cmdridq Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 This new online mapping tool shows red-light camera speedtrap locations on your GPS device or GPS-enabled cell phone. Pretty interesting read. They are installing these cams all over the place around here. http://salem-news.com/articles/february122008/speed_traps_2-12-08.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jheis Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I don't know how prevelant it is yet, but a local town here in Northern CA (Petaluma) has stopped chalking tires for parking enforcement. They've got a couple of camera equiped golf cart type vehicles and they simply cruise the downtown area every couple of hours and do a drive-by scan of ALL the license plates. Computer software then compares the plates and times and the ticket arrives in the mail. Revenue from parking tickets is WAY up. Word is that the powers that be are chomping at the bit to install cameras with plate recognition software on the "freeways." Your license plate passes between two cameras in less time than the speed limit would permit and - presto - speeding citation in the mail. The technology exists. It's getting scary out there. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 ..................... 1984 .......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbsl Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING MORE AND MORE!!!!![:S] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I've found the iron clad way to defeat speed traps,I don't speed.I really enjoy just doin' the limit and watching everyone zip in/out and all around,just to see them again later up the road.If you were on the interstate back in the 55 mph days,then ok,speeding was acceptable,but now it's 70 and that's fast enough for me. Don't get me wrong,I don't care who speeds(other than huge deadly trucks),long as they don't ride my azz in the right lane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Fish, That's pretty well said. Several years ago I decided it just wasn't worth the stress while driving. That said, the GPS is sort of interesting, though I'm guessing it reports historical locations for speed traps. It's not real time is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest srobak Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Could try just not speeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 The red light cameras got me twice. Both times I truly believe it was safer to go through then to try and stop. They significantly reduce the yellow light time and you can beat it in court if you take the time to video yourself with a stopwatch at the light in question, doing the same to another (but camera-less) light down the road. I try not to speed but these speeding cameras do scare me a bit. They are implementing them here now and it's a great way to raise state funds. 7 mph over the limit and you get a ticket in the mail. Circumstances be damned. I don't like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Now that most Interstates are 65 and 70 MPH, I rarely am ever over the standard 5 mph over. In Wisconsin, years ago they tried the automated radar / picture of the license plate to give a ticket. Went to court and they decided that, at least in WI, the traffic offense needs to be witnessed in person. So, no red light cams here. JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 it's a shame how these lights work. odds are the amber/orange light duration is shorter than the intersections where the camera's do not exit. It's ironic, they way to survive this is to watch the pedestrian light, if it starts flashing don't walk, the amber/orange will shortly follow, and usally passes from green/amber-orange/to red pretty quickly. As far as computers issuing tickets...one state was using the easy pass system to issue tickets. they calculated your speed between entry and exit points based on the punch in punch out times. Tickets for speeding were issued. The program was stopped when the state noticed no one was using easy pass anymore. The easy pass system cost more to implement and operate than the revenue of tickets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburnwilly Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 It's ironic, they way to survive this is to watch the pedestrian light, if it starts flashing don't walk, the amber/orange will shortly follow, and usally passes from green/amber-orange/to red pretty quickly.No cameras here yet , at least not as far as catching drivers speeding but I'm sure they are comming . One good thing they have implimented is pedestrian countdowns . Once they reach zero the amber comes up quickly followed by red . Makes it very easy to avoid running a red light . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I think that's probably true. I can remember interesections in Atlanta where the traffic light when changing holds a full second red in all directions. That would allow folks running the light to get through the intersection before giving the green light to other vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Could try just not speeding. !!! Maybe it will catch on?[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmdridq Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 That said, the GPS is sort of interesting, though I'm guessing it reports historical locations for speed traps. It's not real time is it? If you go to their website, you can plug in your zipcode and it will show you all of the known cameras in your area. The database is constantly updated by users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Could try just not speeding. !!! Maybe it will catch on? It'd be nice if they would just bloody raise the speed limits too...but maybe they should require that people actually know how to drive before handing out licences to everyone... Speed Limits of 55mph on interstates that are straight and flat are all about making money - not serving the public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jheis Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I spent my formative years in Germany and, while I already had my drivers license here in the states, pretty much learned how to drive there. In the three years I spent driving the autobahns at what Americans consider insane speeds, I never saw a single accident. Of course they do have accidents, but they also have rigorous driver training. You have to actually know how to drive and be able to demonstrate it to qualify for a driver's license. In the 60 mile, crawling pace, slog from here to San Francisco it is not unusual to see three or four accidents on every trip - almost always caused by driver inattention. The typical American driver eating a burger with one hand and yapping on a cell phone with the other while watching a DVD is unsafe at any speed. It's not speed that kills, it's the sudden stop.... James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 The last time I was in Germany I spent 6 weeks there driving all over the place and didn't see a single accident. When I got back to the states, there were 4 accidents on the way home from the airport...it's funny how I never really noticed it to be a problem until after the trip. I understand that the public transportation is better in Europe so it's not as big of a deal to not have a license, but who's to say that making it harder to get a license will prevent those that require a license from getting one? I think it's worth the inconvenience when it means less people die... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest srobak Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 It'd be nice if they would just bloody raise the speed limits too...but maybe they should require that people actually know how to drive before handing out licences to everyone... Raising the limit would only make people drive 10 to 15 over that new limit. Otherwise - I agree... we hand out licenses like we do library cards, without any true, sufficient driving. The first time I did Skip Barber way back when - I was amazed at some of the "simple stuff" that was never covered in drivers ed. After that - experimenting on my own in a deserted lot or back-jack country road yielded a lot of other education, as well as learning how to feel out the limitations of the particular car one is driving at the time. What really did it for me however, was getting into motorcycles. You have to be 100x more aware of *everything* happening around you, if you want to stay alive. Thanks to that - I now take that hopped up awareness into the car with me as well. When I did EVOC training - several of the instructors seemed impressed with my existing abilities... came in quite handy, and I aced the course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 srobak, EVOC training is a new one on me. What's that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 it's a shame how these lights work. odds are the amber/orange light duration is shorter than the intersections where the camera's do not exit. I remember reading an article where the makers of theredlight cameras is lockheed martin, yes the same one that makes defense weapons for the US. One state on anger of its citizens increased the yellow light time to 4 seconds I believe which cut the rate of tickets to nearly zero. Lockheed Martin complained because not only did they make the camera, they got a percentage of the ticket revenue. It's ironic, they way to survive this is to watch the pedestrian light, if it starts flashing don't walk, the amber/orange will shortly follow, and usally passes from green/amber-orange/to red pretty quickly. As far as computers issuing tickets...one state was using the easy pass system to issue tickets. they calculated your speed between entry and exit points based on the punch in punch out times. Tickets for speeding were issued. The program was stopped when the state noticed no one was using easy pass anymore. The easy pass system cost more to implement and operate than the revenue of tickets. EZ pass still issues warnings stating that you were going way to fast between the tolls. Also if you speed through the toll at excess speed they also do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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