red light cameras? (Houston, San Antonio, Fredericksburg: high school, dangerous, mall)

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by gwrober

Any idea what the plans are for the cameras installed around town? I had heard that they weren't currently being used....

Originally Posted by gwrober

I see them around the west side too, potranco, etc....

Originally Posted by Paka

Are those speeding type of cameras or the traffic flow/monitoring type GW??? Are they one and the same?? I see those and thought they were the type that TXDOT could monitor flows/accidents for response.

Originally Posted by ged_782

The response from the City was that the cameras are replacing the ground loop wires buried in the pavement that were used to detect the presence & volume of vehicles traveling through an intersection. Nobody is "watching" those cameras, and they are not sending video images anywhere, they said. It is simply more reliable/less maintenance/less subject to damage than the buried cables that were previously used.

If you guys are talking about these cameras...



...then those are VIVDS (Video Image Vehicle Detection Systems) cameras. As ged_782 said, they are just "machine eyes" used by the traffic signal controller computer to determine when vehicles are waiting for the signal. They are a replacement for inductive loop detectors in the pavement for the reasons cited, as well as being more flexible. As such, they are also used in other cases where loop detectors would traditionally be used. For instance, TransGuide uses them in some areas for their traffic volume and speed detectors (but they're not the same as the full-motion CCTV cameras that TransGuide uses). And they are used as part of red-light camera systems as the component that determines when a vehicle has entered the intersection. A different and bigger camera located upstream from the intersection is the actual camera that records the violation.

While these cameras can be monitored by a human (any camera can; TransGuide even posts VIVDS images on their website), they typically are not and are just used by a computer to do whatever its job is (e.g. change traffic signals, count cars, or trigger a red-light camera.) They have no zoom or pan capabilty, so they're really not good for anything other than a fixed macro view of an intersection or roadway.

You can read more about VIVDS here:

• http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/4285-S.pdf
• TransGuide: Equipment Status (http://transguide.dot.state.tx.us/Traffic/equip.php - broken link)
• Autoscope - Video Detection Solutions to improve traffic flow and roadway safety

[jasonapr78]

We had these in several places in LA Cali when I lived there. It's a very easy fix if you think you might be somewhere where there's a camera:

Flip your visor down and sit up so your face is hidden. They are not allowed (illegal) to ticket the car, they have to ticket the driver so if you're turning right on red or going through an intersection when the light is yellow, do this and you'll be covered because without a clear discernible picture of the driver's face, you can't be ticketed. Now that I've said this, don't go running red lights for the fun of it

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by jasonapr78

We had these in several places in LA Cali when I lived there. It's a very easy fix if you think you might be somewhere where there's a camera:

Flip your visor down and sit up so your face is hidden. They are not allowed (illegal) to ticket the car, they have to ticket the driver so if you're turning right on red or going through an intersection when the light is yellow, do this and you'll be covered because without a clear discernible picture of the driver's face, you can't be ticketed. Now that I've said this, don't go running red lights for the fun of it

That won't work in Texas. In Kalifornia, you need a clear picture of the driver to make a ticket 'stick' but in Texas, you don't need a picture of the driver for a valid ticket.

[jasonapr78]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

That won't work in Texas. In Kalifornia, you need a clear picture of the driver to make a ticket 'stick' but in Texas, you don't need a picture of the driver for a valid ticket.

You're right. I made a bad assumption that it was the same in all states but I looked up the TX law regarding it and sure enough, they ticket the registered owner of the vehicle which is just stupid. There are many ways to file affidavit's stating it was someone else driving etc. etc. They should adopt the Cali way of doing it. Much less paperwork on the part of TX but then again...less revenue I'm sure.

[perticusrex]

Originally Posted by jasonapr78

regarding it and sure enough, they ticket the registered owner of the vehicle which is just stupid..

Thank God my car's registered in my EX husband's name.... JK

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by jasonapr78

so if you're turning right on red or going through an intersection when the light is yellow, do this and you'll be covered because without a clear discernible picture of the driver's face, you can't be ticketed.

Neither of these are illegal, so you shouldn't be ticketed anyway.

[Newk]

Interesting.

[Bo]

Heard about this on the news this morning. It could be good news for anyone who has ever gotten a ticket from one of these cameras.

cbs11tv.com - Judge Rules Against Red Light Camera Operators (http://cbs11tv.com/local/red.light.ticket.2.875070.html - broken link)

[dcbrewmeister]

Originally Posted by jasonapr78

You're right. I made a bad assumption that it was the same in all states but I looked up the TX law regarding it and sure enough, they ticket the registered owner of the vehicle which is just stupid. There are many ways to file affidavit's stating it was someone else driving etc. etc. They should adopt the Cali way of doing it. Much less paperwork on the part of TX but then again...less revenue I'm sure.

Two ways around this problem;
1) Take responsibility for your vehicle, (don't loan your car to a jackass that can't drive or you can't trust)
2) STOP FOR RED LIGHTS!

It always kills me how people are mad because they GOT CAUGHT - doesn't matter if it's by a policeman or a camera IMO, you are still breaking the law. Yet you want people to get caught for stealing or murder, but it's ok for you to break the law.

[jasonapr78]

You're completely missing the point. If you had bothered to read my earlier post you'd see that I nor most people are advocating breaking the law. Did you really just compare murder to running a red light? Wow! Anyway, the big problem with these cameras is that in many cases (google it) you'll find that the yellow light was reduced to "catch" lots of people going through the intersection. The technology has been manipulated by certain municipalities for the benefit of added revenue streams. Nobody here is saying to just speed through blatant red lights. Please read the entire thread before making rediculous statements like the one you made.

I GUARANTEE you've been caught in an intersection as the light turned red.

Jason

Originally Posted by dcbrewmeister

Two ways around this problem;
1) Take responsibility for your vehicle, (don't loan your car to a jackass that can't drive or you can't trust)
2) STOP FOR RED LIGHTS!

It always kills me how people are mad because they GOT CAUGHT - doesn't matter if it's by a policeman or a camera IMO, you are still breaking the law. Yet you want people to get caught for stealing or murder, but it's ok for you to break the law.