Just saw this on MousePlanet and thought I'd bring it up..
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Say Cheese! Mickey Is catching you with Red Lights.
- Thread starter Cmdr_Crimson
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olinecoach61
Well-Known Member
I'm surprised it took them so long.
Wouldnt be shocked.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
I've never encountered one of these cameras where I live, but I've read a lot about them. One thing I've always wondered about is whether they offer any kind of "grace period" before nailing you....e.g., if you enter an intersection while a light is yellow but go under the light a fraction of a second after it turns red, can you expect a ticket in the mail?
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Well, yellow DOES in theory mean "slow down," so you won't have to wonder if you'll make the light or not.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Excellent. Traffic can never be safe enough. No driving through red light means one will never even know the camera's are there.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
Which is all well and good, unless you're so close to the intersection or have a friendly tailgater so close that braking would be more hazardous than making the light. Thus the question. :shrug:
Rowdy
Member
Great! As someone said, driving can never be safe enough. I don't run red lights so this isn't one bit of negative to me.
I think it's based on what color the light is when you cross the white line on the ground before the intersection. If it's red, you ran it. If it was yellow and you couldn't stop, then you're fine.
I think it's based on what color the light is when you cross the white line on the ground before the intersection. If it's red, you ran it. If it was yellow and you couldn't stop, then you're fine.
We have lots of those where I live. How they work here (VA):
There are sensors at the intersection lined up with the white stop bar. As soon as the light turns red the sensor is active and a couple of things are done: 3 pictures (I think it's 3, but it may be 2) are taken and a 15 second video is taken. When the camera goes off there is a HUGE flash; you'll know you've been caught; at night it lights up the intersection practically.
Each ticket is reviewed by a person, so if you're behind a big tractor trailer which you may not be tailgating, but you can't see around, and you cross the line you won't get a ticket. Or if there is construction or an accident and the police wave you through the light you won't get a ticket. Or if you roll just a little onto the line and trigger the sensor, but you don't really run the light you won't get a ticket.
There are a lot of what if's involved which is why, here at least, each one is reviewed by a person.
My friend has a job working with the red light cameras; her and I had a long discussion about the logistics when they first started putting them up.
There are sensors at the intersection lined up with the white stop bar. As soon as the light turns red the sensor is active and a couple of things are done: 3 pictures (I think it's 3, but it may be 2) are taken and a 15 second video is taken. When the camera goes off there is a HUGE flash; you'll know you've been caught; at night it lights up the intersection practically.
Each ticket is reviewed by a person, so if you're behind a big tractor trailer which you may not be tailgating, but you can't see around, and you cross the line you won't get a ticket. Or if there is construction or an accident and the police wave you through the light you won't get a ticket. Or if you roll just a little onto the line and trigger the sensor, but you don't really run the light you won't get a ticket.
There are a lot of what if's involved which is why, here at least, each one is reviewed by a person.
My friend has a job working with the red light cameras; her and I had a long discussion about the logistics when they first started putting them up.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
^ So it sounds like you have to actually enter the intersection on a red (at minimum) to get a ticket. Fair enough. 
AEfx
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't complain about it, nor do I think it's a conspiracy, but I do think it's lazy law enforcement and more of an excuse to make $ than for actual safety.
Oh wait, that would be a conspiracy, right?
In any case, I drive myself around Disney every time I am there, and as I don't run lights, I think I'll be OK.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
No, it does not. Yellow does not mean slow down, it means use caution.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
This isn't the case in all locations. I know that some cameras are completely automated, and have mailed tickets to people who were waved across by the police. I believe you could even see the police in the picture. The person sued the town/ticket company, but I don't remember the outcome. I believe it was over turned. Good to know that some places still have someone to check them all though.
I tend to agree but the solution is pretty simple....don't run red lights.I wouldn't complain about it, nor do I think it's a conspiracy, but I do think it's lazy law enforcement and more of an excuse to make $ than for actual safety.
