New redlight and speed camera??
Discussion
Anyone know what the new cameras at the acton traffic lights on the A40 are? They are very small yellow boxes on tall poles and there are white divisions on the road, are they red light and speeding combined??? Another pain in the ar** on my commute to work, wish they would fix the holes in the road and the sunken drains instead wasting money on these cameras.
CombeMarshal said:Quite often it's OK to speed - as in exceed the limit - as there are many ludicrously low limits totally unrelated to safety but very much related to the presence of cameras or speed traps. It's always illegal of course, but can be quite safe.
SO it's Ok to speed through traffic lights!!!!!!!!!!!
Automobile Association of America pulls its support for traffic cameras
One of the foremost advocates of traffic safety has withdrawn support for the District of Columbia's traffic camera enforcement program after city officials conceded revenue was a primary motivation. The Automobile Association of America (AAA), which supports the use of traffic cameras to enhance road safety, has rebuffed the city's plan to expand the program to earn more revenue. The Metropolitan Police Department collected $18,368,436 in fines through August 2002 with the automated red-light enforcement program, which was implemented in August 1999 to combat "the serious problem of red-light running."
"There is a mixed message being sent here. When using these cameras you should not have a vested interest in catching one person running a red light or speeding," said Lon Anderson, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic. Mr. Anderson said that AAA brought attention to a camera that the automobile association deemed unfair on H Street Northeast adjacent to the Union Station garage exit. The camera was affixed at a location on a declining hill with a flashing yellow light that went to red without changing to a solid yellow. "Drivers didn't even know they were running a light. That camera issued 20,000 tickets before we caught it," Mr. Anderson said. He said the camera also caused its share of rear-end collisions, as opponents have contended since the first few months after the program began. "At the H Street camera, we noticed several near rear-end collisions" Mr. Anderson said. "There have been studies that show that red-light cameras can cause an increase of rear-end accidents, but there aren't any hard numbers yet."
He said he became furious when he read reports in The Washington Times a week ago quoting D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams as saying that the cameras were about "money and safety." The mayor is also reported to have said that the city was looking to expand the program, in part, to earn revenue to offset a projected $323 million budget deficit. Mr. Anderson said the mayor's comments made it appear as if the city had a dual policy on cameras and that they undercut the credibility of Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey's automated red-light enforcement program. "That is what happens when you're putting [on] pressure for numbers," he [Anderson] said. Until recently, both Mr. Williams and Chief Ramsey have said that the No. 1 goal of the cameras is to make the streets safer for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists by targeting red-light violations and speed infractions.
The city also may be heading for a court fight, said Richard Diamond, spokesman for House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Texas Republican, a strong opponent of the cameras. A number of cases against the cameras have been filed in D.C. Superior Court, but "when the courts get a hint that the case is trying to attack the system it is immediately dismissed," the spokesman said. A recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed that red-light running in the District had dropped 64 percent since the cameras were set up. But Mr. Diamond and Mr. Anderson said that the report says nothing about the increased number of rear-end collisions that may have been caused by the cameras. Richard Retting, the insurance institute's senior transportation engineer, said such collision increases were not studied for the report but may be included in studies later. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Diamond said that drivers approaching red-light cameras are so afraid of being flashed that they slam on their brakes well short of intersections, surprising tailing motorists and causing accidents.
Mr. Diamond cited the camera problems last year in San Diego. A judge threw out almost 292 traffic tickets issued by automated red-light cameras last year, ruling that the city had given away too much police power to the private company running the devices. "The only reason we found out about the accident increases in San Diego is because the courts forced them to release all of the data," he said. It also was discovered that the city's vendor, Lockheed Martin IMS, placed some of the cameras too close to the intersection and reduced the yellow-light time. San Diego Police Chief David Bejarano later said that more accidents were reported at some camera intersections than prior to the red-light photo enforcement. And at some intersections there was no change in accident totals. All of the information on the cameras' lack of effectiveness came after the courts forced the police department to release all the data. "This is the only case where we have the full data and the cameras didn't work," Mr. Diamond said.
