"D.C. Red-Light Cameras Fail to Reduce Accidents" - Page 5

John V · 10-07-2005, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Not i DC. Dc changed the law some time ago that if you are IN the intersection when the light is red, you are ticketable. People were pulling into the intersection and getting stuck, preventing crossing traffic from moving, which means they did the same thing and around and around.

Two different scenarios. Pulling into the intersection behind stopped traffic and getting stuck is different than making a valid left turn.

There are some intersections where you wouldn't ever be able to make a left turn if that were true.

Pinecone · 10-07-2005, 05:21 PM

DC law just said that if you were in the interection on red, you were int eh wrong. That way, no arguements.

John V · 10-08-2005, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinecone

DC law just said that if you were in the interection on red, you were int eh wrong. That way, no arguements.

\

that sucks. Can you find the statute online?

FWIW, I've verified that you won't get a red-light camera trigger from doing this in DC. So no worries. I guess if it's on the books and a cop wanted to be a d!ck, he could ticket you for it.

Rob · 10-10-2005, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinecone

The contracts did nothing about yellow light times. They just set up a system where the contractor charged X per month per red light camera for installation, maintenance and ticketing. They SOLD the system on the idea that the ticket income would be greater than the monthly fee.

But after a while, it wasn't, revenues fell, causing the city/town to try various things to increse revenue.

Bottom line, cities/towns got greedy and didn't think through the whole thing. If the purpose of RLC (red light cameras) is to reduce the running of red lights, tickets issued for running red lights SHOULD decrease. They should have done the contract for a percentage of each ticket collected.

Several court cases have been done showing that jurisdictions reduced yellow light times to increase the number of tickets issued by RLCs. The veidence presented included the lower revenue issue.

I will say again that I believe this to be factually inaccurate. I am fairly certain this is not what happened, although it may have been in your area. I don't know about all of them. But it's not worth arguing about.

*Plaz* · 10-10-2005, 01:27 PM

Lots of articles here: http://www.motorists.org/issues/enforce/articles.html

Pinecone · 10-10-2005, 04:24 PM

Thanks. The problem has been well documented, but not worth my time to find them. We get some inside publications at work that have some of the stories.

10-07-2005, 05:21 PM	#42
Pinecone Carmudgeon Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,717	DC law just said that if you were in the interection on red, you were int eh wrong. That way, no arguements. __________________ Terry Carraway 2002 Topaz E46 M3 2000 Dakar M Roadster 1995 Alpine E36 M3 LTW 1990 Red/White Spec Racer

10-10-2005, 01:27 PM	#45
Plaz ••••••• Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: '11 1M Location: Churzee Posts: 17,741	Lots of articles here: http://www.motorists.org/issues/enforce/articles.html __________________ 2011 1M

10-10-2005, 04:24 PM	#46
Pinecone Carmudgeon Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,717	Thanks. The problem has been well documented, but not worth my time to find them. We get some inside publications at work that have some of the stories. __________________ Terry Carraway 2002 Topaz E46 M3 2000 Dakar M Roadster 1995 Alpine E36 M3 LTW 1990 Red/White Spec Racer