Traffic cameras, yellow lights, and speeding tickets

[n74tg]

As the economic recession has caused tax revenues to plunge, I was wondering how long it would be before they started to look for ways to generate more revenue from traffic violations.  I felt like I knew it was coming, but just what ways would be used.

Here's an article, where they are trying to install more cameras at intersections, those cameras being hooked to speed sensors.  But, the real kicker is in some places they are decreasing the length of the yellow light, which because people are not used to the shorter periods are causing more red-light violations.  And the camera is right there to take your picture.  It doesn't seem to matter that decreasing the yellow light length also increases the likelihood of intersection collisions.

Fortunately, 15 states and many cities have outlawed using these systems.  There's a link in the article to that state list, if you want to check for where you live.

http://www.alternet.org/rights/145752/cities_shortening_yellow_traffic_lights_for_deadly_profit

[RainDog]

 Ah, shortened yellow light may well explain why the local speed-trap, wide spot in the road town around here, Hulbert, OK, has moved their police from where the highway speed limit rapidly drops to city speed and relocated at the one intersection that has a stop light.

I hate that town. I mean really.

[pagan]

I was driving in Maine a couple of months ago on I-95 heading north from Kittery with a minivan following me. There was a line of seven cars and they were all going about 80. The Charger was the lead car and the minivan was the last car behind me. I was actually not going 80 so the line of cars was pulling away from me. The minivan was tailgating me and would drop back and then speed up driving right up on my rear bumper. It felt like the driver was attempting to push me to speed up and join the line of cars. I didn't speed up, rather I slowed down to about 70 and the minivan finally passed me. A few miles down the road I saw the line of cars pulled over by fully marked state police cruisers. The Charger and minivan had pulled into one of those authorized only turn around spots and the drivers, cops, were talking to each other. With a speeding fine of a little over $200 per car for 6 cars means they made $1,200. Obviously they had the whole thing orchestrated and the two unmarked cars were waiting for the marked cruisers to get done writing tickets and they'd do a repeat performance. If they do this twice an hour for eight hours and average 6 cars per incident they're making the state of Maine over $19,000 per day.

[rwanders]

Back in the fifties in Georgia and NC, there were little towns on route 1 that had traffic lights with only red and green lenses and the local cop would park nearby where he had a button that controlled the lights.  Out of state cars were targeted for "surprise red lights" and a trip to the local judge to pay the town toll.

[MaineRhino]

Welcome to Maine, thanks for the money!   Our poor state is so poor, we need out-of-state dollars to fund all the welfare programs here.  

[ScottA]

We have a light that is so short it will go from green to red before you can get through the intersection. I couldn't be more than 2 seconds long.

[MountainDon]

Around here at least, all that matters in regards to red lights, is that you do not enter the intersection on red. Entering on yellow is not illegal, even if the light turns red before you get out of the intersection. The problem with a too short yellow is that you end up entering the intersection on red when you thought you had enough time. The other danger that occurs is that once somebody knows the yellow is short they slam on the brakes and stand a chance of being rear ended.

At least one study has shown that lengthening the yellow reduces the number of red light runners and rear end collisions at intersections.

[MountainDon]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-traffic-cameras20-2010feb20,0,2401900,full.story

[fishing_guy]

http://www.twincities.com/rosario/ci_14466682

From our local paper.

The feds got the state to institute a primary seat belt law through the use of bribes federal funds.

The local cops glommed right on with their "fund raiser". 

This state is going to nickle and dime us to death in their effort to not raise taxes!

[pagan]

Here's the thing, they're not even doing this for safety reasons. The Gubinator even admitted he's proposing enforcement cameras to generate $338 million per year. This is all about raising money.

[MountainDon]

Well, that's more honest that what the City of ABQ says out loud.   

[pagan]

They're being honest for sure, but Arnold is mister "Lower taxes and smaller government" and he's proposing a whole new enforcement bureaucracy. Yeah, this isn't a tax and if you obey the law you won't have to pay a fine. However this will be just like cigarette taxes. They raise they cigarette tax revenue goes up, but after a few years the tax revenues start to drop off because people quit smoking, so they raise the tax again. The first few years they'll reap tons of money from these enforcement lights, but then people will stop running red lights and speeding. Hence the revenue stream dries up so they'll raise the fines to raise more revenue, and fewer people run lights and speed. Typical politician's solution, a short term fix for a long term problem.

