silver linings

[gfish]

So, I got busted making a right turn without a stop on a very fresh red light by a traffic camera. Totally my fault, and my first moving violation after 16 years of driving. Lesson learned, and all that. The daily commute is obviously making me a bit cavalier and sloppy, and that isn't acceptable. But after getting paid today I was just paying via the online system (which alone is such a nice option to have). The site provides streaming video of the incident! That alone almost makes this a worthwhile experience. Neat! More importantly, what a nice way to lower the rate of people challenging these things in court. Objective enforcement of safety laws at a lower cost to the system. Win win!

Comments

[dymaxion.livejournal.com]

Except, of course, that what red light cameras do is shift fairly survivable accidents into much less survivable ones as people break much more quickly. They're a net zero for traffic safety, and only at all useful as a municipal revenue stream. Now, speed cameras, on the other hand, make a real, huge difference, and save lives.

[gfish.livejournal.com]

I admit I haven't looked at numbers here, just going off my late-night, caffeine-powered geewhiz reaction. I guess I just like anything that seriously enforces traffic laws. I'd have to wonder what the longterm effects are, once people start to change their behavior accordingly. I know there have been some studies blaming speed cameras and cruise control for some potentially dangerous (or at least confusing to older drivers not used to it) changes in driving behavior

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Some of the red light cameras, particularly Lynnwood, have 2.5-second yellows associated with them, as opposed to the standard 4-second ones elsewhere. This *really* causes issues, and I think is about to get the city (and the camera company) class-action-sued...

Safety hint I learned from motorcycling: Look at the walk/don't walk signal for a hint as to how much time before yellow. Some of them even have a countdown timer. On *most* signals, the yellow comes on when the don't-walk goes solid; on a few of them on Aurora (relevant to your interests) yellow is slightly *after* solid-don't-walk. In any event, if the Walk signal is on, don't worry about the light.

But, yeah. Given the fee structure imposed by the companies that make the cameras? make no mistake, they're ONLY about Revenue Enhancement; safety claims are dubious at best. I've also seen them go off many times when there was no violation. Indeed, I won't go right-on-red where there is one installed.

Seattle Times arty on suits (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009385133_webredlight25.html).

[neuro42.livejournal.com]

It's not a net zero, it's a big net minus. I don't have the cites at hand but every credible study on red light cameras shows substantial increases in accident rates and injury rates and fatality rates. And most of them show substantial decreases in revenue, because the systems are very expensive (whether they're owned or contracted out).