Traffic Camera Locations Across America

[eflyguy]

The problem is that far too many jurisdictions have lost in cases that have proven the companies contracted to maintain the cameras (and share in the wealth) start short-cycling the lights to trap more drivers and drive up income. In some places it's caused the cities to have to pull the cameras when courts have determined abuse.

.. happened here. I was nailed by one. Using the photographic evidence and timing data *they* provided, I was able to prove that it would have been impossible for me to stop before the light turned red.

Problem is the fine was pretty low (<$100 iirc), and no points, so it wasn't worth my time to go to the court to fight it.

Those cameras have been gone for some time now..

 

[Fred W]

Georgia passed a state wide mandate back in 2008-2009 time frame that all yellow lights had to be increased by a full second from their previously calculated values. The cities and towns were not required to comply until sometime in 2010, so while some municipalities changed to the new timing right away, others (notably Atlanta) chose to leave the lights they had cameras on set to the old timing.

The results were that in the towns that went to the newer longer timing the photo citation rate fell off so much that the program ceased to be profitable, which might be what happened to your cameras. Meanwhile, Atlanta cashed in when their citation rate actually increased on their cameras during that time using the old timing, as drivers became conditioned to the longer yellows at other lights.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Got two photos from a red-light camera in the mail from City of Atlanta. One showed my car on the 'upstream' side of the stop bar as the light -- visible in the photo -- was yellow. Second photo showed the light red and my car completely across the stop bar. (Spring Street SB at North Ave; right beside the Varsity.)

Called the phone number, told them their photos do NOT show me crossing the stop bar on red, and informed them I would go to court to support my claim. No further action was taken.

..........................................................

Now, most of you know I'm a professional traffic engineer. Once upon a time I marketed a red-light-running system for an Australian manufacturer. It was a great system, and I believed in it. Still do. Their stuff worked like this:

1. Set up camera to see car + license plate + appropriate traffic signal. Camera has RAM memory to store about an hour of video.

2. Set up laser to align with appropriate stop bar, and connect it to the electrical circuit feeding the red bulb in the traffic signal.

3. Turn everything on.

4. Camera runs continuously, recording video of cars, plates, and traffic signal, but doesn't record anything in the permanent memory, just holds it in a cache.

5. If the laser beam is broken when the red light circuit is on, write the past 45 seconds and the next 15 seconds of video into permanent memory, and notify authorities.

6. Mail a ticket to the car's owner (Georgia law: citation issued to vehicle owner) with an internet link where they can see the 60-second video of their car running a red light.

7. Hard to argue that your car didn't violate the signal when you have video showing it did.

Running a red light? I think ticketing by camera is fine.

Speed enforcement? No way. Too many variables for the speed system to get it wrong.

..................................................................

PS: FredW, nobody followed the legislature's action, since our PE licenses were on the line. The MUTCD is Federal law and the yellow/all red calculations are based on physics, not elected officials' opinion. Since the up-and-up jurisdictions installed the red-light cameras to enforce driver compliance, they removed them when drivers began to respect the traffic signal indications. City of Atlanta still has the camera housings mounted at many locations, but I can't tell you which have cameras inside and which do not.

 

[HelzBelz]

How long before they'll start doing the math on your entrance and exit times and distance traveled and mailing along a speeding citation along with the toll?

Yep, I lived in NJ from 1999 - 2004, we had EZ pass then, and I would get a monthly statement showing the times I went through each toll on the Garden State Parkway. I remember thinking how easy it would be to hit people up for fines that way... That would be a **** show of Constitutional arguments. But the fact that all of this data can be collected is the scariest part anyway. you would hit a .35 toll every 10 miles or so.

 

[08FJR4ME]

What part of having to face your accusers in court applies here. When the camera gets up on the stand and I can question it let me know.

Dave

 

[Fred W]

The MUTCD is Federal law and the yellow/all red calculations are based on physics, not elected officials' opinion. Since the up-and-up jurisdictions installed the red-light cameras to enforce driver compliance, they removed them when drivers began to respect the traffic signal indications.

So, how does that work out in those states (not insignificant in number) who refuse to follow the MUTCD, and subsequently we call them the "restrictive" yellow light states? They choose to "feel" that any car in the intersection during a red light is in violation. And that is NOT what the MUTCD says.

Or does the enforcement of the code only work one way as a minimum standard? You can meet or exceed their code with no repercussions?

 

[Bounce]

What part of having to face your accusers in court applies here. When the camera gets up on the stand and I can question it let me know.
Dave

That's why they make it a non-moving civil fine instead of a moving criminal charge.

 

[Fred W]

What part of having to face your accusers in court applies here. When the camera gets up on the stand and I can question it let me know.
Dave

That's why they make it a non-moving civil fine instead of a moving criminal charge.

Does that mean you can ignore it with impunity? 'Cause that's what I'd want to do.

Civil, shmivel. When they want to take several Benjamins from you for something you may (or may not) have done, and without due process, then that's a travesty. But we just roll over like little sheeple and pay the man.

 

[puppychow]

The camera doesn't cite you. The person who is reviewing the video or the photograph (usually LEO), decides whether to cite you. The camera is the 'observation tool or instrument' that he/she uses to determine if there was an infraction. Not unlike using a radar or laser gun as an measuring instrument/tool to determine if you were speeding.

It is your right to insist that the person who actually cited you (after reviewing the video), be present in court when you contest your ticket, so you may question and cross-examine him/her.

 

[Bounce]

$75 civil fine. It's a fine (of different values) everywhere and withstood court challenge because it's civil and the above process was vetted. Where it gets shut down is when it's proven the maintenance contractor start short-cycling to get more income.

 

[Ignacio]

It is your right to insist that the person who actually cited you (after reviewing the video), be present in court when you contest your ticket, so you may question and cross-examine him/her.