[RainDog]

They're being honest for sure, but Arnold is mister "Lower taxes and smaller government" and he's proposing a whole new enforcement bureaucracy. Yeah, this isn't a tax and if you obey the law you won't have to pay a fine. However this will be just like cigarette taxes. They raise they cigarette tax revenue goes up, but after a few years the tax revenues start to drop off because people quit smoking, so they raise the tax again. The first few years they'll reap tons of money from these enforcement lights, but then people will stop running red lights and speeding. Hence the revenue stream dries up so they'll raise the fines to raise more revenue, and fewer people run lights and speed. Typical politician's solution, a short term fix for a long term problem.

So when it's no longer profitable for them to do that, we can all go back to smokin' and runnin' red lights?

Yay!  

Throw in drinkin' beer and shootin' the finger at cops as I drive by, and I'm in heaven!

[pagan]

Nope, they'll just expand the reach of the enforcement cameras and then add a fee to your registration to fund the expansion. Once again it won't be a tax, rather it'll be a "users" fee.

[RainDog]

Nope, they'll just expand the reach of the enforcement cameras and then add a fee to your registration to fund the expansion. Once again it won't be a tax, rather it'll be a "users" fee.

Why you gotta harsh my buzz? 

[pagan]

What I meant to say was they'll see these traffic enforcement cameras aren't producing the revenues expected and pull all the cameras down. Cops, not know as overly intelligent to begin with, assuming the cameras are still in place enforcing traffic laws will all congregate at local donut shops for their entire shifts leaving the driving public to drive as they see fit.

Better?

[RainDog]

Sure. So long as I can still drive by the donut shop with my arm stickin' out of the window. Repeatedly.

[pagan]

Why not, they'll be too busy stuffing their pudgy faces with jelly donuts to notice. Mmmmm, jelly donut.

[glenn kangiser]

We need to say, no offense to the good cops out there who's only desire is to protect the public.

We used to have good cops here in CA, who would sit in hiding behind a bush or sign, wait for a speeder then romp their Dodge Magnum Hemi-interceptor burning rubber for a quarter mile, safely jump into traffic and clock the speeder with his certified speedometer, thereafter pulling him over and issuing a well deserved citation.  I respected those guys and usually never fought a legally issued ticket from them.

Now it is .... aim the Geico  (insert your insurance co name here____________ ) provided radar gun.... make a medium safe 180 in the middle of the road, stop the possibly guilty target party, issue a possibly accurate citation, go to the coffee shop and refill on the donuts and coffee before returning to the nearest blind corner for another round of revenue generation...

[glenn kangiser]

Copied from an old posting by me several years ago.... you guys probably missed it...

"Now you just reminded me about our local law enforcement.

Seems a lady was filling her car up with gas not paying attention to what she was doing and spilled gas on the sleeve of her sweater.  She paid for the gas and drove off and unthinkingly lit up a cigarette.  As luck would have it, of course, the sleeve caught on fire.  This terrified her and the only thing she could think of to do was stick her arm out the window and step on the gas to blow the fire out.

As usual the local law enforcement was parked on the hill by the cemetery and he immediately took off after her in hot pursuit.  The officer quickly caught up and proceeded to pull her over and issue a citation.  Talk about unfair.  You'll never guess what he charged her with.......



He wrote her up for waving a firearm. " ...

[pagan]

Now I really want a jelly donut. Why did I type that. 

[glenn kangiser]

I do not understand why people do not find that joke hilarious....

[RainDog]

I do not understand why people do not find that joke hilarious....

Nobody saw it. It's gotta be that.

Just gotta be. 

[peternap]

Why not, they'll be too busy stuffing their pudgy faces with jelly donuts to notice. Mmmmm, jelly donut.

You know we have ex cops here on the board who don't stuff their faces with jelly doughnuts. I know one of them who is a darned nice fellow.

[glenn kangiser]

Absolutely right, Peter.

I also know a lot of them who kid around about it as much as the next guy though so I didn't view it to be real offensive... I love donuts myself and have stuffed down a ton of coconut covered glazed donuts as well as chocolate covered creme filled ones. Jellies are a special treat and have been used to bribe information out of secretaries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKFgfdtKdys&feature=player_embedded