Where can I find a list of photoradar intersections in O.C.

[KC6ZLV]

Otherhand:

I don't know how familiar you are with cities and the history of problems they have created in their desire to generate revenue from red light cameras. The Caltrans standards for the length of yellow were recommendations for years until they were made into law because various municipalities ignored these recommendations in favour of shorter yellow light transitions in their effort to make money from red light cameras. San Diego had a huge civil suit over it. After Sacramento was nailed for doing it they did it again because they thought the odds of getting caught didn't exist. It has been a problem throughout the country.


After the Caltrans recommendations became mandatory cities started this nonsense of red light tickets for not coming to a complete stop on a right-hand turn. While the vehicle code states you must stop in this situation, the number of right-hand turn accidents where the person doing the right hand turn is few. The requirement to stop in this situation when traffic is clear isn't necessary.

They are just looking for a way to make easy money.

[OtherHand]

I'm very familiar with the problems inherent in red light cameras and generally don't like them. But I'm not familiar with any agencies that shortened their yellow light intervals in an attempt to increase revenue, as that would be extremely foolish and dangerous to the agency. All cases I'm aware of are due to basic incompetence on the part of the agency or lack of understanding of how to set the timing. Don't attribute to malevolence what can more easily chalked up to good old incompetence.

Caltrans "recommendations" have actually been requirements for cities and counties in California for very many years and that directive is contained in the vehicle code. What IS more recent are Federal mandates and procedures that states are expected to mirror for nationwide conformity. Caltrans has already done this, so it's not an issue.

Cities/counties can ignore the Caltrans standards, but it's at their own peril, and two things may happen. First, they take on huge liability if accidents are shown to be caused by the deviation from Caltrans requirements. That scares most cities into compliance. But second, any laws that deviate from Caltrans standards are unenforceable.

For example, say a city measures traffic on a street and finds it flows at 50 mph, and Caltrans therefore says it should be posted at 50 mph. But the city council objects because it's THEIR friggin' city, and orders their staff to post it at 25 mph (this happens more than you might think). Their police agency can write tickets for violators, but the tickets would be dismissed in court if challenged (Of course if the tickets aren't challenged they can't be dismissed). That's precisely what happened with many red light tickets because they didn't have the proper yellow time going.

I agree that "California stops" are a problem with red light cameras. Most can be done in a safe manner, but at the end of the day they are illegal.