The Los Angeles Times reported last November that accidents also were up at red-light camera intersections in that city. It was also reported that accidents were up as much as 11 percent citywide.
(Written by Brian DeBose and published in the 17 October 2002 edition of The Washington Times.
One of the foremost advocates of traffic safety has withdrawn support for the District of Columbia's traffic camera enforcement program after city officials conceded revenue was a primary motivation. The Automobile Association of America (AAA), which supports the use of traffic cameras to enhance road safety, has rebuffed the city's plan to expand the program to earn more revenue. The Metropolitan Police Department collected $18,368,436 in fines through August 2002 with the automated red-light enforcement program, which was implemented in August 1999 to combat "the serious problem of red-light running."
"There is a mixed message being sent here. When using these cameras you should not have a vested interest in catching one person running a red light or speeding," said Lon Anderson, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic. Mr. Anderson said that AAA brought attention to a camera that the automobile association deemed unfair on H Street Northeast adjacent to the Union Station garage exit. The camera was affixed at a location on a declining hill with a flashing yellow light that went to red without changing to a solid yellow. "Drivers didn't even know they were running a light. That camera issued 20,000 tickets before we caught it," Mr. Anderson said. He said the camera also caused its share of rear-end collisions, as opponents have contended since the first few months after the program began. "At the H Street camera, we noticed several near rear-end collisions" Mr. Anderson said. "There have been studies that show that red-light cameras can cause an increase of rear-end accidents, but there aren't any hard numbers yet."
He said he became furious when he read reports in The Washington Times a week ago quoting D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams as saying that the cameras were about "money and safety." The mayor is also reported to have said that the city was looking to expand the program, in part, to earn revenue to offset a projected $323 million budget deficit. Mr. Anderson said the mayor's comments made it appear as if the city had a dual policy on cameras and that they undercut the credibility of Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey's automated red-light enforcement program. "That is what happens when you're putting [on] pressure for numbers," he [Anderson] said. Until recently, both Mr. Williams and Chief Ramsey have said that the No. 1 goal of the cameras is to make the streets safer for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists by targeting red-light violations and speed infractions.
The city also may be heading for a court fight, said Richard Diamond, spokesman for House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Texas Republican, a strong opponent of the cameras. A number of cases against the cameras have been filed in D.C. Superior Court, but "when the courts get a hint that the case is trying to attack the system it is immediately dismissed," the spokesman said. A recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed that red-light running in the District had dropped 64 percent since the cameras were set up. But Mr. Diamond and Mr. Anderson said that the report says nothing about the increased number of rear-end collisions that may have been caused by the cameras. Richard Retting, the insurance institute's senior transportation engineer, said such collision increases were not studied for the report but may be included in studies later. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Diamond said that drivers approaching red-light cameras are so afraid of being flashed that they slam on their brakes well short of intersections, surprising tailing motorists and causing accidents.
Mr. Diamond cited the camera problems last year in San Diego. A judge threw out almost 292 traffic tickets issued by automated red-light cameras last year, ruling that the city had given away too much police power to the private company running the devices. "The only reason we found out about the accident increases in San Diego is because the courts forced them to release all of the data," he said. It also was discovered that the city's vendor, Lockheed Martin IMS, placed some of the cameras too close to the intersection and reduced the yellow-light time. San Diego Police Chief David Bejarano later said that more accidents were reported at some camera intersections than prior to the red-light photo enforcement. And at some intersections there was no change in accident totals. All of the information on the cameras' lack of effectiveness came after the courts forced the police department to release all the data. "This is the only case where we have the full data and the cameras didn't work," Mr. Diamond said.
The Los Angeles Times reported last November that accidents also were up at red-light camera intersections in that city. It was also reported that accidents were up as much as 11 percent citywide.
