Should Automated Red Light Cameras Be Oulawed?

Yes, they have increased the number of accidents and serve no productive purpose. They are a drain on society.

The hard clearly numbers show that they do NOT reduce accidents, and in many cases, accidents actually increase (due in no small part to the shortened yellow light time). So if you're pro-safety, then these gizmos are a bad idea. If you're pro-revenue, however, then these things are great for the municipalities that put them in, and for the companies that leases them for a cut of the profits.

If they reduce the yellow light time, then I am in agreement. Other than that I respectfully disagree, at least for my community. I'm glad thay added them.

yes... they fail to serve their purpose.

If only cities, towns and counties (Caltrans) would spend as much time figuring out how to get traffic flowing by timing the lights to work with traffic as they spend using surgical precision in timing lights to catch traffic the need for cameras would probably be reduced, traffic accidents and deaths would probably be reduced, and we would probably burn less gas because we are not sitting idle at a red light watching little or no traffic flow through the opposing green light.
Where is Gloria Allred should take this one up.

In my city, they HAVE reduced accidents, and any rear-ender is less damaging than being t-boned by some jerk that just HAD to get through. I'm tired of these drivers thinking that since it just changed, they can run it without getting in anyone's way. There has been too many deaths caused by these ignorant clods. If they rear end someone because they braked for the light, they're following too close!

The jerk that just had to get through... if you're getting tboned by someone who is pushing through a light that just turned red, how on earth would you already be in the middle of the intersection? In my opinion it would be equally your fault for pinning it and not looking to see if traffic actually stopped.

The vast majority of traffic light tickets are given in the first second after a light turns red. These people are not the ones that should be getting ticketed. The ones that should be ticketed are the ones who totally didn't realize it was red and run it half way through its cycle.

Joe, I agree that the mid-cycle runners are the worst, and they're the main cause of the t-bones. But the ones that go zipping through just as you start to pull out are almost as bad. I've had to hit the brakes after I was moving because of someone like that, and fortunately the person behind me wasn't right behind me.

I believe the way the law is written here (might be city specific or state) that the light has to be red prior to the vehicle entering the intersection to be in violation. Just being in the intersection when the red appears is not enough. Also, every city seems to have different timing as to how quickly the green appears after the red is on for the other direction. Ours seems rather short, so I could be in the intersection (not necessarily in the middle) and at risk from someone that runs the red, particularly if they are coming from my left.

All of the reports say that these cameras increase the number of accidents due to the shorten yellow light and people slamming on their brakes at the last moment. As for revenue, no city has been able to show, post the initial introduction of the camera systems, that they long-term profitability.

If the cop isn't there to give you the ticket him/herself, then I don't think they should default to robots. The same goes for speed cameras.

Okay I;m going to make it simple. LEARN HOW TO DRIVE STUPID! Don't run the damn red light. I'm tired of idiots blaming a camera when they in fact broke the law to begin with. I say put some giant poles in the ground and make them pop up 1-2 seconds after the light turns red. this gives the ones caught in the intersection time to get out while the blatant careless light runners slam into a pole. Also I think similar techniques should be applied to idiots that can't park and stay in the lines. Spikes should come up and flatten their tires. As for people that do not use their turn signal when changing lanes or turning, or just getting in the turning lane coming up to the light and then turning on their signal, I have not come up with an idea yet. Any ideas anyone? AS for the stupid people here in America that like to block the left lane and go 50 mph, the car should be made to move over out of the way by itself using its blind spot sensors, laser guided cruise control sensors, and parking system to make the car change lanes and move over (with the turn signal on of course). Okay, I guess I'm done venting for now. People should be paying attention to driving, not that stupid camera. If that is the case we should outlaw attractive women on the street because drivers could be distracted and cause an accident.

"Outlawed"

Breaker breaker good buddy, we've got a Polaroid on a pole in stink town, slow that rig down!

"They are a drain on society"

"they fail to serve their purpose"

Oh yeah?!! They generate MASSIVE revenues!!!