Again, it depends on the state and the type of infraction in that state. That's not universally true. I know it's not true in Washington State for example. And the OP made this point earlier.

What part of having to face your accusers in court applies here. When the camera gets up on the stand and I can question it let me know.

Lots of people trying to view this universally when their state is but one view and because you watched it on Law and Order or a movie...it may not necessarily be true in real life.

This is one of the reasons these types of threads often don't work out very well on this forum.

It's also off topic from what the OP wrote about.

 

[puppychow]

Point taken. What I stated is true in California.

 

[FJR Flyer]

I'm so freaking glad I don't live near Washington D.C. Wow, the yellow dots around there! (Fred's link) That's pretty scary. How long till they just have some kind of transponder built into every new vehicle, and your speeding tickets just arrive in the mail no matter where you do it? Freaking Big Brother is watching!

Its gotten pretty damn ridiculous. They keep adding cameras all the time. They recently boasted about passing the $1M in fines mark for speed and red light cameras. Makes the commute a pain in the butt, and, a couple times, a pain in the wallet.

 

[08FJR4ME]

The camera doesn't cite you. The person who is reviewing the video or the photograph (usually LEO), decides whether to cite you. The camera is the 'observation tool or instrument' that he/she uses to determine if there was an infraction. Not unlike using a radar or laser gun as an measuring instrument/tool to determine if you were speeding.
It is your right to insist that the person who actually cited you (after reviewing the video), be present in court when you contest your ticket, so you may question and cross-examine him/her.

Are we sure it is an officer of the law or maybe someone from Indonesia or Philippines? Aren't these systems privately managed? They are out outsourcing many things at our company overseas where I work. How do you know that person’s boss isn't looking over his shoulder suggesting he is not hitting his quota for the month to make the system profitable? As the OP mentioned the time for the yellow was changed. I believe this got voted down in my state when it came out. Hard to believe considering the state I live in.

Googled: So far all photo (such as red light and speed camera) enforcement is still illegal in Massachusetts. The only exceptions are toll violations on the Turnpike. (In 2009, Maine became the 14th state to outlaw this practice as dangerous to motorists, while Gov. Patrick authorized their use as revenue enhancement.)

And there you have it folks,

Dave

 

[puppychow]

As I admitted/clarified later, what I stated is true for California to the best of my knowledge, it may not be true for your state, or your state of mind. Whichever the case maybe.

 

[Bounce]

IIRC an "officer" is also required in TX. No offshoring. Someone who could go out and write actual tickets.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Fred W posted:

The MUTCD is Federal law and the yellow/all red calculations are based on physics, not elected officials' opinion. Since the up-and-up jurisdictions installed the red-light cameras to enforce driver compliance, they removed them when drivers began to respect the traffic signal indications.

So, how does that work out in those states (not insignificant in number) who refuse to follow the MUTCD, and subsequently we call them the "restrictive" yellow light states? They choose to "feel" that any car in the intersection during a red light is in violation. And that is NOT what the MUTCD says.

Or does the enforcement of the code only work one way as a minimum standard? You can meet or exceed their code with no repercussions?

Answer: I have no answers about 'restrictive' yellow indications. The yellow interval is intended to be the warning to stop, not the indication to stop.

If I were to receive a citation for entering the intersection on yellow, I'd immediately ask the powers-that-be, "How was I supposed to know it was going to turn yellow? How could I have safely stopped, since my vehicle was only XXX feet from the stop bar when the signal turned yellow?"

Not sure if I'd want to start a traffic court argument about Federal requirements vs State requirements.

Found the info you must be using, a research report for the Connecticut General Assembly, but wonder about it since it's dated 2012 and cites no sources for the "restrictive yellow" states described in the last paragraph. By the way, I also found this Connecticut law, which might be current since it's on www.ct.gov.

As far as I know, under current laws, there are no states where it is illegal to enter an intersection (cross the stop bar) on a yellow indication. But YMMV: I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on TV.

 

[Fred W]

The nuance in interpretation for the restrictive states is not that it is illegal to enter an intersection on yellow, but rather it is a requirement to stop on the yellow signal unless not possible to do so, thus making it illegal to still be in the intersection on the red. It is a stupid policy, but one that is shared by a number of states, (not just CT).

From what I can find online, the states with restrictive yellow light laws are: Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia and Wisconsin. Connecticut seems on the fence about it.

 

[Auburn]

Here in Auburn Washington, they removed all of the redlight cameras. They actually stuck to their word and said if safety didn;t improve, they would get rid of them and did. I believe their is one or two school zone speed cameras still installed though.

I use the POI factory to get the latest list and have found it to be very accurate in my travels. Plus it gives an audio and visual warning on the Garmin.

 

[08FJR4ME]

https://www.sunflexzone.com/products/ir-invisible-plate-anti-alpr-infrared-filtering-cover-motorcycle-size-4x7https://www.sunflexzone.com/products/ir-invisible-plate-anti-alpr-infrared-filtering-cover-motorcycle-size-4x7

Pulled from the web:

There a some great products on the market to protect yourself from having your geolocation stored in any local or central database. A company called sunflexzone sells one in particular that I have tested myself in regard to distorting infrared cameras like the type used in ALPR systems and it's impressively effective. Will it keep you from getting a ticket from a speed camera? It likely would if your jurisdiction does not have the manpower to review backup footage and do manual entries for citations. But as far as the ALPR systems being put into service around the country at an alarming rate, it will defeat it easily. Why? The camera systems IR camera is required to be highly calibrated to detect the tag plate and ignore noise, like a company phone number on the rear of a vehicle. This sensitivity is the key to allowing the computer to scan and store hundreds of plates per minute, along with the GPS data, etc. It works too fast for manual entry.