Red Light Camera

DaddyMac

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
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So.. what you're saying is they've installed a camera, and you cant tell a difference in amount of accidents.

Meaning, the intersection isnt any safer, the city just gets some money.

Good. I'd rather that those breaking laws foot the bill over those who don't.
 

jbhtexas

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2006
14,327
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Arlington, TX
So.. what you're saying is they've installed a camera, and you cant tell a difference in amount of accidents.

Meaning, the intersection isnt any safer, the city just gets some money.

My perception of the accidents is rather irrelevant. That intersection was identified as one where an abnormally large portion of the accidents was caused by red light running (relative to other intersections in the city). All I can say is that the number of near misses seems to be much less when I am at the intersection. The camera is coming up on its one year anniversary. We'll see what the statistics show.
 

DaddyMac

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
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Just remember that when they start taxing something you do that they consider bad.

Always have, always will.

You think red lights are unnecessary evils imposed on us by "the man"?

And this isn't a "tax", it's a fine for breaking a well established law.

What I find amusing about this completely nonsensical arguement (not you DM - the overall), is that if a squad car was sitting there, nobody would think of running that light. But since there isn't, and a camera is there instead, it's somehow different - as if the law suddenly changed.

Do you guys avoid ATMs with cameras in them? How about stores with surveillance systems? Is shoplifting ok all of a sudden if there's no cameras around?

Pretty simple. Don't run the red light light and you keep your coin. For future refenece, don't speed or park where you're not supposed to either. Same result.

(if I could force that last one through my wife's head, I'd have a bit more change myself, and could afford to run a red light or two....:jimlad:)
 
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4VR4CY

Well-Known Member
Aug 28, 2007
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Ankeny, IA
Dear Ankeny, IA - please install a "red light camera" at the intersection of Oralabor and Delaware!!!

Seriously - every morning there are people who turn left after the light turns red. And I'm not talking just the people who are stuck in the intersection, I'm talking 5-6 cars. It is highly annoying. I'm all for a camera installed that will ticket them everytime they run it.
 

alarson

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Always have, always will.

You think red lights are unnecessary evils imposed on us by "the man"?

And this isn't a "tax", it's a fine for breaking a well established law.

What I find amusing about this completely nonsensical arguement (not you DM - the overall), is that if a squad car was sitting there, nobody would think of running that light. But since there isn't, and a camera is there instead, it's somehow different - as if the law suddenly changed.

You're ignoring a big part of what we're talking about. I dont think anyone has a problem with the cameras catching the blatant red light runners. The problem is, the cameras also tag people who are either coming through the intersection right as it turns red (because yellow lights are never uniform, and you never have any idea how long they last- and theyre often set shorter at these intersections to generate more tickets) , or they tag people turning right on red because they didnt come to a 'complete stop'. Both of these things are things that 90% of the time you arent going to get pulled over for, unless the cop is just looking for any excuse to pull people over (most likely 'drunk-hunting'). You'd rarely get a ticket for either of these.
 

DaddyMac

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
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You're ignoring a big part of what we're talking about. I dont think anyone has a problem with the cameras catching the blatant red light runners. The problem is, the cameras also tag people who are either coming through the intersection right as it turns red (because yellow lights are never uniform, and you never have any idea how long they last- and theyre often set shorter at these intersections to generate more tickets) , or they tag people turning right on red because they didnt come to a 'complete stop'. Both of these things are things that 90% of the time you arent going to get pulled over for, unless the cop is just looking for any excuse to pull people over (most likely 'drunk-hunting'). You'd rarely get a ticket for either of these.

I believe these are video intersections as well. If you have a case, I think you could probably make it. And I think you have to do something rather blantant to get rung up. I've been out there waiting to make a left turn, when the light changes, and not completed my turn til it was red .... no problems. I've entered the lane when it was yellow and turned red before I got through ... no problems.

FWIW, and again, I go through this intersection at least twice each day - to and from work. I see the camera going off a fair bit. Pretty much every time, it's

I think we're talking about people who are taking off on the red. Not getting caught in the middle of a change. The ones who decide that they are too important to wait for the next green and take off through on the red. You see it everywhere, all the time.

To help those who just have to run the red light and can't control their vehicles well enough to stop when it turns yellow - I believe at the corner of Hickman and 100th, this system is only in place on 100th for the north bound lane. Not 100% about that, so do don't quote me. But me thinks you're free to run red lights at will the other 3 directions.

And sorry Larson, but I don't agree that much of the arguement is about being wrongly caught. Perhaps you are saying that, and I understand. But I think most are just annoyed by some perceived loss of freedom. A "big brother" paranoia. I get that and maybe even agree to a point. But again, this isn't sniffing through emails, listening in on calls "looking" for trouble. There's only trouble when one makes it, in this case.

Edit: Ha ha. Funny you should bring up that last part. Care to take a guess at the reason for which I was last pulled over?
 