(Written by Brian DeBose and published in the 17 October 2002 edition of The Washington Times.
deltafox said:
drivers approaching red light cameras are so afraid of being flashed that they slam on their brakes well short of intersections, surprising tailing motorists and causing accidents.
Happened to my son a few weeks ago...He was on his 'ped approaching a traffic light junction with RLCs, the driver of car in front hits anchors on GREEN, nipper jumps on brakes but couldn't stop in time. Crunch...
Car driver very apologetic and acknowledged it was her fault - said she panicked and emergency stopped because 'her mate had been flashed at that junction the week before...'
My lad is only 16 and its all part of the 'every driver is an idiot' learning curve for him and yes, he knows he should have been in a position to deal with every eventuality...but would the accident have happened if the camera had not been there ? Most definitely not..
SS2. said:
drivers approaching red light cameras are so afraid of being flashed that they slam on their brakes well short of intersections, surprising tailing motorists and causing accidents.
Happened to my son a few weeks ago...He was on his 'ped approaching a traffic light junction with RLCs, the driver of car in front hits anchors on GREEN, nipper jumps on brakes but couldn't stop in time. Crunch...
Car driver very apologetic and acknowledged it was her fault - said she panicked and emergency stopped because 'her mate had been flashed at that junction the week before...'
My lad is only 16 and its all part of the 'every driver is an idiot' learning curve for him and yes, he knows he should have been in a position to deal with every eventuality...but would the accident have happened if the camera had not been there ? Most definitely not..
number 46 said:
Anyone know what the new cameras at the acton traffic lights on the A40 are? They are very small yellow boxes on tall poles and there are white divisions on the road, are they red light and speeding combined??? Another pain in the ar** on my commute to work, wish they would fix the holes in the road and the sunken drains instead wasting money on these cameras.
Are they anything like this? www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=249869
falcemob said:
Anyone know what the new cameras at the acton traffic lights on the A40 are? They are very small yellow boxes on tall poles and there are white divisions on the road, are they red light and speeding combined??? Another pain in the ar** on my commute to work, wish they would fix the holes in the road and the sunken drains instead wasting money on these cameras.
Are they anything like this? www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=249869
Looks like Redspeed to me.
www.redspeed-int.com/en/products_redspeed.htm
The type approval (UK approved) on this one is very interesting
number 46 said:
Yes they are the Redspeed ones, another distraction from looking at the road ahead and all the hazards !! Great, can't wait to leave this Blairsh*thole police state of a country.
...or move to rural North Yorkshire. No speed cameras and pointless traffic restrictions (bumps or chicanes) are very rare :-)
[
Looks like Redspeed to me.
www.redspeed-int.com/en/products_redspeed.htm
The type approval (UK approved) on this one is very interesting[/quote]
According to Home Site there is only two RCL's that have their approval:
Gatsometer BV Type 36, and
Trafficphot S.
?
dvd
Looks like Redspeed to me.
www.redspeed-int.com/en/products_redspeed.htm
The type approval (UK approved) on this one is very interesting[/quote]
According to Home Site there is only two RCL's that have their approval:
Gatsometer BV Type 36, and
Trafficphot S.
?
dvd
Dwight VanDriver said:
Looks like Redspeed to me.
www.redspeed-int.com/en/products_redspeed.htm
The type approval (UK approved) on this one is very interesting
According to Home Site there is only two RCL's that have their approval:
Gatsometer BV Type 36, and
Trafficphot S.
?
dvd
www.redspeed-int.com/en/products_redspeed_approval.htm
As for my 'interesting' comment, I would draw your attention to image recording
XMG5 said:
Can anyone tell me what are the GATSO type static cameras mounted on top of tall posts with NO road markings to callibrate speed by. The camera looks like a mini yellow GATSO with a letterbox light and a letterbox lense apperture.
Without road markings, how can they calculate speed?
Sensors buried in the road?
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