Lights, camera,action

[Jake P]

   Two weeks ago i was going to arby's for some dinner and i got stuck between a yellow and red light decision, stop or go. I chose to go thinking i had plenty of time to make it through the light but boy was i wrong....FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH. I said to myself there goes a ticket along with a few other words. I just opened the mail and there it was, "Notice of traffic violation". They got me with those cameras they've installed at almost every redlight in the city.

       Im not going to make excuses, i ran a red light and got a ticket for it. Do you guys ever get in that spot where it turns yellow and you hesitate on stopping or going so you go? I get that alot, i feel like if i stop real fast  someone will rear end me so i go ahead and go through.  75$ says im stopping no matter from now on.

[GitRDoneIke23]

Yep. They have them everywhere!! Some of 'em can even tell how fast you're going and how long you've been in the intersection! It's INSANE!! Just gotta watch it from now on. I'm not complaining about htem, I think they'll help with the red light runners. It's just in situations like you described when you have to decide some people may slam on their brakes and cause a wreck.

Ike 8-)

[Branuss04]

$75.... that's it.  It's a few hundred here in cali.... not that I have experience or anything : .  The city I live in has those cameras installed, but just recently took them out of commision because an overseas company gave them to the city for free as long as the company got a percentage of the ticket when they caught someone running a light.  This company just moved to the U.S.A. and I guess there is some law stating against this now.  

That sucks though,  that's $75 you could've spent on fishing stuff.  Tough luck

[fishfordollars]

Wonder what the next decision at a red light will be?

[jemackinnon83]

Man you need a faster car:)

[mattm]

Tough break, Jake.  I'm just a little west of you and those cameras haven't made it out here yet.  I don't think I really run red lights though.  Where do you have to be when it turns red to avoid being ticketed.

[Big T]

I think those cameras are a waste. First off, the local law enforcement here does not even enforce them. They are monitored by a private company. Also the state supreme court ruled that 90% of the revnue from them must go to the local school systems, which is good. The only problem is now the city can't afford to keep them up and alot of the camera's in Wilmington needs to be replaced.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

   Do you guys ever get in that spot where it turns yellow and you hesitate on stopping or going so you go?

At UPS, we train you to create a "decision point" when encountering a stale green light.  You are committed to either slowing or maintaining current speed.  It usually favors towards slowing 95% of the time and eventually, you naturally, (through forced habit) don't have to make those decisions anymore, you naturally favor the safer option and find yourself slowing earlier if anything.

[grimlin]

I thought those cameras were just for accidents.According to one store they told me there's an accident everyday on that street and had a hard time telling who was at fault.Which i think is a good idea.

If they are for handing out more tickets then it's a big joke....

I always stop now...no matter what.If somebody hits me behind he's at fault 90% of the time.This is also the reason i give myself at least 10 second behind to be able to stop.I hate it when people tail gate me.I've turned into a slow careful driver now.

[Bassnbrett101]

I got caught in one of those descisions one time and the cop ended up pulling me over.  I'm 95% sure it was still yellow when I went through but he pulled me over and took a look at my liscense and registration.  Then he handed them back to me and said not to worry about it.

We then got into a ten minute conversation lol.  I think he was just bored and decided to pull somebody over, that happens in a town as small as mine lmao

[Jake P]

Wonder what the next decision at a red light will be?

     It wasn't like it turned red and i went through, it was yellow and i was passed the intersection lines. The picture shows my front tires on the lines on the other side of the intersection where your suppost to stop at. I talked to a few friends and they said that some of the tickets are bs because the yellows don't stay yellow long enough and one girl even told me she has never paid it and has been pulled over after the fact months later and had no warrants for the ticket and the cops didn't even mention it. I'm gonna pay it though.

    Matt, your in Weatherford which doesn't have as much traffic as Dallas/Fort worth so it wouldn't surprise me if they never showed up in your city. Today when there was a stale green light like LBH said i hover my foot over the brake, this slows me down and gives me better reaction time incase it turns yellow. Oh well lesson learned. Drive save guys and girls.

[Jake P]

$75.... that's it.  It's a few hundred here in cali.... not that I have experience or anything : .  The city I live in has those cameras installed, but just recently took them out of commision because an overseas company gave them to the city for free as long as the company got a percentage of the ticket when they caught someone running a light.  This company just moved to the U.S.A. and I guess there is some law stating against this now.  

That sucks though,  that's $75 you could've spent on fishing stuff.  Tough luck

Yea i was going to put that towards a Curado or an Avid  :'(. Now i have to wait.

[FishTank]

Here in Indianapolis not to far from the Indy 500 there is a red light and turn trap.  There is a one mile section where a four lane road goes to two because of construction and there are no left hand turns.  The police are standing in the middle of the road ready to hand out tickets for all who get stuck between a light changing from green to yellow and eventually red because of the traffic.  And guess what, if you try to turn left to avoid the traffic, you also get a ticket.  Then at the next two lights if you try to make U-Turn (which use to be legal) so you can now turn south towards the track, the cops are there to give a ticket for that as well.  Also no seat belt will get you a bonus ticket.  

To put it in perspective, a guy scalping tickets was arrested yesterday for having a sign that read "Welcome to Indy, tickets needed but not from IMP (Indianapolis Metro Police)".  What ever happened to serve and protect?

[Big T]

Wonder what the next decision at a red light will be?

     It wasn't like it turned red and i went through, it was yellow and i was passed the intersection lines. The picture shows my front tires on the lines on the other side of the intersection where your suppost to stop at. I talked to a few friends and they said that some of the tickets are bs because the yellows don't stay yellow long enough and one girl even told me she has never paid it and has been pulled over after the fact months later and had no warrants for the ticket and the cops didn't even mention it. I'm gonna pay it though.

Matt, your in Weatherford which doesn't have as much traffic as Dallas/Fort worth so it wouldn't surprise me if they never showed up in your city. Today when there was a stale green light like LBH said i hover my foot over the brake, this slows me down and gives me better reaction time incase it turns yellow. Oh well lesson learned. Drive save guys and girls.

Here the camera's do not flash unless the light is red and then you cross the line. When they were fisrt installed the fine fine was $50, now it is $100. Also the reason your friend di not have any warants issued is probably due to the fact that the city hired a private firm to monitr the film from the camera's and it has nothing to due wiht the police, that is how it is here in NC.

[Fisher of Men]

Jake,  I was told by a police officer years ago in Paris, Texas that if you were into the intersection (past the stop lines) after the light turned to red, that you had right-of-way.   Your situation sounds very similar.  I might go as far as to contest the accuracy of the camera. . . even if you lose, you'll still have to pay $75 (unless it costs you some time off work or something).

[Hookemdown.]

the yellows don't stay yellow long enough

Exactly.  This is a growing problem around here.

[guitarkid]

I remember those, they were all over in Virginia, but I have not even heard people down here talk about them.

                            -searoach

[bassnleo]

Do you guys ever get in that spot where it turns yellow and you hesitate on stopping or going so you go?

At UPS, we train you to create a "decision point" when encountering a stale green light. You are committed to either slowing or maintaining current speed. It usually favors towards slowing 95% of the time and eventually, you naturally, (through forced habit) don't have to make those decisions anymore, you naturally favor the safer option and find yourself slowing earlier if anything.

Sound logic..........

Another trick is to watch the pedestrian crossing lights that face you. If they are white or "Walk" your light will be green for awhile. If they are blinking "Don't walk" in orange your green light is preparing to turn yellow. If they are solid "Don't walk" your light will be changing from yellow to red or it's already red.