Why or why not?
2006-11-21 00:54:26 · 15 answers · asked by chocolate-drop 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Commuting
I've never been "nabbed" by a red light camera. And I haven't said whether I for or against them. I was just curious...
2006-11-21 01:07:11 · update #1
Fair game & easy money. Studies show that accidents are up at intersections where cameras are placed. People slam on the brakes to avoid a ticket, and get rear-ended.
2006-11-26 14:18:11 · answer #1 · answered by Mollie's Daddy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't take into consideration a variety of factors involved and they really don't fix the underlying problem, which usually boils down to very poorly timed traffic lights. They're installing cameras rather than tweaking the lights on a major road near where I live, which isn't really going to solve anything. Having 5 traffic lights for one shopping plaza is not only unnecessary, but a major factor in road rage in the area. The yellows are also extremely short, compared to other lights in the area on this road, which is setting people up for failure and rear end collisions. Even if you're doing under the speed limit and you're at the solid lane lines before the intersection and KNOW you can't stop in time to not be in the intersection, the light turns red within about a second or two after yellow, instead of 3-5 seconds like other lights in the area, so you end up technically blowing the light, even though the odds are stacked against you.
I'm not necessarily against them, they just need to be tweaked and the underlying problems need to be solved, and ONLY THEN when people just blatantly blow the light for the sake of blowing the light, these people should be fined. You have a better chance of hitting the lottery than hitting a light green on the road mentioned, which is unreasonable as there are only two other major roads in the area. The rest lead into little neighborhoods or shopping plazas.
2006-11-21 02:10:36 · answer #2 · answered by sovereign_carrie 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I do, even though I've been caught twice in a former city I lived in. The first time I was almost through and I fined anyway. Of course I wasn't too happy, but the camera isn't biased. I've heard many statistics about the use of red light cameras and most of them have shown that although fewer people are "running" red lights, there are an increased number of rear-end accidents because people are stopping suddenly to prevent from getting a ticket in case they didn't make it through in time.
2006-11-21 01:11:27 · answer #3 · answered by Sweetie 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Definitely. Staffing a police force is costly so anything that keeps costs down and allows us to dedicate more officers to more serious matters such as violent crime, robbery, rape, etc. is a good thing in my opinion. Besides, running red lights is an incredibly dangerous practice (typically a complement to speeding), gaining a driver a few seconds at the risk of seriously injuring or killing other people. Yellow traffic signal already means stop if it is safe to do so.
2006-11-21 05:17:55 · answer #4 · answered by Andrew H 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Yes, they are. People who obey the traffic laws have nothing to fear.
MY complaint is they eliminate jobs. The cameras work 24 hrs a day, never get sick, and don't take vacations, and retire without pay, so the police agencies would rather install more cameras than hire live cops.
2006-11-21 14:13:18 · answer #5 · answered by Trump 2020 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Yes...the are fair...they are simply another tool for law enforcement to use...instead of having an officer watch for these kinds of offenders, they can spend their time on more important crimes...like robbery and others...
My question to those who oppose these is, if you're obeying the law, why are you concerned?...and secondly...streets are owned and maintained by municipalities...so they have a right to monitor them anyway they see fit, just as they have the right to set speed limits...
Lastly...would you feel differently if you or someone you knew/cared about were injured in an accident by a red light runner???
2006-11-21 00:58:56 · answer #6 · answered by Dave 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I really dont have a problem with them.
They make (hopefully) people think twice about running red lights, thereby cutting down on accidents.
2006-11-25 17:15:32 · answer #7 · answered by **twin** 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
red light camera aren't only fair but a good tool to have, such in court cases of he said she said. in our city if you find the right link on the internet you can even use them for your own personal entertainment when the law enforcement agengy isn't using them!!!
2006-11-21 01:09:42 · answer #8 · answered by kay81363 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Sure they're fair. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and traffic lights are there to create a safe driving environment. If people choose to break the law by running red lights, they endanger other drivers and they put their driving privilege at risk.
I take it you were nabbed by one?
2006-11-21 01:01:36 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
Yes. If there was a red light camera at the intersection I was hit in, they would know who did it. I was walking when hit.
2006-11-21 00:59:12 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