Red Light Cams - Good or Bad?

[LaAngler]

are you in favor of red light camera's?

[longsidelandry]

Are you starting this just because you got busted a couple months ago??

["W"]

Yes........Good !! Why NOT? Keep it safe

[live to fish]

I say good also. If people drove all the time like they drive when they see a cop there would be way less accidents.

[Jordan]

no, drive it like u stole it !

[LaAngler]

ambient temperature can seriously affect the accuracy of any type of electronics, this equipment is not calibrated nearly enough.


29% increase in crashes at intersections with cams also, lol

http://www.safespeedlafayette.com/pdf/07-vdot2.pdf

Originally Posted by longsidelandry

Are you starting this just because you got busted a couple months ago??

yes and i got another one the other night

[Finfeatherfur]

As a former paramedic who put myself through school working as a deputy sheriff, I think they suck, and here's why!

A certain number of drivers floor it when a light turns yellow, and the cameras will not stop this action. However, I think the signs marking the intersection as a intersection using a camera sends more people to the accelerator than the break. I say this from what I notice since my office is in Lafayette. I notice a huge increase in drivers hitting the brakes/gas/brakes and more "quickie" stops which actually cause rear end collisions.

I think it is a way to generate revenue for a municipal agency first, and a safety tool second. I feel sooner or later, I will get my "safe" driving award in the mail from them!

On a seperate note, has anyone ever successfully appealed one?

[LaAngler]

Originally Posted by Finfeatherfur

On a seperate note, has anyone ever successfully appealed one?

YouTube

YouTube

[SoggyRedNeck]

Had a friend slide right through one last year when we had that heavy snow. She appealed it and they only knocked off twenty bucks. I guess they still won.

[Gerald]

I voted yes......I believe it will improve safety------after people learn to stop when a light turns yellow, and not hit the gas petal.

LaAngler......that 29 % increase, I wonder how many of these accidents are from following too close and thinking "I can still get through the light" mentallity.

One of my "pet peeves" is people that get up on my bumper while driving. If I can not see there headlights they are way way too close.

On the Hwy, you often get behind several car/trucks in the left lane to pass a vehicle on the right and this may take a mile or two before you get passed the slow car. Why....Why, do lots of drivers come up behind you and get 1 or 2 car links away from you while you are going 70 mph.

The rule of thumb for safe distance is one car length [~20 feet] for every 10 mph speed. So at 70 mph, there should be 140 feet between vehicles, not 30 or 40 feet which is a lot more common.

Another "rule of thumb" is keep 2 seconds distance between vehicles. Next time you are driving, when the vehicle in front of you passes some kind of "land mark", start counting......thousand and one, thousand and two and see if you are driving SAFELY.

While I am on a roll......

When driving a "safe distance" from the vehicle in front......just because there is 5 or 6 car links "open distance" this does not mean that I left this space open so that you can pull in front of me.

Another one...... Right lane closed ahead. When there is 20, 30 or more cars in the left lane and the right lane is empty......it is NOT OK with me for you to just drive on passed me and "break-up" in the front of the line. And.....why do other drivers let these people cut in front of them when they get to the barricade....I don't.

[meaux fishing]

Originally Posted by Gerald

I voted yes......I believe it will improve safety------after people learn to stop when a light turns yellow, and not hit the gas petal.

LaAngler......that 29 % increase, I wonder how many of these accidents are from following too close and thinking "I can still get through the light" mentallity.

One of my "pet peeves" is people that get up on my bumper while driving. If I can not see there headlights they are way way too close.

On the Hwy, you often get behind several car/trucks in the left lane to pass a vehicle on the right and this may take a mile or two before you get passed the slow car. Why....Why, do lots of drivers come up behind you and get 1 or 2 car links away from you while you are going 70 mph.

The rule of thumb for safe distance is one car length [~20 feet] for every 10 mph speed. So at 70 mph, there should be 140 feet between vehicles, not 30 or 40 feet which is a lot more common.

Another "rule of thumb" is keep 2 seconds distance between vehicles. Next time you are driving, when the vehicle in front of you passes some kind of "land mark", start counting......thousand and one, thousand and two and see if you are driving SAFELY.

While I am on a roll......

When driving a "safe distance" from the vehicle in front......just because there is 5 or 6 car links "open distance" this does not mean that I left this space open so that you can pull in front of me.

Another one...... Right lane closed ahead. When there is 20, 30 or more cars in the left lane and the right lane is empty......it is NOT OK with me for you to just drive on passed me and "break-up" in the front of the line. And.....why do other drivers let these people cut in front of them when they get to the barricade....I don't.

[LaAngler]

trust me the camera's here haven't stopped the idiots from driving wild, worse if anything

[longsidelandry]

Originally Posted by LaAngler

trust me the camera's here haven't stopped the idiots from driving wild, worse if anything

Yea you definately got that right!!

[LaAngler]

this guy in this vid cracks me up

YouTube

YouTube

[LaAngler]

Originally Posted by Deadly D

Yes they do work. Sit at one of these intersections for awhile then go sit at one that doesnt have one and watch how many people run the light. Slow down it cant be that important and if it was you should have left 5 minutes earlier

I agree Deadly, but hey we are all human! The two lights I've been photographed at I was going mid 40's in a 35. Most of our roads around here are 40-50 mph speed limits, it's easy to forget especially late at night with no traffic. I have never had a REAL speeding ticket in my life and my driving record is spotless.

The issue is not whether speeding or running a light is right or wrong, it's another small bite taken out of our freedom and privacy. It can even be considered unconstitutional according to some, check out the end of the second vid I posted.


more info

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2...s_are_rai.html

[longsidelandry]

Man that's insane

[specktator]

the one on university by laura's 2 catches more than all the others combined i heard! they do suck but i live in lafayette so i know where every one of them is. i dont get caught anymore!

[adamsfence]

that lady in the second vid. had her **** together

[2ndamendment]

Easy Gerald your road rage is starting to show.

[ShadMan]

Red light cameras are proven to cause more accidents, which is why they just became illegal in Texas. Once existing contracts run out, municipalities can no longer renew them. I've personally witnessed a fatal accident here in Houston that occured because of a red light camera. Too many people slam on their brakes as soon as a light turns yellow if they know there is a red light camera at the intersection.

When I lived in Denver, I saw at least 8 or 9 fender-benders occur over a 2-year period on icy roads because of red light cameras. Luckily they were all low-speed crashes because the drivers weren't going over 30mph on the slick roads.