Time To Challenge Red-Light Cameras
April 11th, 2010 by ComputerBob
If I’m driving at the posted speed limit and a stoplight ahead of me turns yellow, but I’m too close to the intersection to be able to stop safely, I cruise on through the interection, instead of dangerously slamming on my brakes and screeching to a sudden stop in front of other, often-older drivers whose reflexes aren’t as fast as mine.
In fact, what I do is exactly what a safe driver is supposed to do in that situation.
But lately, I’ve noticed that many of the stoplights that I normally encounter have noticeably shorter “yellow light” times than they used to have, so even though I’m driving at the speed limit, I often just barely make it halfway into the intersection before the yellow light turns red.
That’s not a problem — yet — because none of those intersections are equipped with red-light cameras — yet.
But while yellow light-times are getting shorter, more and more red-light cameras are popping up, to catch drivers who drive through intersections after the light turns red.
And it’s clear to me that the combination of those two things is going to cause a lot of drivers who drive at the posted speed limit to get “caught” by red-light cameras and ticketed for running red lights.
While drivers who are driving faster than the speed limit will be going fast enough to speed through intersections before the short yellow lights turn red.
In other words, the combination of shorter yellow lights and red-light cameras is going to punish safe drivers while it rewards speeders.
Here’s an interesting story that explains Why every math wiz should challenge red light cameras.
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