Oh wait, that would be a conspiracy, right?
In any case, I drive myself around Disney every time I am there, and as I don't run lights, I think I'll be OK.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
^ So it sounds like you have to actually enter the intersection on a red (at minimum) to get a ticket. Fair enough.
In Tampa it activates if you enter the intersection after the light turns red, just as you said. If you enter the intersection on a yellow light and it turns red you won't get ticketed because technically you still had the right of way.
You also don't get tickets for rolling right turns at these intersections in Tampa as long as you don't go barreling through the intersection...I think you have to slow down to like 5-10mph which you should do anyway. I know this one was a hot item when the lights first came on line.
It's funny though, there is one intersection at the Brandon Mall that regardless of the cameras people run the left turn lights no matter what...I think it has something to do with the fact that it takes you 20 minutes to get through the light no matter what day or time you're there. You'll seriously see the flash go off 6-7 times every time the light cycles!
puntagordabob
Well-Known Member
That would make me very angry to be waved through by a law enforcement officer and later have a ticket for doing so....
boufa
Well-Known Member
A couple of legal points. There is no law concerning yellow. Yellow is legally the same as green. It is a warning that the light will be changing to red. The laws all concern entering an intersection at red.
Should you slow down and use caution on yellow, absolutely that is why it is there, but if you read the laws they say it is illegal to enter an intersection on RED.
One other point. Our cameras (in Ohio) DO track rolling right turns. The law states that you must make a complete stop prior to making a right hand turn on red. Slowing down to 5 - 10 mph is often times very dangerous (in particular to pedestrians). I know in my area (we) heavily enforce rolling rights. In fact I have a traffic camera down the street from me, and that is ALL that it is trying to catch. Of course that is because tons of people roll right turns, and only a few people on any given day out right blow a light. So as a money maker, right turns on red are a much more profitable business.
Should you slow down and use caution on yellow, absolutely that is why it is there, but if you read the laws they say it is illegal to enter an intersection on RED.
One other point. Our cameras (in Ohio) DO track rolling right turns. The law states that you must make a complete stop prior to making a right hand turn on red. Slowing down to 5 - 10 mph is often times very dangerous (in particular to pedestrians). I know in my area (we) heavily enforce rolling rights. In fact I have a traffic camera down the street from me, and that is ALL that it is trying to catch. Of course that is because tons of people roll right turns, and only a few people on any given day out right blow a light. So as a money maker, right turns on red are a much more profitable business.
boufa
Well-Known Member
Now for the serious question?
Can I get the photo added to my photopass CD? Are there any magic shots you can get with it? Maybe they could add an image of Stitch somewhere. Or maybe they could put a cartoon rocket on top of your car, blowing fire and smoke out.
Or maybe, if its a safety thing, they could show Mickey and Minnie walking across the cross walk with a "Oh My God We Are About To Be Run Over!" Look on their faces.... priceless. I would run the light just for the photo. Think of how much money they could make.
Along the same lines could they put up these cameras in the parks. Either a) to control the bad driving of people with strollers. or b) they could have on on main street. Every time you pass in front of the castle your photopass photo is automatically taken. They would mail you the picture and automatically bill you. This is genius!!! does anyone have Meg Croften's new phone number.
Can I get the photo added to my photopass CD? Are there any magic shots you can get with it? Maybe they could add an image of Stitch somewhere. Or maybe they could put a cartoon rocket on top of your car, blowing fire and smoke out.
Or maybe, if its a safety thing, they could show Mickey and Minnie walking across the cross walk with a "Oh My God We Are About To Be Run Over!" Look on their faces.... priceless. I would run the light just for the photo. Think of how much money they could make.
Along the same lines could they put up these cameras in the parks. Either a) to control the bad driving of people with strollers. or b) they could have on on main street. Every time you pass in front of the castle your photopass photo is automatically taken. They would mail you the picture and automatically bill you. This is genius!!! does anyone have Meg Croften's new phone number.
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