Is that a standard time across the city/county/state? I assume it varies by locality to come degree.

I was headed N on Six Forks through the red light camera-guarded intersection in front of North Hills last night...the light turned yellow and I thought I had all kinds of time to make it through. but wouldn't you know it the light turned red before i was anywhere close to breaking the plane.

now i'm ok with red light cameras in theory: reduce accidents, raise money, whatever (as long as it doesn't hit your license/insurance)...but if they're shortening the yellow light time then its total bullshit.

anyone know how they do the yellow light timings around here (Attn:CE's). And do they reduce the yellow light time at those camera intersections? cause it sure did feel a lot shorter to me.


After consulting Google it looks like the reduction of yellow light timings at camera intersections is a common problem across the country. i guess it comes down to what the regulations are in this area that govern timings. If anyone can find them i'll give you a cookie
http://www.google.com/search?q=yellow+light+time&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS230US230

12/16/2007 2:08:30 PM

We were told that its about 3 seconds for 35 mph and less. For 55 and higher its about 5 seconds.

Some states lengthened the yellow light time while some shortened it after installing the cameras

http://www.hwysafety.com/nma_rlc_timeline3.htm

[Edited on December 16, 2007 at 2:36 PM. Reason : link]

12/16/2007 2:27:56 PM

back in the day the traffic light on Jones Franklin and US1/440 off ramp was literally <1 second interval. It was a death trap.

12/16/2007 2:51:50 PM

They are supposed to be programmed by an equation that figures in both how fast you are *(supposed to be) going, a comfortable brakeing decelaration, the length of the intersection, and typical human reaction/decision time. The idea is to have the yellow light long enough so that people who need to stop have enough time to react to the light and apply the brakes without leaving skidmarks. But at the same time they need to be short enough so the system isn't abused and people don't get frustrated when they stop like they are supposed to only to watch the yellow hang and realize they could have made it through.

I wouldnt be suprised though if there is some 'gentle persuasion' to reduce yellow light times, I'm pretty sure that specific yellow light time equations aren't required by law.

12/16/2007 4:19:43 PM

Yellow light times are definitely determined by expected safe driving conditions. The problem is that most people are driving faster than posted limit and therefore often feel they can't stop safely or should have been able to make it through the light in time. Neither the DOT or any State-maintained traffic light is going to shorten their yellow light timing to increase ticket revenue. The DOT often has its maintenance records and timing plans called into court from major accidents. If the DOT or City had a light timing that did not fall within accepted federal safety standards then the people could easily win big bucks in a lawsuit. I've been writing the software that manages maintenance, equipment, etc. for DOT signals so I've heard a good deal about this. Signal plans and maintenance are very closely monitored and certified by a PE.

12/16/2007 6:27:26 PM

Quote :

"now i'm ok with red light cameras in theory: reduce accidents, raise money, whatever (as long as it doesn't hit your license/insurance)...but if they're shortening the yellow light time then its total bullshit."

They have actually been shown to increase accidents because many people that had plenty of time to pass through the intersection end up grinding down on the brakes hard core to stop and get rear ended.

And there have also been some reports in locales that the unscrupulous city managers purposefully shortened the time at RLCs to increase revenue.

12/16/2007 7:10:11 PM

my wife just got a ticket via red light camea
She wasn't even close to making it.




Crazy women drivers

12/16/2007 7:50:27 PM

im pretty sure its 35 along through there.. so that could be why you thought you had more time.. but then i could be wrong as well...

12/17/2007 2:02:43 AM

i thought they were doing away with these things because the company was making like 90 percent of the money off them, whereas its supposed to go to the government or some shit...i heard a lot of these camera lights are not even in operation anymore, they just havent been taken down yet

12/17/2007 1:00:16 PM

Quote :

"im pretty sure its 35 along through there.."

it is.. all the way from 440 to milbrook

12/17/2007 1:25:48 PM

My problem with red light cameras is the lack of due process. What if I allowed my friend to borrow my car; then three weeks later i get a ticket for running a red stoplight going through an intersection I travel through everyday. Most likely i did not take diligent notes and would have no evidence to prove my innocence. This is just another fucking way for the state to rack in revenue.

12/17/2007 4:41:17 PM

Oddly enough, I do believe I have run through two lights and had my tags flash, and I got all pissed off and knew I was going to get a ticket in the mail, but none ever came. I dont know how reliable the cameras are or whatever, but I haven't ever seen anything of it.

12/17/2007 8:01:53 PM

How about we slow the fuck down when we see yellow lights instead of trying to beat the red.

Yellow is slow and yeild, not speed up.

