Roly Nelson wrote:Personally, I don't object to red light cameras at all. If everyone would stop as required, there would be no blown intersection accidents. When my dad was teaching me to drive, he was a fanatic about pulling up to a stopsign or what the called "a stop and go signal". He showed me over and over how to do it correctly and I have never forgotten it. As he would break the car to a stop, you only really know that you have come to a complete stop, by recognizing the feeling of the rebound of the car when the wheels have stopped turning. Must have something to do with the fact that we are riding on rubber.
If you notice other drivers, when they pull up to such a stop sign, rarely do you see the wheels come to a complete stop, everyone is just in too big a hurry. Next time you are at the wheel, give it a try and notice the rebound of the car when a complete stop is accomplished. At the age of 15, I paid little attention to full stops, but now that I am an octogenarian, I have plenty of time, so I am better at it and don't want to get T-boned by a red light runner. Cameras, just snap away, I don't care. Just my 2 cents.
Roly ~~
I don't have a problem with camera enforcement either. A violation is a violation. That said here are the facts:
1) There are two signs. One as you approach the intersection that is behind you and can't be seen as you are stopped behind the line. Most folks are focused on the status of the stoplight and traffic as they approach the light rather than looking for a rather rare "no right turn" on red sign.
2) When you are looking to make a right turn you are focused on the light on the right far corner, the crosswalk, and the traffic approaching from street level from the left. You are not focused on the light and second "no right turn on red sign" high above the middle of the intersection as you are getting your visual cue on the status of the light from the the light where you are naturally looking.
3) These lights have been linked to increased traffic accidents due to them distracting motorists.
4) I was the 10th violation of the day (that is on the computer encoded information on the ticket) and it was only 1600 hours so there was still another 8 hours to go. If we assume that 10 people a day get citations then 3,650 people a year are getting cited. Any reasonable person would figure out that there is a problem with the intersection and the signage. The city has little motivation to improve compliance with their desire have people not make right turns on red (there is a bus terminal at the intersection) and safety as they are making $1,800,000 a year in traffic fines at this intersection. They make it exceptionally difficult (as in multiple court appearances) to fight the ticket. $500 for an inadvertent violation is far more than they get for a typical speeding ticket which is a deliberate choice (IMHO).
Sooooooo, I'm gonna tell the judge, respectfully of course, exactly what I think about the situation and ask that, in lieu of a conviction and a fine, that I work with the city to improve the signage and solve the problem. Should he/she refuse my request I will point out that he/she has just reinforced my opinion (and the opinion of many others) that it is all about revenue generation and not about improving safety on our streets.
That's my plan. My driving record is clean, the judge may permit me to attend traffic school even though I show up in court, so I figure I have nothing to lose.
Cheers,
Gus
The opinions in this post are my own. My comments are directed to those that might like an alternative approach to those already espoused.There is the right way,the wrong way,the USMC way, your way, my way, and the highway.
"I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it." Klaatu-"The Day the Earth Stood Still"
"You can't handle the truth!"-Jack Nicholson "A Few Good Men"
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. The Marines don't have that problem"-Ronald Reagan
