Traffic Cameras in D.C.

Kappelmeister writes "The Washington Post has an article about red-light-running and speeding cameras all over D.C. that have issued over half a million citations to date. (Police send you a ticket and photographic proof up to a month after the fact.) Though the cameras successfully reduce dangerous driving and boost the city's revenue, a lot of wrongful citations fall through the cracks and give some that guilty-until-proven-innocent feeling. Once again, how far is too far?" I came across this much more informative investigation of D.C.'s traffic cameras a few weeks ago. It's heavy on facts and figures, and hammers home the observation that an extra second of yellow light is at least as good at promoting good behavior, but much less lucrative for the local government and the contracting firm.

Re:heh

[Anonymous Coward]

Repeat after me: Entering an intersection while it is full is bad, mkay ?

I don't know

[jandrese]

There's something vaguely satisfying about thinking that those 5 people who just tailgated you through that yellow got ticketed.

Traffic Cameras

[Holistic Universaliz]

In Norway its a sport to Run the Traffic Cameras run, with hidden numbers an cut out Photos of local polices or politisions.. Go GO GO

Taking the joke too far

[eap]

I heard a story about someone who got one of those pictures of himself running a light in the mail. Instead of sending in payment, he mailed them a photograph of some money.

They responded by mailing him back a picture of some handcuffs.

Netherlands

[uebernewby]

We have them over here as well. Our national pasttime seems to be to wreck them, so they're now starting to put up cameras to watch the speeding cameras.

Re:Speeding kills

[Anonymous Coward]

Not really. It is my experience that above average drivers rarely have the urge to speed since they know that no matter good a driver you are, the speed still kills. They're also smart enough to realize that gaining a few pitiful minutes in travel time doesn't warrant the risks involved in speeding.


Speed doesn't kill. It's the sudden deceleration in a crash that kills. So if everyone was going fast...

Also, "a few pitiful minutes" can be pretty damn important. Or should the Police, Ambulance and Fire Trucks not exceed the limit, too??

Show them how you feel

[Anonymous Coward]

Step 1. Cover your license plate
Step 2. Get some friends
Step 3. Have you friends stand in the intersection mooning the camera.
Step 4. Drive through the red light.

We did this, at 2 A.M. one night and much to our surpise we made front page of the local paper

extend yellow?!? In Jersey?!?

[garver]

I live in NJ. People here go until they see red. Period. This is the only place where I feel I need to look both ways before going through a recently green light.

Extending the yellow would have the same effect as extending green. That's all.

<rant>As for rear-ending... I'm originally from another a state where people stop when they see yellow (imagine!), and I visit frequently. Hence, I'm not in the habit and I don't want to get into the habit of running orange lights. So, I stop when I see yellow and have time... A good way to get the finger in Jersey and maybe "BMW" stamped onto the back of my Toyota . I've gotten pretty good at hopping the curb to get out of the way. And the worse part is that NJ has no-fault insurance! If those bastards hit me, my insurance company pays for my damages and my premiums go up!</rant>

Re:heh

[raju1kabir]

Repeat after me: Entering an intersection while it is full is bad, mkay ?

Now there's something DC could really benefit from learning.

When I walk or bike home in the evening, I just shake my head in amazement at all the DC drivers sitting in the middle of the intersection blocking traffic in all four directions, sometimes for three or four light changes.

One thing they do really well in New York is levy painful and immediate fines for anyone who enters an intersection that's not clear on the other side. It really works - traffic keeps moving; slowly at busy times, but at least it moves.

Perhaps we need a law that allows full-speed ramming of anyone who is sitting in the intersection in front of you when the light turns green. All the drivers can install cow-catchers on the fronts of their cars and go to town. More entertainment for us pedestrians and cyclists.