That shit pisses me off.

12/17/2007 8:38:44 PM

meh.



[Edited on December 17, 2007 at 8:53 PM. Reason : -]

12/17/2007 8:43:52 PM

I got a redlight camera ticket for making a right on red because I didn't come to a complete stop. It was at 6:30 in the morning. I asked them if the ticket was payable in cash, if it had been they would have gotten a sack of pennies. Sadly they don't take cash.

12/17/2007 9:06:35 PM

Pennies are not considered legal tender in quantities over $5 or $10, up to the discretion of the reciever.
I don't remember which value it is.

12/17/2007 9:18:13 PM

Quote :

"Yellow is slow and yeild, not speed up"

except for those faggot lights that let like 5 cars through before turning yellow with a line of 20 cars waiting in queue. The absolute worst light i have ever seen is in Wilmington where New Center crosses Market. I swear the light is yellow longer then it is green. The left turn from Western onto Avent Ferry is bad also but at least there are two lanes.

12/17/2007 9:32:55 PM

^^That's actually new information for me. I did not know that.

12/17/2007 10:13:49 PM

Quote :

"They have actually been shown to increase accidents because many people that had plenty of time to pass through the intersection end up grinding down on the brakes hard core to stop and get rear ended."

They have only increased rear-end collisions. It has reduced right-angle collisions from running red lights and also reduced the total overall number of collisions and injuries at intersections. Because the collisions tend to be less violent in nature it has also lead to a reduced overall accident cost to drivers from damages.

Quote :

"And there have also been some reports in locales that the unscrupulous city managers purposefully shortened the time at RLCs to increase revenue."

No reports other than wild speculation. You could easily win a lawsuit with a decent traffic attorney for the city endangering the welfare of the public.

I've been caught once by a RLC but I swear I never remember it happening when they caught me and it said I really blew it (the one on Peace just East of Mellow Mushroom, after lunch) but each time I was sure I had run a red light they never sent me a ticket.

12/17/2007 11:35:38 PM

Just protest any red light camera ticket you have and most of the time they will just throw it out. They don't have the money and time to take it to court and lose anyhow

12/18/2007 4:13:06 AM

Quote :

"Oddly enough, I do believe I have run through two lights and had my tags flash, and I got all pissed off and knew I was going to get a ticket in the mail, but none ever came"

i hope thats what happens with me.

otherwise i'll protest...just because.

12/18/2007 12:54:11 PM

Quote :

"Pennies are not considered legal tender in quantities over $5 or $10, up to the discretion of the reciever. I don't remember which value it is. "

FALSE

http://www.snopes.com/business/money/pennies.asp

12/18/2007 11:23:18 PM

12/18/2007 11:27:56 PM

Quote :

"now i'm ok with red light cameras in theory: reduce accidents, raise money, whatever (as long as it doesn't hit your license/insurance)...but if they're shortening the yellow light time then its total bullshit."

damn you're naive

12/18/2007 11:43:44 PM

Quote :

"damn you're naive"

OH DO TELL

I CAN HARDLY WAIT

12/19/2007 2:40:35 AM

I very well could be wrong, but I think the arrows on the road tell you if you can make it through a light. Usually at least 2 ^ on any road with a light, and if you've made it to one you don't have to stop. I could be wrong, but that's the rule I follow before I try to make a light

12/19/2007 4:07:04 AM

^^well lets see. They DON'T reduce accidents, way too much of that money goes to the companies that manufacture the equipment, and in several instances they HAVE shortened the yellow light times.

wtf did you think i was gonna say. (I wrote this before reading the whole thread, I see it repeats others)

Quote :

"How about we slow the fuck down when we see yellow lights instead of trying to beat the red. Yellow is slow and yeild, not speed up. That shit pisses me off."

Yeah, I hear ya, but try to go against that pattern (especially up here in NYC) and tell me how your car looks with another car shoved up its ass

[Edited on December 19, 2007 at 1:27 PM. Reason : k]

12/19/2007 1:23:02 PM

anyone successfully gotten out of one of these??

1/29/2008 12:21:20 PM

i'm glad charlotte's program got shut down months and months ago for misappropriation of funds

sucks to live in a city where they're still raping you for these lazy cop taxes

also in general

35mph zone - 3 second yellow light
45mph zone - 4 second yellow light
55mph zone - 5 second yellow light

1/29/2008 12:23:48 PM

step 1: buy clear paint and spray your plate

step 2: run all the lights you want

1/29/2008 2:12:57 PM

doesnt work^

1/29/2008 6:42:07 PM

1/29/2008 7:14:01 PM