Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Without a photo of you behind the wheel it will not hold up in court... but many pay the ticket cause they KNOW they are guilty.
Here, they charge you as the registered owner responsible for the vehicle. There are no points on the license, because there is no proof you were driving, and it isn't a moving violation in that case. However, you will be convicted, even if you go to trial.
Here, it's helped matters at some intersections. There aren't a lot of red light cameras, and they can be very beneficial if placed judiciously. A couple intersections here were very bad for people trying to extend the yellow light five or more seconds beyond its switch to red, particularly during rush hour. Obviously, that's a hazard. In those particular intersections, it's helped. There was a spike in rear end collisions, but an overall lowering of collisions, particularly T-bones and the like. Not rear ending the car in front of you is really a no brainer. If the light is red and the car in front of you isn't moving, it's time to think about stopping.
For photo radar, the same thing applies. If you're using it in places where it's very difficult or unsafe to enforce and speeding is creating a hazard, fine.
motor_oil_madman: Those are usually sensors to detect when a vehicle is at the intersection, to ensure lights don't change needlessly. They are quite helpful on side streets than intersect high traffic streets, and at night.
Have you ever had someone decide that they were going to lock it up a few feet (ok, probably more like 20') from the white line at an intersection, as soon as the light turns yellow? I've only had it happen once, but even I thought that both of us has plenty of time to get through the intersection, since we were both nearly into it anyway. I didn't have to lock it up quite as badly as the guy behind me did (he was right on my [censored], hoping to get through, too,) but my brain took a second to process such a ridiculous reaction.
When I was visiting DE 5-6 years ago I noticed they had installed giant lights and cameras along one stretch of busy highway since I had last been there. I saw them well in advance, but what I didn't expect, is that the light changed from yellow almost immediately to red! I was the only one on the road, late at night, doing almost exactly the speed limit, luckily, because I was very near the intersection when the light turned yellow and then red, and I braked as hard as my STI would brake, which was enough to stop me just past the white line.
The light directly above and behind me flashed brightly for a second or more, and then extinguished. Not tonight, DE, not tonight, "I thought to myself." In all honesty, I was pretty mad that transition time between yellow and red was so short, because the intersection is actually pretty large!
