Red Light Cameras - Illegal Tampering by Cities
 

http://techdirt.com/articles/20080410/011257809.shtml

WOW! Remember the former thread on red light cameras?

Read this. If true, I wonder what a reasonable penalty ought to be for an official that commits a Fraud on the Public.

This is one example of why I advocate prison terms for public officials who violate the law...

There's a red light camera by my house at an intersection I've been driving through for years. I swear the light's timing changed after the cameras went in :mad:

By the time the lawyers and politicians get done batting that one around, there won't be a dime for any of the people bilked by them.

Road & Track has reported that the companies who contract with cities to put run the red light cameras adjust the timing to match the level of income they want from that light.

Randy, be VERY cautious if driving through Albany...red light cameras there, with very quick yellows...I've considered timing the yellow, then measuring the intersection, then doing a bit of TSD math...I wouldn't be surprised if one could enter an intersection on green and run a red before you're through, while doing the speed limit. (edit) The intersections with cameras? I approach them at half the speed posted. If I see a yellow, I toss out the anchor, and brace myself for a hit from the rear. But..WTF, I'm usually driving a cheap Ford Ranger these days. Dunno what my plan would be if I was still driving a (mostly) original '72S...

Wow, I hope this isn't true, but if it is I am disgusted... I am glad they banned them in the twin cities :p

That exact thing happened to me once in Everett, WA. I was pulled over and ticketed for running a red.:mad:

Next time that happens, I suggest you return to the intersection with a witness and a stopwatch...time the yellow, measure the intersection, and do a little math. You never know, you might find a judge with a sense of fairness?

I do the 'drop the anchor' routine too, but i go about 5-10mph slower than the speed limit. i bust a$$ once i get halfway through though (unless its a speed detection light too). What I do mainly is I go another route. I know the other route is slower, but I only have to worry about the ground forces which usually are nowhere to be found. People should set those things on fire, tear them down like they do in Europe.

This is nothing new. Scottsdale AZ got caught doing this years ago and had to refund all the fines and points taken from motorists for something like a 2 year period.

This needs to stop and the sooner we do it the better. I do not mind the camera's but make the timing sequence the same everywhere.

There is a standard for what the duration of what each color of the light is based on traffic studies etc... Having the same sequence everywhere would cause traffic to come to a screaching halt in some places. In other places it wouldn'nt matter a damn

an example is the yellow is base on the amount of time it would take a car "doing the speed limit" to pass the intersection with some safety built in for the "speed up because its yellow" people , pedestrians etc.

The duration of green is based on reasonable acceleration from a rest, allowing the correct of traffic to pass etc. And all have to interplay with the crossing street or streets.

Each state has some code like MUTCD i.e. Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, thats NY's name for it.. Ive been removed from the traffic light thing for a years, but on certain minor roads that may have to highers codes.

I do agree public officials should be held to highers standards since we pay them... In NY now we have another public school abuse of funds scam evolving...

You can easily find out if the the lights timing has been changed... well maybe not FOIA then compare your timing info..