Comments on: Red light cameras still effective at intersection

By: mercededud

mercededud — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:46:04 +0000

If they really work why are so many cities in Calif dropping them, teaching your kids how to drive will save more lives the cameras, this city council and manager is getting so out of touch with the real world it blows one’s mind

By: RogerJ

RogerJ — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:50:20 +0000

If Solana Beach wants to reduce red light running by 60-80% increase the yellow light time by 1.0 second. Loma Linda did.

By: RogerJ

RogerJ — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:48:34 +0000

I would like to read something like, “Captain Sarro reports that the reduction in accidents of 40% and 60% seem to have coincided with the downturn in the economy and high price of gas. Perhaps the reductions in both visitor and local traffic is having a positive effect. We will be proposing measures to reduce employment and increase the price of gas even further.”

By: Henry

Henry — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:13:52 +0000

The cameras (indirectly) block emergency vehicles – because cars stopped at a camera hesitate to get out of the way! Other side effects: Rearenders, $$$ sent to Oz, AZ or Goldman-Sachs, where it won’t come back, and tourists and shoppers driven away.
Worse, a false expectation of safety, because cameras can’t stop the real late runners, who cause the accidents. (If cameras worked, Redflex wouldn’t have the video of runners that Sarro showed to the city council.)
Want safety, no side effects?
To cut car/pedestrian accidents, train your kids not to step out just ‘cuz the walk sign came on.
To cut nuisance running (a fraction of a second late), lengthen the yellows. It’s cheap to do so can be done all over town.
The dangerous real late (multiple seconds) runs won’t be stopped by the mere presence of a camera, because the runner won’t know (a tourist) or won’t remember (a distracted or impaired “local”) that there’s a camera up ahead. They’re not doing it on purpose! To cut these real late runs, improve the visual cues that say, “Intersection ahead.” Florida’s DOT found that better pavement markings (paint!) cut running by up to 74%. Make the signal lights bigger, add backboards, and put the poles on the NEAR side of the corner. Put brighter bulbs in the street lights at intersections. Put up lighted name signs for the cross streets.
Who needs cameras and their side effects?