Texas red light camera update (Houston: credit, cost, legal)

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by fordlover

I got a red light ticket in Jersey Village. The video was strangly 'lost' so all they had was a photo, one of me stopped with my right turn signal on, and another picture of me 1/2 way thru the turn. Right on Red is perfectly legal, yet I still got the ticket, and I paid it. It would have cost me more to fight it (and beat it) than just pay it, even though I was innocent.

I DO NOT run red lights, I just don't do it because I believe it's very dangerous, yet I still paid a redlight ticket- THAT is why I'm against red light cameras, and why they all need to be turned off.

Besides, a red light camera can't prevent a single accident. It simply makes you aware of running the red light a few weeks later when you get the ticket in the mail and makes some money for the camera company.

Why would you pay if you were not guilty? I don't know how the Jersey Village system works but I know the Houston system allowed you to view your violation and send in your written declaration of innocence.

No one claims that a red light camera prevents accidents. They claim that it shapes driving patterns and deters people who have no qualms about running a red light. They also claim that it frees up HPD to do what they need to do besides sitting around waiting at red light intersections for offenders. The offenders should be thankful for that since a red light camera violation does not go on their driving record and the fine is much less. Also I bet they would pay more attention to running red lights if they were cited.

I am for them because I was broad sided by a sorry red light runner that ran a red light and tried to claim that I ran it. Next thing you know I was being cut out of my car by the Jaws of Life. She sued and LOST. She even had bogus witnesses. She was not a scientist and had no clue nor did her sleazy traffic attorney that physics would kill their case. My insurance company attorney used plain and simple physics to prove her story was fabricated. But during this long process I had lost my car due to it being totaled from her plowing into me after she jumped the red light, I had to undergo physical therapy and I had to purchase another car. I HATE red light offenders that cost the tax payers money! I have no problem with red light cameras that are used properly to catch offenders. There have never been any cases of red light timing scams in the city of Houston when those cameras were present. There are stories of other smaller TX towns that were taking advantage and abusing the system...but don't punish the red light cameras for that. Punish the scammers. There are always going to be scammers and abusers of technology...don't punish the technology for it. Punish the scammers and advance technology to where it would be easy to detect tinkering with the system.

I am also for them because I lived in Houston for 45 years and studied at the TMC and worked there after graduation and every single day I had to protect myself from red light offenders. I observed on a daily basis red light offenders not only in downtown Houston but at the feeder of the Beltway at Gessner. That is a death spot!

[baytownb]

Originally Posted by TVC15

There have never been any cases of red light timing scams in the city of Houston when those cameras were present.

I assume you mean "yellow" light timing not "red" light timing scams, but it is hard to tell most of the time what you are talking about. But assuming that was your intent, here ya go;

"Next time you’re driving in Houston, be aware that the city has shortened the length on many of its yellow traffic lights — which means that you’re much more likely to get caught by a red-light camera.
Houston’s busiest intersection, the intersection of North Freeway feeder and West Road, generates 1,000 tickets a month with just 3.6 seconds of yellow, according to an investigation by Houston’s KPRC-TV. But according to TxDOT standards, the 45 mph intersection should get about 5 seconds of yellow.
Does that make a difference? A Texas Transportation Institute study says one less second of yellow from the recommended minimum will cause a 110 percent jump in the number of tickets. Voila! Houston might as well be printing money — it rakes in about $2 million every month from red-light runners caught on camera.
But ADDING one second to a yellow, according to the same Texas study, a city could reduce rear-end collisions by 40%. So do you think shortened yellow lights are to make intersections safer … or to generate cash for the municipality?"

Daybreaker: Houston’s short yellow lights are big money-makers - The Bayou - Beaumont Enterprise

[ToyYot]

I've seen a much more in depth article on the topic which also highlighted the payoffs to police chiefs who come out in support of the cameras, just can't find it now.

[baytownb]

Here ya go
Houston Police Union Head Was Also Paid Lobbyist For American Traffic Solutions - YouTube

Originally Posted by BDFP

I've seen a much more in depth article on the topic which also highlighted the payoffs to police chiefs who come out in support of the cameras, just can't find it now.

[trbstang]

Originally Posted by fordlover

I got a red light ticket in Jersey Village. The video was strangly 'lost' so all they had was a photo, one of me stopped with my right turn signal on, and another picture of me 1/2 way thru the turn. Right on Red is perfectly legal, yet I still got the ticket, and I paid it. It would have cost me more to fight it (and beat it) than just pay it, even though I was innocent.

I DO NOT run red lights, I just don't do it because I believe it's very dangerous, yet I still paid a redlight ticket- THAT is why I'm against red light cameras, and why they all need to be turned off.

