How to tell the camera type

Yeah, I noticed that too. THey have sets (2 of them) at the intersections. They aren't using radar so I am guess that perhaps one camera is facing forward to get the front and the other the rear. Or it could be a measuring device sorta like an automated VASCAR.

Totally thoughts, not based on anything, just thinking aloud.

Here in Los Angeles, we have predominantly two kinds of cameras. The most popular kind is a giant box anywhere from 2-4 feet per side that sits on a pole that is maybe 10-12 feet above the ground on the side of the road next to the intersection. It is basically a high speed still camera that takes high resolution images and requires a lot of bright light in order to see. At night, they are assisted by big flash bulbs that send of a single large flash to illuminate the scene. All they do is take a single shot.

We also have these giant "dome" cameras which are suspended by a long arm so that they are over the middle of the street, usually further down the street from the intersection, and often there are two of them. These domes house a video camera system which is lower resolution than the still cameras, and are used to corroborate the still image. When you go into traffic court, they can be used to show you speeding through the intersection, in addition to showing the timing of any events leading up to, and including the picture that was taken by the still cameras.

Presumably, an officer could use this video to show you this in court to attempt to dissuade you from fighting the red light ticket, by convincing you that maybe they could get you for speeding.

We have two of these in Pasadena, California, if you are curious. One set is on the intersection of Union and Marengo, and the other is on the intersection of Lake and Green Street.

There is another type of device that in my area sits on top of the traffic lights at some intersections, it's rather small and looks like it has photocells or solar panels on it. I thought it was some sort of camera or traffic monitoring device but I've been told it's a device for controlling the signal and used by emergency vehicles.

Did not know what the 'dome' cameras were, thanks a lot, as DC has alot of them.

You see those types of cameras all over baltimore too, some of them are for montioring street level drug dealing and other crimes. i dont know why though..baltimore is the SAFEST city in the country!

I have seen a few places where they have the sign posted that there are redlight cameras at the intersection. When I got to the intersection I saw NO cameras at all.

I had thought the cameras were missing from intersections where there was sign too. But upon further examination, I found them. They were really small mounted on a light pole mounted away from the intersection. I've seen at least 8 different types used in my area. We have 17 counties in the metro area with at 40 city governments. So it appears we have a good mix of every type large boxed to very small cylinders. In addition, red lights also have the traffic controller devices.

It appears to me that in some places there may either be video cameras as well for the red light function or perhaps for the traffic services. However, the traffic hasn't shown up yet.

In addition, I'm seeing a lot of new red light cameras appear each week here. Seems these have become the new "revenue enhancement" means by local governments. I wonder if the camera manufacturers get a cut for installing the cameras?

I'm heading to a LA roadtrip in a few days and being able to identify the different types of cameras will help alot. Thanks for everyone's detailed descriptions!

There are two ways to avoid both, the red-light camera, and the speed camera.
1. Don't run red lights, and 2. Don't speed.

Well said...

What I am worried about is when a driver sees a yellow light and then locks the breaks to not get a ticket. the POI will give me a heads up.

I dont run red lights.

Here in Chico we recently had a bunch of small cameras installed on top of the lights. People freaked out and wanted to know what they are for. The official explanation is that they are for monitoring the traffic and switching the lights. They said it was cheaper and easier to install cameras to switch the lights than to install the pressure panels that go under the roads.

We only have red light camera for now. It usually has a big post with white box (flash) at the side of the intersection and a separate camera next to it. The camera on the traffic light is for traffic monitoring purpose.

Jeff

I've seen the big silver boxes in dallas area as well as ft.worth. I drove through Arlington and noticed something different.
Near the top of the pole, there is a sign with arlington police dept, under the sign there is a small camera, like a surveillance camera, on the pole on opposite side of the street, inline with the white line, appears to be a reflector that might be used to tell when something breaks the plane of the white line, triggering the camera.
They also have the bigger rectangular traffic cameras. We also saw something like a strobe light, and swear we (wife and I)saw it flash (not on us), we saw this at a couple of different intersections. I'm not sure, what these things are.

If you get the chance to drive Copper north of 20 by the Parks Mall, take a look at the traffic light poles.

Multiple jurisdictions, multiple camera types. In MD, they have the large white boxes with horizontal "windows" in them. In DC, much smaller cameras for red lights and I have yet to "make" the speed cameras, which is somewhat disturbing.

Some of the other devices people are seeing are forms of lighting, strobes or infrared (for infrared, you will not see anything other than a faint glow from the bulb but the camera sure can see the light and read your tag!). Sometimes they move the cameras but leave the lights in place for when they move the cameras back to that location, and they also serve as a deterrent, as many people still assume there are cameras there.

Generally speaking though, the dome cameras are more for traffic control rather than penal type monitoring, at least here locally. Officials in a centralized traffic facility can monitor major arteries for traffic flow and back ups. They don't need video since the red light cameras themselves snap several pictures and can virtually piece together your trip through the intersection (I speak from experience).

The little receiver that ces1948 saw was indeed for controlling the traffic signals via infrared signals, similar to a tv remote. I believe it is also known as MIRT (Mobile Infrared Transmitter). You don't want to get caught with one of these devices if you are not in an emergency vehicle.

For speed monitoring you may also see stripes on the pavement near the cameras for speed monitoring. These gradations are for a visual indication of speed, presumably if the speed indication on camera itself fails (?). This may have just been for the "test" camera locations in Washington, DC though so don't go by these alone.

Some jurisdictions may have different types of cameras as different contractors spec out different camera types as contracts expire, are rebid and implemented. Depending on your jurisdiction, the contractors Do make money off of each citation as a result of their cameras. It is a win-win for everybody as the cities get more revenue and slow down traffic and the contractors get their taste.

Advice is well taken though, don't run red lights (or "late yellows" ) and don't speed more than 5 over the speed limit,especially in residential areas where kids could be struck!!