Mayor Filner Gets Rid of Red Light Cameras! (San Diego, San Francisco: cost, dangerous)

[djxpress]

About time they got rid of these things. Filner made a good point regarding the one that used to be on Grape St. When tourist come here, that's usually the first major intersection they cross - and to get slapped with a $500 fine. That's not what San Diego is about!

Mayor Filner, SDPD End Red Light Camera Program | NBC 7 San Diego

[Temujin]

I heard they cause accidents because people slam on the breaks on yellow lights. The people behind them thinking they are going to cross are caught by surprise when the driver in front all of a sudden breaks.

[djxpress]

That is true. I've almost rear ended someone because of this. I've also gotten a ticket from one of these cameras and it was more than a car payment. They often went off for no reason as well (i.e. making a right turn on a red light).

[janineg]

And their bread and butter is right hand turns, not people blowing straight through intersections. My husband got a red light camera ticket because he was turning right and the light had just turned red (it had been red for, I think, half a second). In the video you could see that it was clear. So he shouldn't have tried to make it through the yellow without stopping, but it cost us $500 for such a small error! And after reading a lot, I learned that most of these tickets go to people who roll through right hand turns, not dangerous intersection crossing. They make a lot of money for cities.

[whiteboyslo]

My God, a politician who does something right. How rare.

Go Bob!

Mike

[e30is]

Good.

[earlyretirement]

Man I hate those cameras. I always get nervous when the light flashes and it takes a picture. Even when I don't do anything wrong I'm always worried about getting a ticket. I hate these things and glad they are getting rid of them.

[tonyinsd]

If they're triggering when someone makes a right turn on red, that's ridiculous.

I'm agnostic on red light cameras, but if you're going to have them, then calibrate them right.

Of course, the companies that operate them under contract don't want to do that. They more people they get, the more money they make. And the city throws its hands up in the air and says, well, we've told them to calibrate them and they say they're fixing them.

And the city kind of does that song and dance while taking in the money.

Everyone wins, except the guy who turned right on red and got a ticket for it.

[thepinksquid]

Oh, that makes me happy. I set off the camera at the intersection of Washington & Cleveland a few months ago by stopping probably about 2 feet over the line making a right turn. Fortunately, I never was sent a ticket (I stopped fully, didn't roll through) but it made me quite paranoid to check the mail for a little while!

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by thepinksquid

Oh, that makes me happy. I set off the camera at the intersection of Washington & Cleveland a few months ago by stopping probably about 2 feet over the line making a right turn. Fortunately, I never was sent a ticket (I stopped fully, didn't roll through) but it made me quite paranoid to check the mail for a little while!

That SAME thing happened to me in San Francisco. I did get a ticket but I fought it explaining the situation and got off ok but still it's a hassle having to worry about. Like you said...that paranoia feeling isn't good and getting the ticket is especially a hassle.