Extra tax this week

[dixiedrifter]

I just found out today that there is actually a SPRAY that will keep you from getting caught by photo radar and lights.

http://www.radarbusters.com/news/current/indy-star.asp

Apparently on any camera that uses a flash to photgraph a plate, the stuff causes the plate to "shine" thus whiting it out.

Plus its invisible!!

 

[Slamfire]

Well, some states require you to stop before entering an intersection displaying a yellow signal light, and some don't. The "standard" timing of yellow lights is the first digit of the speed limit in seconds, i. e. Speed limit 35=3 second yellow light. I don't know what you'd do in a school zone with a 15 mph speed limit, 1 second hardly seems enough time for any yellow light.

 

[DiskDoctr]

Here's my BIG PROBLEM with red light cameras...

Since when should a private company get 70% of a traffic fine??? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif This should be illegal, IMHO. Sort of like embezzling funds- private industry using gov't authority to levy fines on citizens.

If they are collectin 70%, then who is levying the fine? Is it the gov't (law enforcement, city, etc), or is it the private company- who is paying a commission to the gov't to be allowed to use their authority for their own purposes?

Here is an excerpt:

"Both Greensboro and High Point get $15 from every $50 red- light citation. City officials said money goes toward transportation safety programs, such as installing pedestrian walkway signs.

Peek Traffic, which installed and runs those red-light programs, gets $35 for each citation"

Here is the article: Traffic Cameras

IMHO, only the gov't should have the authority to levy fines. I can't setup my own speed trap and send fines to those I clock as speeding past my house /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif This would be absurd, but not that much of a stretch from the above situation...

Food for thought...

End of soapbox. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-JC

 

[Junkman]

When the revenue goes down, what will that private company do, lobby for higher fines? Below is an excerpt from the news article. Business should not be in the law enforcement business, that is the role of government. If government is too lazy to operate these devices, then they shouldn't be installed. This company that installs and runs the system is nothing more than a vigilante organization in my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( City officials in Greensboro and High Point say the program is working to decrease red-light violations in their towns.

In Greensboro, 1,854 motorists received $50 citations in December, a 32 percent decline compared with December 2001, said Michael Cramer, who supervises Greensboro's red-light program.

High Point, which has 10 red-light cameras, saw a 42 percent decline in citations, according to Phil Wylie, director of the city's transportation department.

)</font>

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> Well, some states require you to stop before entering an intersection displaying a yellow signal light, and some don't. </font>

Could you please tell me what states require this? I find it hard to believe because yellow means caution, not stop.

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> If the light is very fast and the camera(s) get a picture of you in the intersection and the light having changed to red, I think it would be very hard to get out of a ticket they send you. Even if your right. </font>

The first picture would be taken when the RED starts, which would show you already IN the intersection, so I don't see how you could lose a case that shows you in the intersection BEFORE the red hit.

If you are turning left, and are in the middle of the intersection waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, and the light turns red -- you are not breaking any law -- because you now have the right of way. I have had this situation happen to me many times at red light camera intersections and have never gotten a ticket mailed to me. It was very clear I was IN the intersection when the light turned red, the first picture taken showed me IN the intersection prior to the red.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If you are turning left, and are in the middle of the intersection waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, and the light turns red -- you are not breaking any law -- because you now have the right of way )</font>

I'd generally agree with you. At least we never wrote traffic tickets for anything like that. However, my mother once failed a driving test to get a drivers license when she did that; said the trooper stopped the exam right there and told her she failed for running a red light. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> said the trooper stopped the exam right there and told her she failed for running a red light. </font>

Sounds to me like someone should give at Trooper a Rules of the Road book. Unless there was plenty of time before the red for her to turn, she has control of that intersection and has the right of way to turn left even if the light is red. Only 1-car however can be in the intersection to turn left at a time. If there was already a car in the intersection to turn left and she was also in the intersection behind the first car, she could be at fault for running a red light in this case.

If you could not get into the intersection to turn left (on a non-arrow light), and traffic is really heavy, that lane would NEVER get any cars turning left.

Another legal turn which many people don't know is you can turn LEFT ON RED if the turn is onto a One-Way street from another One-Way street.

 

[NSBound]

Here in Ontario, this is what is printed in the Driver's Handbbook printed by the Province.

Yellow light
A yellow — or amber — light means the red light is about to appear. You must stop if you can do so safely; otherwise, go with caution.

 

[BillyP]

Traffic lights

TRAFFIC CONTROL AT INTERSECTIONS

Wisconsin