I'm very sorry about your mom, Teamless, but you are right. Red light cameras will not stop all red light runners. Nothing will, but they will persuade many to be more cautious.
My city uses the countdown yellow lights in many of the intersections. Those are great! Having all four lights be red for 2 seconds would also be good.
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Return to “Good news for people driving to Houston”
- Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:06 pm
- Forum: Off-Topic
- Topic: Good news for people driving to Houston
- Replies: 70
- Views: 6026
- Mon Nov 15, 2010 3:40 pm
- Forum: Off-Topic
- Topic: Good news for people driving to Houston
- Replies: 70
- Views: 6026
Re: Good news for people driving to Houston
I must admit that I'm not sure what I think about red light cameras.
On one hand they do help people be more aware so that this will lead to a decrease in severe accidents from folks just blowing through them and hitting someone else. However, they seem to have increased the number of rear-end accidents. Which is better, high number of relatively minor rear end accidents or fewer accidents with more deaths. I know what my answer is.
However, the larger implication is the intrusion by big brother. The court(s) have recently said it is okay to place GPS tracking devices on cars. I don't see much difference here. If there were an officer watching an intersection and a person ran a red light they could get a ticket if the officer felt like it. How many times have we all seen someone run a red light and wished there were an officer there to catch them? So, where does it stop? That is the BIG question. I don't know. Both sides are fully aware that little steps are the easiest way to go about change.
I do see both sides of the argument, though, and that is why I really don't know what my opinion is. It is very easy to say, "Don't break the law and you have nothing to worry about." But, an intrusion of our privacy is still an intrusion. If I'm on some road and there is no one around why should I have to stop? As I understand it, lights and signs are traffic control devices, but if there is no "traffic" ...? I dont' even know how many times I've been driving on a road with no one around and the light I'm approaching turns yellow and then red to stop me for less than 10 seconds before returning to green. Does anyone know why? Some times I could see the green light for more than a quarter mile before turning red as I approached.
On one hand they do help people be more aware so that this will lead to a decrease in severe accidents from folks just blowing through them and hitting someone else. However, they seem to have increased the number of rear-end accidents. Which is better, high number of relatively minor rear end accidents or fewer accidents with more deaths. I know what my answer is.
However, the larger implication is the intrusion by big brother. The court(s) have recently said it is okay to place GPS tracking devices on cars. I don't see much difference here. If there were an officer watching an intersection and a person ran a red light they could get a ticket if the officer felt like it. How many times have we all seen someone run a red light and wished there were an officer there to catch them? So, where does it stop? That is the BIG question. I don't know. Both sides are fully aware that little steps are the easiest way to go about change.
I do see both sides of the argument, though, and that is why I really don't know what my opinion is. It is very easy to say, "Don't break the law and you have nothing to worry about." But, an intrusion of our privacy is still an intrusion. If I'm on some road and there is no one around why should I have to stop? As I understand it, lights and signs are traffic control devices, but if there is no "traffic" ...? I dont' even know how many times I've been driving on a road with no one around and the light I'm approaching turns yellow and then red to stop me for less than 10 seconds before returning to green. Does anyone know why? Some times I could see the green light for more than a quarter mile before turning red as I approached.