Red Light Cameras and Right Turns

[Happs]

I read a thread on here where someone got a red light ticket for making a right turn 0.1 seconds after the signal turned red.

Consider this scenario. If a traffic light has been red for a long time and there is a right turn only lane, is a red light camera “smart” enough to not flash the long line of drivers making a right hand turn at the intersection? If there is a lane next to the right hand turn only lane that is indicated as straight or right turn, are these cameras “smart” enough to distinguish between someone turning right on red vs going straight through the intersection?

[spdrun]

In theory, yes. I believe they use a magnetic detector coil that detects if you’ve passed the “stop” line after the light turns red. The right turn lane could just not have a coil.

As far as a “shared lane”, the coil could be placed in the middle of the intersection, which right-turning vehicles wouldn’t cross.

But, to be safe, I make sure not to turn on red at camera-infected intersections. Let the people behind me honk, fume, and have their b.p. readings rise 50 points. It’s the least that they deserve for voting crooks who implemented red light cameras into orifice(*).

(*) – Misspelling deliberate.

[Coronita]

get a dash cam

[UCGal]

Several years ago, my husband got popped for a rolling stop at a red light. He was going to fight it (the picture they sent clearly showed him looking left for traffic, apparently stopped.) But the ticket also had a link to VIDEO.

He totally rolled the stop. Hard to argue and fight the ticket when he was caught on video camera.

Before you figure it all out – check the video. Most of the city of San Diego red light cams also do video.

His ticket was at the intersection of Aero and Murphy Canyon.

[spdrun]

Afaik — some camera tickets are snitch tickets. You basically have to own up to driving the car since they don’t have a pic of your face.

Look it up and read the ticket very carefully before admitting to anything.

It may seem dishonest not to own up to something that you’ve done, but the level of fines for pig-camera offenses in CA amounts to pure fucking theft. Especially if you slowed down to 2 mph and looked both ways before turning right. (zero safety issue, practically speaking)

[moneymaker]

In my experience most people roll the red at right hand turns and also when crossing trolley tracks. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel for law enforcement. Once got a ticket in New Mexico for same thing, it was one of those sneeze and you missed it towns, thing that pissed me off about that one was they (local enforcement) had intentionally covered the limit line with sand so there was basically no limit line. Would have fought it but the fine was small and did not count against insurance so I let it slid so to speak.

[Doofrat]

I didn’t realize they did this until the person posted on Piggington way back. It got me thinking about it.

When they installed the cameras in Del Mar, it took them 3 days just to calibrate one intersection for running the red light straight through the intersection. The cameras they used in Del Mar do not use a coil, they just rely on the images and map areas on the picture where someone ran the light.
My guess is that the camera itself isn’t smart enough to detect a rolling right turn on red, so at the intersections where this is common, a cop just reviews the video.
I did a right turn on Red after a full stop in downtown where they have one of those signs that says no right turn between 9 and 11 and 2 and 3 and 5 and 7, and of course a camera. Didn’t read the sign before I went through. It was between 2 and 3 and I didn’t get a ticket, so it lends credence to the idea that this isn’t automated.

[FlyerInHi]

As spd said, this is just a revenue generator.
Have you seen the cost of tickets lately?
I feel bad for the people living paycheck to paycheck. One ticket can set them back.

[spdrun]

^^^

Yep, East Coast cities do it as well, but the cost is approx. $50 vs $500 in CA. Enough to deter people from running lights without reaming people who stop 6″ past the white line.

Question is, why not set up the cameras to ticket for a small amount if you just cross the line, rising to a higher fine if you actually enter the intersection above say 10 mph? That would serve both deterrence and fairness.

[Doofrat]

[quote=spdrun]^^^

Question is, why not set up the cameras to ticket for a small amount if you just cross the line, rising to a higher fine if you actually enter the intersection above say 10 mph? That would serve both deterrence and fairness.[/quote]

Because they don’t have to, they have you by the balls and they know it. It has nothing to do with fairness or deterrence, purely a revenue generator. The only reason they are allowed to be put in place is that there are enough mush brains out there to buy the line that it improves safety enough to be worth it.

[njtosd]

Speaking of people having the guts to stand up for their rights – I just came across this article about the owner of Garden State Bagels in Encinitas. He had the guts to tell a motorcycle cop that he couldn’t issue tickets while parked on private property. I love the remark about “raising money for the city of Encinitas.” They have good bagels, too.

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/jul/14/stringers-traffic-cop-questioned-encinitas/#

[CA renter]

[quote=njtosd]Speaking of people having the guts to stand up for their rights – I just came across this article about the owner of Garden State Bagels in Encinitas. He had the guts to tell a motorcycle cop that he couldn’t issue tickets while parked on private property. I love the remark about “raising money for the city of Encinitas.” They have good bagels, too.

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/jul/14/stringers-traffic-cop-questioned-encinitas/#%5B/quote%5D

Wow. If not for the fact that nobody in the comments section (or anywhere else) is refuting what the cop said, I’d think this story was made up. There is no question that there are some seriously messed-up cops out there, and this is a good example of one.

I’ve heard good things about their bagels, too. 🙂

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