I was recently nailed stretching a yellow light a little bit, by a stop light camera. Does anyone know of a defense for these? They seem to be more and more prevelant in urban areas. Thanks!!

 

There really is none. I work with Traffic Officers a lot, and I have had a chance to see these at work.

Essentially, unless you can show that there isn't at least 1 second of yellow light for every 10 MPH on the street speed limit, you are done.

They are more accurate than a lot of people give them credit for, and they film much more than most people think.

Sorry for the bad news.

 

I employ a cunning strategy when it comes to these things:

When I see a light changing from green to yellow, or yellow to red, I stop. No tickets so far and I reduce the risk of killing people with my 6100 lbs truck and 11,000 lbs trailer. Everyone walks (drives) away a winner. I suggest a new strategy R2, let the Wookie win.

 

I agree. I always heard that in order to activate the camera you had to enter and exit the intersection on Red. If that is true, than I can't see how you could come up with a defense for that. Pay the fine and learn your lesson the easy way.

 

there are sprays you can put on your plates that reflect the bright light from the flash to make a bright spot of your plate so it cant be read... but you can still see the plate normally under daylight... Only thing is if you get caught with it on your plate you could face a fine.

 

Thread moved to General Automotive Discussion.

-Matt

 

I've heard of them. Methinks they may be as effective as the tornado, and gas magnets.

 

Nah they actually DO work!

I would have sprayed my truck but I don't want to get caught with it on my plates

 

...and stickers on the windows add horsepower... Can you provide some info on this stuff? I trust n578md's method. Any other method and you take your life into your own hands, figuratively speaking...

 

They are a cash generating machine that has little to do with saftey, but that is the excuse given for political cover. Usually a private contractor owns and operates them and splits the fine money on a commission basis. That system is ripe for abuse. In San Diego, home of the highest traffic fines in the nation, the yellow lights were rigged too short. Once this got out, judges dismissed all the tickets.

Jim

 

Years ago when I got stopped for running a traffic light, I pointed out to the officer that the light was yellow not red when I entered and left the zone. He said the yellow light meant the same as red. I said if that was the case why even have a yellow light, just green and red. He couldn't explain that so he ended up writing me a warning. Nowadays I hear they are getting more stringent and if it is yellow you get a ticket. No ifs, ands or buts. If you are very close to the zone and the light turns yellow, are you supposed to slam on the brakes and let someone rear end you?

 

My question is for what (running a red light)? I hardly ever go anywhere that I don't see some one speeding up instead of stopping at a yellow. Why the urgency to save 30 seconds? Many times I have stopped and had some one blow past me and I catch him at the next light.
Dono

 

Apparently yes, you are supposed to slam on your brakes and have someone rear end you.

A little known NHTSA statistic, according to an article I read a few years back in Car and Driver Mag, is that in many of the intersections around the country where they installed red light cams, the number of violations and cross traffic accidents has dropped, BUT, the number of rear end accidents has dramatically increased. So I guess this does away with the claimed safety aspect of the cameras and deals more with the local guv requirements for increased revenue.

So slam on your brakes and save yourself a ticket. Let the guy behind you worry about slamming into you, it's his problem.

I always try to look in the rear view mirror whenever I slow down. Sometimes in my foolish desire to avoid being rear ended(been hit twice this year, why me?) I will run a light rather than have the guy behind me make a personal introduction.

Whatever happened to using good judgement and doing what is safe? Guess revenue drives the law now.

Just my cynical opinion,

Jim henderson

 

That's backwards logic. If you don't have the confidence that the person driving behind you isn't going to rear end you, then don't drive on the public roads. Using that as an excuse to run a red light and risk T-boning another vehicle is just plain stupid. People running red lights are a problem everywhere. Red light cameras are a cost effective way to make people who run red lights pay a reasable fine and hopefully curb their bad driving habits. If you don't like red light cameras, they can always raise the fine for running a red light to $500 or $1000, whatever is takes to pay for the cost of enforcing the traffic laws. Or you can just stop running red lights. If you're one of the people who can't stop your vehicle without rear ending the one in front of you, then quit following too close. It's that simple.

Just my cynical reponse,

Steve Cole

 

I like the idea of using a license plate holder like they had in an old James Bond movie. By pushing a button in a car, the license plate frame that held three plates would rotate. Set it up so that when you floor it and for the next 15 seconds afterwards the thing just keeps rotating round and round and round and...................... . You get the idea, hard to take a picture. Honestly, I just use my brakes and stop at the light, even though we don't have camera cops where I live.