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Old 03-29-2010, 05:22 PM
 
33 posts, read 137,708 times
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So those little round balls that look like security cameras at intersections in the county on the northwest side of town... are they really cameras? They started appearing what maybe 6-12 months ago... anyone know what for sure they are? And if they really are cameras what are they using them for?

Last edited by baby1212; 03-29-2010 at 05:23 PM.. Reason: Title clarification
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Old 03-29-2010, 05:31 PM
 
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Emergency vehicle strobe detectors? They use those to make the lights go green when an emergency vehicle approaches. Was an issue with private vehicles getting the strobe light and using it to get greens in Dallas before we moved.
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Old 03-29-2010, 05:33 PM
 
Location: Tucson
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It's nothing good, that's for sure.
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Old 03-29-2010, 07:50 PM
 
33 posts, read 137,708 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beowulf77 View Post
Emergency vehicle strobe detectors? They use those to make the lights go green when an emergency vehicle approaches. Was an issue with private vehicles getting the strobe light and using it to get greens in Dallas before we moved.
As far as I know those are all RF around here and not a thing that detects flashing lights (and yes I have heard of that issue but I don't think that works here... could be wrong though).
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Old 03-30-2010, 01:33 AM
 
Location: West of the Catalinas East of the Tortolitas
4,922 posts, read 8,532,068 times
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Right now, there are only 4 Red Light Cameras in Tucson. There will soon be more. What you're seeing are not red light cameras, but rather emergency warning lights. What that means, is, if an ambulance, fire truck or other emergency vehicle emits a signal that it is travelling on that road and about to cross the intersection, the lights will turn red for traffic, and green for the emergency vehicle, therefore prohibiting traffic from moving, so the emergency vehicle can move through the intersection without, hopefully, causing or being involved in an accident.

This was from Saturday:






TUCSON - You may hate Tucson's red light cameras, but the city just decided to double the amount from four intersections to eight.

The city council approved the expansion on Tuesday during a budget session.

The current locations are Tanque Verde and Wilmot, 22nd and Wilmot, Valencia and Old Nogales Highway, and Oracle and River Roads. The new ones are scattered on the eastside at Grant and Swan, Speedway and Kolb, Broadway and Craycroft, and Swan and Golf Links.


The council voted unanimously to double the amount of cameras and members said they did it for two reasons. The first is to bring in enough money to cover the cost of running them, something they said the city can't do with only four cameras.

Councilman Steve Kozachik said, "There would not be an incremental cost for infrastructure to the city to add an extra 4 cameras, so the extra four will be a way to cover the administrative costs that we would be paying anyway."

And he said because it's only covering the administrative costs, its not at all a money maker for the city.

The second reason council members said they want four more cameras is safety. Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor said "This will help us in our effort to make people a little more conscious of their driving behaviors and be a little safer on the roadways."

The city may think it's a good idea to put the new cameras up at intersections like Grant and Swan but a lot of drivers say it's a bad idea.

One driver we caught up with said, "At grant and swan? They're already up the street. They're all over town. It's a horrible idea. Red light cameras are the worst idea ever. People are going to speed no matter what. More cops would be the better idea.

But there is some good news for angry drivers. The council added a stipulation to the new lights. Kozachik said, "I asked the Dept of Transportation to make sure the changes they are making to intersections themselves are such that we're not setting up speed traps. So we add a little bit to the amber light so people aren't entering intersection and boom there nailed."

You are probably wondering how these intersections are chosen. The chief said the four areas were selected based on how busy they are, the number of accidents and the number of red light runners.

The process of building the cameras can now start right away. It'll take about eight months to get all the cameras up and running averaging two months per intersection.
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Old 04-07-2010, 03:53 PM
 
33 posts, read 137,708 times
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Hmmm... These "things" are in the county... they are almost at every intersection I have seen on the northwest side of town... they have only appeared in probably the last year... these are not red light cameras or speeding cameras (I know what those look like)... I'm pretty sure these intersections already had the system for changing the light for emergency vehicles... and they look like a modern parking lot security camera... I see these on federal and large commercial buildings... they look like this... arrrg... I can't find what I'm looking for exactly on the internet... going to take a picture and post it...
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Old 04-07-2010, 05:10 PM
 
Location: 602/520
2,441 posts, read 6,980,836 times
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Some of the bulbs are just general cameras for intersections. Emergency service organizations can monitor activity around the county and I think the county can monitor traffic flow.

They are not cameras that are capable of producing tickets.
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Old 04-07-2010, 05:14 PM
 
33 posts, read 137,708 times
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Here are photos of them...
Camera's at intersections around Pima County???

So miamiman... you are saying they are cameras though (I knew they weren't red light camreas...) but they can monitor traffic around town? Interesting...

Last edited by baby1212; 04-07-2010 at 05:16 PM.. Reason: Editing link and clarify
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