Besides, a red light camera can't prevent a single accident. It simply makes you aware of running the red light a few weeks later when you get the ticket in the mail and makes some money for the camera company.

One question, was it a right turn in the right lane, or the second lane that is allowed to turn right also? I know of a couple of people that got tickets in Jersey Village because they were in the second lane and turned on red after stopping, which is not legal. They did not know that right on red is not allowed from the second lane, only the right most lane.

I don't like red light cameras, but then I'm one of those people that 99% of the time will not leave on a green light UNTIL I've made sure there are no idiots running a red light. I know too many people that have been hit that way. If my line of sight is blocked, I wait until the vehicle next to me goes, and then I go. Honk at me if you must, but tough, my safety is not worth it. A camera will not prevent an accident, but defensive driving can certainly reduce the chances a lot.

[ToyYot]

Originally Posted by trbstang

One question, was it a right turn in the right lane, or the second lane that is allowed to turn right also? I know of a couple of people that got tickets in Jersey Village because they were in the second lane and turned on red after stopping, which is not legal. They did not know that right on red is not allowed from the second lane, only the right most lane.

Where did you get that from?

[trbstang]

One of the persons that got the ticket said he was told that by the JV clerk. Maybe they were just trying to get the ticket paid or who knows. JV now changed that intersection anyway,(Jones Rd) so now there is only one lane that must turn right, the other two go straight. I'll ask my LEO friends about it and see what they say.

[fordlover]

Originally Posted by TVC15

Why would you pay if you were not guilty? I don't know how the Jersey Village system works but I know the Houston system allowed you to view your violation and send in your written declaration of innocence.

No matter what, being accused of running a red light was going to cost me money. I could pay the 75 bucks and be done with it, OR I could spend 42 cents for a stamp, envelope (or more for certifed mail which would be wise) plus my valuable time to sit down and wright down what really happened. It simply isn't worth my time/effort to fight them when I can make it go away for 75 bucks. Most likely it would have turned into a back and forth letter war that could have lasted easily for months, so please don't dismiss MY inconvienience as "no big deal" as it is very insulting.

I'm with ya on Red light runners, it's dangerous. But do keep in mind that MANY of the violations are not blatent red light running, it's people turning right on red getting a ticket like I did. The only two violations I know of personally (a close friend and my own violation) were right on red tickets, which in both cases were perfectly legal turns.

[fordlover]

Originally Posted by trbstang

One question, was it a right turn in the right lane, or the second lane that is allowed to turn right also? I know of a couple of people that got tickets in Jersey Village because they were in the second lane and turned on red after stopping, which is not legal. They did not know that right on red is not allowed from the second lane, only the right most lane.

In my case, there was no dedicated turn lane. I was in the furthest right lane (that also continued straight thru the intersection)

Originally Posted by trbstang

I don't like red light cameras, but then I'm one of those people that 99% of the time will not leave on a green light UNTIL I've made sure there are no idiots running a red light. I know too many people that have been hit that way. If my line of sight is blocked, I wait until the vehicle next to me goes, and then I go. Honk at me if you must, but tough, my safety is not worth it. A camera will not prevent an accident, but defensive driving can certainly reduce the chances a lot.

WELL said. I'll rely on my defensive AND attentive driving long before I feel some sense of safety because of a stupid red light camera monitoring the intersection. Great deal of help it will do me when the guy who T-boned me running a red light gets a ticket in the mail a month after he slaughters my ride.

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by fordlover

No matter what, being accused of running a red light was going to cost me money. I could pay the 75 bucks and be done with it, OR I could spend 42 cents for a stamp, envelope (or more for certifed mail which would be wise) plus my valuable time to sit down and wright down what really happened. It simply isn't worth my time/effort to fight them when I can make it go away for 75 bucks. Most likely it would have turned into a back and forth letter war that could have lasted easily for months, so please don't dismiss MY inconvienience as "no big deal" as it is very insulting.

I'm with ya on Red light runners, it's dangerous. But do keep in mind that MANY of the violations are not blatent red light running, it's people turning right on red getting a ticket like I did. The only two violations I know of personally (a close friend and my own violation) were right on red tickets, which in both cases were perfectly legal turns.

I don't see how it would have cost you money if you were not guilty And I meant nothing insulting by my post I am not coming from that point of view. I am just asking since this happened to my friend in Houston.

A friend of mine in Houston got a red light ticket that he swore he did not run. When he and I both reviewed the video he certainly was in the intersection on the red light but he did not run the red light. He entered on a stale yellow light. He sent in his written delclaration and he was not fined.