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CyLoboClone

Well-Known Member
Oct 15, 2009
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Albuquerque
We had better watch out, otherwise this will get moved to the politics/religion board- just like our Mountain Lion thread :sad:
 

Clark

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Jun 24, 2009
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You're ignoring a big part of what we're talking about. I dont think anyone has a problem with the cameras catching the blatant red light runners. The problem is, the cameras also tag people who are either coming through the intersection right as it turns red (because yellow lights are never uniform, and you never have any idea how long they last- and theyre often set shorter at these intersections to generate more tickets) , or they tag people turning right on red because they didnt come to a 'complete stop'. Both of these things are things that 90% of the time you arent going to get pulled over for, unless the cop is just looking for any excuse to pull people over (most likely 'drunk-hunting'). You'd rarely get a ticket for either of these.

The cop might not pull you over for not making a complete stop but I bet he pulls you over for just missing the yellow light 95% of the time. Yellow means prepare to stop not hurry up before the light turns red.

And as others have said, I'd rather have police oficers doing more important things than writing red light tickets when the technology is there to do that electronically.
 

CyPride

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Oct 12, 2008
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Oh for crap's sake. Got a ticket in the mail from Clive for doing a right turn on a red (pinkish! with no one coming towards me!) light.

Has anyone fought such a thing and won?

It tagged my husband as the driver (registered in his name) but I was driving. He has more tickets than me right now ... anyway to move it to my name rather than his?

Probably what frost me the most is the statement at the top that says 'it *appears* you have run a red light...' What the fudge - 'appears'?????
:arghh:

This is probably already on this thread, but these tickets don't go against your driving record, they just want their $75.

I have donated to Clive too! The camera shot of my license plate was blurry, I asked several people to read it and they all read the incorrect numbers/letters compared to what it really was. I ended up paying as I didn't want to 'hassle' with it.
 

3TrueFans

Just a Happily Married Man
Sep 10, 2009
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Ames
what the heck is so funny?
It was mostly the part where you complained about YOUR license plate being blurry on camera when YOU ran through a red light. Although the part where you said you paid it because you didn't want to "hassle" with it even though you admit to running the light in the first place comes close in terms of funny.
 

usedcarguy

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Apr 12, 2008
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Ames
Out of curiosity. What happens when you blow off the ticket and don't pay?

About red light cams - They are no subsititute for good law enforcement. Officers on the street find people with outstanding warrants, etc. No camera can do that.
 

alarson

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Mar 15, 2006
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Out of curiosity. What happens when you blow off the ticket and don't pay?

About red light cams - They are no subsititute for good law enforcement. Officers on the street find people with outstanding warrants, etc. No camera can do that.

I'm assuming they turn it over to a collection agency (who will then tag your credit report if you dont pay)
 

tamjam

Active Member
Apr 18, 2008
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Pants-free Avenue
I fought against a red-light ticket in the great state of Illinois two years ago and won the case. It was great. The judge was a real dimwit. No idea how he got his position. My opening statement was basically me showing a video I had created on my computer showing a grizzly bear dry humping a killer whale. My argument was that if I could create this video on my computer, then there is no telling what the traffic cam people are doing. More evidence was present on both sides, and I remember objecting a LOT. In the end I won my case because it turns out the evidence against me was forged. About three months prior to getting my ticket I had dumped my then girlfriend because she wouldn't get my name tattooed on the front of her neck. She worked for the city and had connections with the traffic enforcement department. She lost her job and I didn't have to pay the ticket. I was this close to convincing the judge that my ex-girlfriend should be forced to get my name tattooed on her neck. After that I pondering going back to school and getting my law degree, however, due to the horse riding accident I wasn't able to, for obvious reasons.
 
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Kitkat

Member
Apr 10, 2009
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I haven't had any tickets for 3 years. Husband had a bad run of luck this last year and got two speeding tickets, which is ironic in our world, because he rarely speeds. Between the two us us, we drive 80-100K miles a year. So yes, we have tickets - but if you drive that much on the back roads of Iowa and I wonder if you'd ever be tempted to speed?

I'm so glad you could drop us a note, or should I say, toss a rock through our glass house since no rocks can be tossed at yours.
:parghh:

(I may regret my sarcasm at a later date, but right now it feels good)

Do not worry; your sarcasm is not that strong. I have no tickets, other than parking tickets. And I do not think the amount of your driving gives you a free pass to transgress. Another point to consider: for every ticket you received, there are or were probably many more times you could/should have been ticketed but weren't caught. And as far as speeding is concerned, most of us will do 5 over because we have always been told the police will tolerate that. So, were you going 5 over or 10 or 15 over? If one of the latter two, still 0 sympathy. Bye and drive safely.
 

MBulldog

Member
Dec 19, 2009
89
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Johnston
To help those who just have to run the red light and can't control their vehicles well enough to stop when it turns yellow - I believe at the corner of Hickman and 100th, this system is only in place on 100th for the north bound lane. Not 100% about that, so do don't quote me. But me thinks you're free to run red lights at will the other 3 directions.

That's what the city's website says. Here's where the cameras are:

        • 100th Street Northbound Approach at Hickman Road
        • Hickman Road Eastbound Approach at 128th Street
        • 128th Northbound Approach at Hickman Road
        • Hickman Road Eastbound Approach at 142nd Street
        • Hickman Road Eastbound Approach at 156th Street
        • 156th Street Northbound Approach at Hickman Road
        • * Future site– 86th Street Northbound Approach at Hickman Road*

City of Clive, Iowa - Red Light Cameras