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Denver Must Prove Red-Light Cameras Improve Safety
An anonymous reader writes "An audit of accidents at Denver intersections where red light cameras were installed versus increasing the length of the yellow light shows little difference in the results. In a case of putting the public ahead of the corporation, the Denver auditor is recommending canceling the red light camera program unless the city can prove a public-safety benefit." I hope that private citizens offering analysis or recommendations are treated fairly.
...reading some years back that the Red Light camera companies had specific language in the contracts that restricted the length of yellow lights.
A cynical person might think they wanted people running red lights. But I'm not...oh, fuck it. I am cynical.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
In many states drivers are taught to enter the intersection to take a left turn, and it's legal.
specifies that the duration of the yellow change interval should be between 3 and 6 seconds. And people have won court cases over red light tickets over the yellow time being too short.
http://www.ite.org/decade/pubs/IR-117-E.pdf
http://www.ite.org/safety/issuebriefs/Traffic%20Signals%20Issue%20Brief.pdf
http://www.ite.org/annualmeeting/compendium10/pdf/AB10H2601.pdf
I have seen several studies showing a very distinct link between length of the yellow and safety. This study shows that increasing the length of the yellow decreases red light violations and this article references several studies that show that this effect does not diminsh with time. So, your gut is wrong on this one (although I understand why you would suspect that to be the case).
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
"Oh no, the light is now red, there is intersecting traffic"
no cross traffic should enter the intersection until the way is clear.
Green != Go
Green = precede if clear
Was it Washington, DC?
Source
--You will rephrase your request for me to go to hell. Goto statements are not acceptable programming constructs
It's also legal in Canada, or at least Ontario. The OP is a moron. You may always enter the intersection to perform a manoeuvre you have a green light for (in fact, the HTA says you can receive a ticket for NOT doing so). Once you are fully in the intersection, if you light turns red because you cannot complete the manoeuvre you are permitted (and required), by the HTA to complete the manoeuvre on red.
Yes, you must wait until the intersection is clear, that is also in the HTA, however, that is much more discretionary than the other directions, since the driver may start their left turn and realize the intersection is not clear before they complete their turn due to a blocked view or a car speeding up, at which point the driver is required to yield the right of way.
Furthermore, while it is horribly annoying when people overstep this and try to squeeze three cars though, it present absolutely no collision risk because the left turn is complete either during the time when the whole intersection is red (yes, the entire intersection is supposed to be red for a moment before the other traffic is allowed to move) or as the other light turns green (in which case they are stopped and notice you in their path so they wait to proceed). The only possible time I can see it being a problem is when a driver decides to speed at a stale red, not paying attention to the intersection, in the hope that the intersection will be clear and the light will magically turn green. That sort of driver was planning to run the red, anyways.
I *have* driven in an area where left turns on red are "illegal" (Philadelphia) and they aren't really illegal as far as I can tell. Instead, the left turn lights turn RED after they give you an opportunity to do a protected left turn. Notice that in the first paragraph I mention the driver must have a green light when they enter...
In most states, the person in the intersection (e.g. you), has the right away over people entering the intersection. Since in some states it is perfectly legal to enter the intersection on yellow, the people proceeding straight in front of your intended route have the right of way. This is of course ignoring how some people enter on yellow when they were perfectly capable of stopping safely. Once traffic finally stops, no one should be entering the intersection from crossing traffic until you are clear of the intersection. If they do, they are violating traffic law just as much as someone running a red light.
There should never be backing up in an intersection unless you think it is the only way to prevent a wreck, or reduce the severity of one. And even then, you better think twice, quickly.
At this point you can either do a really dangerous left turn, or remain blocking the traffic, or try to back up (assuming people havent filled in behind you.
I've driven in a dozen states, all on the east coast of the US. In those states, this is not only permitted, it is the correct thing to do. It is taught that way in driver's education and a traffic cop will direct you to do this as well. When the light turns red, the driver in the intersection completes the left turn. It is not dangerous because there are a few seconds where the light remains red specifically as a time to clear the intersection. The only problem I've ever seen is when bad drivers either stay in the intersection and block it, or back-up - both of which are illegal.
I'd actually want to see a very clear causal link between longer yellows and safety increases, because my gut tells me longer yellows would make people ignore them even more.
For the Google-challenged:
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/02/243.asp
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/28/2887.asp
You can find more.
This is not unusual. The Federal Highway Administration found that red-light cameras increase rear-end collisions but reduce more severe right-angle collisions, saving $50,000 in collisions per intersection per year in medical and repair costs.
Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
If you are in the intersection when the light turns red, you have the right of way to clear the intersection before anyone else goes. It's really pretty simple and no cop or red light camera anywhere in the US should give you a ticket for it.
That is the point of a yellow as opposed to just having green and red. it is legal to enter the intersection on yellow, whether it's a fresh or stale yellow. It is illegal to enter on red. The reason is when the light changes you may only be 5' from the intersection, or 20', or some other distance where stopping is either not possible or not safe. A sufficiently long yellow (IIRC 1 second for every 10 MPH of traffic speed) virtually eliminates red light runners, a brief overlap of red prevents the occasional oblivious driver entering on a fresh red from causing an accident.
I will say around here since they started putting up red light cameras I now slam on my brakes if there's any hope I may be able to stop. Had a few close calls almost sliding into the intersection and also damn near got rear ended a couple times. Not my problem though because the State is obviously more interested in revenue collection (hidden taxes) than safety. A red light camera (and of course the State) doesn't care if the road is wet or icy, or any other scenario that would make it safer or more prudent to proceed through a yellow even if it's a stale yellow. I won't take the chance of getting fined for doing something safe, I'd rather get rear ended and take that to court for a new paint job or new vehicle. You can win against someone else who caused an accident by inattentiveness or following too closely, you can't win against the State as the deck is stacked heavily against you.
Also red light cameras have caused me to make the occasional illegal uturn, or reverse down a road rather than proceed on red. This is when the light will never change or will go through several cycles and never turn my side green. Typically this happens more often later at night when tehre is less traffic on the road. Normally after waiting at a light for 5-10+ minutes with no traffic on the road I'd assume it won't change and treat it like a stop sign so long as I have good visibility both directions. Instead with red light cameras I'll make an illegal uturn or illegal reverse and take an alternate route, so as not to get a fine.
Correct! Most people think its ok to smash into people making an illegal maneuver: a friend of a friend recently lost his car because he was illegally parked and someone smashed into it. He got a parking ticket, they got an at-fault accident, point deductions, hefty fine etc. etc. As a driver it is your responsibility to know where you're going and if you're able to safely proceed, it is NOT your right to randomly punch the gas because someone else is breaking the law.