But it will never happen due to "opportunistic" drivers.

Well ...

johnnatash4 wrote:

Maybe a little bit of awareness will help.

Yesterday, I was at 19th and Vine, wanting to make a left, as were the two cars in front of me.

There is no, "No Turn on Red" sign, yet, nobody is doing anything. The car in front should have turned left on red, yet they just stood there wasting everybody's time. I saw that the vehicle had VA tags, so I let it go.

I always think, traffic should flow just like data on the internet, or packets rather. What if packets all violated protocols and simply did whatever they wanted? Or a packet from VA acted differently than one from PA? There needs to be some cooperation and consideration. Only then can we remove rlcs imho. But it will never happen due to "opportunistic" drivers.

You'd be surprised how many people do not realize that you can turn left on RED from a one way street onto a one way street, as long as there is no sign prohibiting it.

You 'packet' theory is nice, but packets don't have human stuff to factor in, running late, emotional dismay, EGO, rage, etc etc etc. and as long as you have 10 times more traffic than the street can handle you'll always have "opportunistic" drivers.

--
. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .

yep

soberbyker wrote:
johnnatash4 wrote:

Maybe a little bit of awareness will help.

Yesterday, I was at 19th and Vine, wanting to make a left, as were the two cars in front of me.

There is no, "No Turn on Red" sign, yet, nobody is doing anything. The car in front should have turned left on red, yet they just stood there wasting everybody's time. I saw that the vehicle had VA tags, so I let it go.

I always think, traffic should flow just like data on the internet, or packets rather. What if packets all violated protocols and simply did whatever they wanted? Or a packet from VA acted differently than one from PA? There needs to be some cooperation and consideration. Only then can we remove rlcs imho. But it will never happen due to "opportunistic" drivers.

You'd be surprised how many people do not realize that you can turn left on RED from a one way street onto a one way street, as long as there is no sign prohibiting it.

You 'packet' theory is nice, but packets don't have human stuff to factor in, running late, emotional dismay, EGO, rage, etc etc etc. and as long as you have 10 times more traffic than the street can handle you'll always have "opportunistic" drivers.

You are right....

But I will say again, Indianapolis and Cincinnati are like a utopia for driving! For whatever reason, people have decided to drive the way that they do (politely and orderly with no rush). Guess it "is" the people, not the technology...

left turns

even better way is Nj, the old jug handle, all turns are made from the right lane right or left.

Cinc???

johnnatash4 wrote:

You are right....
But I will say again, Indianapolis and Cincinnati are like a utopia for driving! For whatever reason, people have decided to drive the way that they do (politely and orderly with no rush). Guess it "is" the people, not the technology...

I have to qualify my statement since I only pass Cinci 2 times a year on I-75. But anytime I'm there people drive like I poop !!!
They cut you off at an off ramp since they feel they should not have to get in line like everyone else. There are more instances!

--
Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

copy of what I wrote earlier ...

darrell1949 wrote:

even better way is Nj, the old jug handle, all turns are made from the right lane right or left.

I wrote the following earlier in this thread

Quote:

New Jersey has a similar thing they call jug handles, to make a left you actually turn right which circles around and puts you on a cross street. The problem is they are not consistent, you never know if you need to be in the left lane or right lane to make a left turn.

I'll add once again, the jughandles are not consistent, even on the same road. Try drive on 130 in south Jersey and you'll see what I mean.

--
. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .