Confusing red light camers law in Tampa Bay area (Sarasota: 2013, moving)

[bentlebee]

Last week I heard a story on the radio about an investigation team from a certain channel (not sure exactly if it was channel 11).

I was for a long time wondering what exactly the rules are sine I see some of them flashing at weird times even when the lights are green as I saw yesterday at Dale Mabry South and my daughter pointed out that perhaps the cars front wheels rolled a little overthe white line while waiting for the light to turn green.

The right turn is confusing since at some intersections there are very tiny signs stating "incl. right turn" so what does that really mean? No turn allowed? But what if there is no sign stating "no turn on red"?

The investigator for the news channel stated that Tampa and St. Pete are givingtickets for right turns and hewas mentioning that if a car makes a complete turn BEFORE the white line they did the right thing and shouldn't get a ticket but if you make a slow rolling right turn you would get a ticket.

Sarasota and other citis are not sending these tickets out after reviewing the pictures but Tapa and St. Pete are sending them out, since they are big money makers.

He also stated that soon the speed cameras will be put in place and as a European I know what that means!

When you put yourfoot on the pedal to make the green or yellow light than you probably will get the ticket for going too fast...

Also no more stops for speeding as we are seeing right now, just one police officer checkng the cameras so they won't be damaged and mailing out hundreds of tickets at the same time...

Huge money maker and when after a few years the ticket amounts drop they will make the speed limit lower so again the ticket amounts will incease...

[jsun556]

Red light cameras do flash at random times. It's just a big scam. They hope to catch people randomly. I've had red light cameras flash me even though I have a green light. It's absurd.

[tinytrump]

I don't look at -I just drive and try to obey the laws

[things and stuff]

We need to get rid of red light cameras that line the pockets of private corporations.

It's a moral hazard. Let the government that we elect be the controllers and benefactors, or don't do it at all.

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by tinytrump

I don't look at -I just drive and try to obey the laws

I try to do the same, but if someone can explain me the law for the right turn than it will be easier.

I understand that if it says at an intersection "no turn on red or turn on red after stop" than at least we know what is expected!

[EngGirl]

I pass one intersection with cameras daily and see people driving or turning left when the light is red. Daily! I hope these people are not complaining about cameras...

As for the right turns, right turn is OK if the light is red (except when it says "no turn on red") AFTER complete STOP.The stop means as stop bar, not half way to intersection. Based on this article however it doesn't matter where you are stopping: Law: Right on Red OK at Camera Intersections After Complete Stop | TheLedger.com

[FloridaKash]

As stated earlier it is a scam. There are loose laws around these tickets. More or less, if you schedule a court date and show up it'll probably get dropped.

The government is fining lazy people or people with jobs where they can't get the time off without getting penalized at work (pay, sick day, ticking off your boss). Sometimes just paying the fine is some people's only option.

The irony is that I am sure someone in Florida has lost their job to take care of a bogus ticket and ended up going on food stamps for 6 months. Wonder how the government made out financially on that one. That's called Penny Wise and Dollar Foolish.

[d4g4m]

Channel 10 did an extensive one week report last month about every light with a revenue camera having the yellow times reduced by half a second. State officials stated they will restore the yellow times to the correct amount. St. Rep Ahern Pinellas Co. will make sure by introducing a bill to make sure they do.
re- right turns. Each town/city enforces right on red differently. Most will send a citation if you don't first stop before the white line. Others will not send a citation if you pass the white line but they want to see the wheels not moving. The really greedy cities will send a citation even if you stop at a red light but the wheels of the vehicle are over the white line.

[FloridaKash]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

Channel 10 did an extensive one week report last month about every light with a revenue camera having the yellow times reduced by half a second. State officials stated they will restore the yellow times to the correct amount. St. Rep Ahern Pinellas Co. will make sure by introducing a bill to make sure they do.
re- right turns. Each town/city enforces right on red differently. Most will send a citation if you don't first stop before the white line. Others will not send a citation if you pass the white line but they want to see the wheels not moving. The really greedy cities will send a citation even if you stop at a red light but the wheels of the vehicle are over the white line.

Sooo much money is spent on the legislation of these stupid cameras. I wish our Representatives on the city, county and state levels would spend their valuable time on issues that matter.

[Red3311]

Originally Posted by FloridaKash

Sooo much money is spent on the legislation of these stupid cameras. I wish our Representatives on the city, county and state levels would spend their valuable time on issues that matter.

too bad the "other issues" arent as revenue generating as the red light cameras...