Red light cameras

[jack010203]

Just wondering what the status is in Texas with red light cameras. They appear to be legal for cities to put up, but I remember a bill moving through the last legislative session to end them. Does anyone know there status?

[TexasGal]

I don't know about the Bill, but there are plenty of these cameras working their little electronic shutters to the bone here in the DFW metro area. I don't mind them unless the municipality gets greedy and sets them so they ticket people who aren't really trying to run a light. There was one city that issued more tickets at one intersection than the number of residents in the entire city limits

[C-dub]

I wasn't even aware of a bill to stop them. I do remember a lawyer a couple of years ago whose wife received a ticket from one of them. He started looking into it and was going to fight it in court when he found that there was a problem with the wording in the state law that supposedly permitted the use of red light cameras. IIRC, the wording might have been such that the cameras had to be monitored and could not be autonomous or something like that. Maybe it was the licenses applied for by the company that owns the cameras.

I think they are a great tool, but wonder about their accuracy. I have not received a ticket, but the camera did flash at me once. I was waiting in an intersection to complete a left turn and when the last car passed through I did so, but the camera flashed and I just waited for the ticket in the mail. It never came, so I assumed that someone reviewed it without automatically sending it out and determined that I did not actually run the light.

I, too, get a certain amount of satisfaction from seeing that flash when someone has blatantly run a light. Especially big trucks because they will more than likely kill whomever they hit.

[RocTrac]

My wife got a ticket from one, when she called them on it. They actually had video and yes she was in the wrong. So, I down loaded the speed and traffic camera locations for my garmin. So far it has been correct.

[The Annoyed Man]

On the one hand, I don't like to see a proliferation of cameras observing our every movement. On the other hand, I have ZERO sympathy for someone who gets a ticket for running a red light — whether it is issued by an observing officer, or a red light camera. If you don't want a ticket, don't break the law.

I don't care one bit about the arguments that it is just a revenue generator or not, because that argument can be extended to any tickets, regardless of whether they are issued by a camera or a cop, and it is irrelevant to whether or not the law is being broken, and irrelevant to whether or not the offender is being punished for breaking it.

When I lived in Pasadena California, there was an intersection that had the highest number of fatalities in the state. Northbound traffic on a freeway frontage road had three choices upon arriving at the intersection: 1) left turn on cross street; 2) proceed straight onto freeway on-ramp; 3) turn right on cross street. Eastbound traffic on the cross street could not see approaching northbound vehicles because of intervening barriers (which were absolutely necessary), and eastbound drivers who had the green light were getting killed by northbound drivers who ran the light so that they could get on the freeway. The city of Pasadena put a red light camera up at the intersection, and naturally people howled about their "rights" and "big brother" and "revenue machines" etc., etc., ad nauseum.... ....but nobody spoke up for the people who were getting killed by scoff-laws running the light. To me, that's just immoral and selfish.

Oh, and by the way, after the camera was installed, the number of accidents at that intersection declined.

[jimlongley]

Discussed here:

http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic. ... ht+cameras" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and here:

http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic. ... as#p300954" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not going to repost stuff I posted there.

[USA1]

[TexasGal]

Red light runners are a real hazard in the DFW area. Lot's of people just do not care and will blow through an intersection. For that problem, I am really happy to have the cameras there to teach them a lesson.

The abuse of the cameras has been documented though, in cases where the yellow light was actually timed too short to allow people in many cases to be able to get across the intersection in time. Another problem was setting the system to ticket anyone making a right turn on red if the front of their bumper did not first come to a complete 2 second stop behind the white line before proceeding. Many people do not know that and will stop a little over the line or not stop long enough. They make perfectly safe right turns, but get a ticket anyway. These cases were part of a news investigation here that brought this problem to public attention and the cities seemed to have backed off on setting the cameras this way.

[Target1911]

I run a tow truck at night in Tarrent Co. mostly east of E Loop 820. These camras flash at me all the time even tho I am coming to a complete (legal) stop. I have only received one red light ticket and that was because i failed to come to complete stop while making a right turn on red. It was my fault and i paid it. When I got the ticket in the mail thry gave web address with ticket # so i could view the video. It was interesting.........and very good quality video.

I dont have much of a problem with the use of the camras as long as they are not abused as mentioned before.

[C-dub]

I'm not sure these cameras are revenue generators for the government. I don't think any of the money goes to the municipality. I thought it went to the company that owns or maintains the camera and that the sole purpose of these cameras is to cut down on accidents, injuries, and deaths as a result of those that run red lights.

[marksiwel]

I'm mixed.
Part of me wants to rant and scream about Facing you Accuser in court, but then I realize they have gotten people for Murder on Video Tape evidence alone.

The other part of me, just doesnt want to get a ticket if there arent any Cops around. It feels like cheating.

I do worry about the Slippery slope. First On Red Lights, next thing you know they'll put cameras on Radars and give you speeding tickets.

Then they'll put them on Street Lights and point them at your front Door.

1984 was a Warning not a Blue Print

[dewayneward]

I do worry about the Slippery slope. First On Red Lights, next thing you know they'll put cameras on Radars and give you speeding tickets.

Now, that is an interesting idea. Wow. I'd be in BIG trouble. I go over the speed limit ALL the time. 51 in a 50 and stuff like that.

[jordanmills]

I'm not sure these cameras are revenue generators for the government. I don't think any of the money goes to the municipality. I thought it went to the company that owns or maintains the camera and that the sole purpose of these cameras is to cut down on accidents, injuries, and deaths as a result of those that run red lights.

That might be the intent. But studies show that they increase the number of accidents at intersections. The City of Houston paid a lot of money for a study like that, then paid a lot more money to try to keep the results secret.

[mymojo]

I'm mixed.
Part of me wants to rant and scream about Facing you Accuser in court, but then I realize they have gotten people for Murder on Video Tape evidence alone.

But those videotapes actually show WHO committed the crime, right? And therein lies the difference.

My wife has gotten two red light tickets recently - neither time was she behind the wheel. One of them she wasnt even in the car. BOTH of them were right on red. Beyond that... I think this would be an appropriate application of my 5th amendment rights.

[boomerang]

I do worry about the Slippery slope. First On Red Lights, next thing you know they'll put cameras on Radars and give you speeding tickets.

I saw speed cameras overseas many years ago.