Comments on: 5 Proven Ways To Stop Red-Light Running

By: Gordon Hansen

Gordon Hansen — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:20:09 +0000

I am an avionics engineer by trade. I enjoy VERY MUCH the application of advanced technology in our lives.
You CANNOT TELL ME, their is ANY OTHER reason for any governmental agency to install red light cameras, except only to RAPE citizens and taxpayers of their money. It IS DEFINATELY NOT for safety reasons, considering technology capabilities TODAY!

15 years ago a new passenger aircraft once powered up, COULD – ALL BY ITSELF, taxi out to the runway, takeoff – avoid weather and other aircraft, find ANY airport destination, land, taxi to the correct terminal and shut down, ALL WITHOUT A PILOT.
Electronics, computers and software have come VERY far in the last 30 years, but street signals especially are stuck in the STONE AGES, restricted SET STANDARD timing! I am APPALLED with the LACK of hi-tech design in traffic patterns and light signals!

I drive home at 2am often, there is LITERALY NO other cars on the road, and yet many intersections I have to stop, AND WAIT 30 SECONDS before the lights cycle. Are you telling me Government is concerned about saving fuel? NO WAY!
In this instance, sensors could have detected NO traffic in all DISTANT directions, THEN my vehicle approaching its red light. It should have immediately turned green in my direction long before I arrived, so that my reduction pace could be minimized!

There is no reason why technology cannot be properly applied, install REAL-TIME – SMART traffic signals and still INSURE 99% the safety of traffic intersections, allowing drivers to progress on their routes EFFICIENTLY, CONSERVING FUEL. SMART THOUGHT-OUT DESIGN AND APPLICATION, and without ignorant bureaucrats pick-pocketing hard working AMERICANS!

This is but ONE – TINY example of how an ‘INTELLIGENT’ CONSUMER friendly SMARTER government, C O U L D implement SMART technology in cities designs.

There are MANY sensor technologies (pressure, magnetic, radar, radio, light, visual recognition, to name a few) and intelligent methods available TODAY, that could GREATLY improve traffic flows, efficiently, REALTIME.
TAXPAYER’S MONEY INTELLIGENTLY SPENT! … and E V E R Y B O D Y IS HAPPIER!!!

By: Bill Law

Bill Law — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:45:05 +0000

What if any attention is directed to posted speeds when timing amber/yellow caution lights? Cameras at 45-50 mph posted speeds need longer time for safe stops. If so many violatons there must be something other than enforcement needed. Three facits include engineering ,education and enforcement City government has only one objective and that is revenue. Those who say otherwise are liars or stupid as marginal infractions are not causing accidents with crossing traffic facing steady red. If it is a safety issue why not delay crossing traffic “green”?

By: charles kovler

charles kovler — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:06:24 +0000

Does anyone know what the yellow light times should be at 25MPH, 35 MPH and 45MPH?

By: Jamilla

Jamilla — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:48:57 +0000

i think we should run red lights!!!:}

By: theexpiredmeter.com » Blog Archive » A Contrary Opinion To Red Light Cameras

Thu, 08 May 2008 04:54:26 +0000

[...] improvements can have lasting positive effects, without negative consequences. Cities can choose to make intersections safer with sound traffic engineering or make money with ticket cameras. Unfortunately, many pick money over [...]

By: 6 Cities That Were Caught Shortening Yellow Light Times For Profit | Men's Blog

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:21:32 +0000

[...] 5 Proven Ways To Stop Red-Light Running [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:05:55 +0000

I agree that all traffic lights need to be coordinated so that traffic flows better. In New England, most of the new installations have road sensors so that you don’t get a red light in the middle of the night when there are no other cars in the area.

Setting ALL yellow lights to the minimum will help to standardize the wait and will help your average driver. I do disagree that longer yellows will eliminate red light running. At least in Boston there are a substantial number of drivers that will run the yellow no matter what the timing. There are many bad drivers out there and technology is not going to fix that. Most accidents are caused by the driver and not by the traffic design. Trust me, I’ve driven over a million miles in the last 30 years and people aren’t properly trained to drive anymore!

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:59:10 +0000

To add to Ryan’s comment, I have been living in the Dominican Republic for a long time. We also have large countdown timers with LED’s that change from Green to Yellow to Red. These give the drivers the amount of time they have to get through green. We have seen significantly less accidents in our intersections here and less violations. Along with the timers we have regular traffic lights. It’s a shame that the local governments in the U.S. dont implement technologies that are already being used in underdeveloped countries!

By: Amie

Amie — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:32:25 +0000

I live on a military base in Japan. They use the longer yellow light times AND the all red light method together and I never have a problem stopping in time, even in the bad weather we have so often here. As a matter of fact, in the 13 years I have lived here, I can’t remember one accident that I have seen or heard about from running a red light. I think people need to remember that traffic rules are in place to prevent accidents, not to prevent them from getting a ticket.

By: Hubcap

Hubcap — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:22:21 +0000

Chris Papadopoulos,

You know I was thinking that very thing driving to work this morning. (Yeah I know I should have been thinking about DRIVING!) There are so many things we do and devices we use that were built and then the users had to adapt. Instead, designers and engineers should study the way humans intuitively perform a task and interact with a device or environment and design to that.

I recall there was a moment during the eighties where ergonomic design factors came to the fore and seemed to be the wave of the future. But it seems to have fallen by the wayside in favor of faster design-to-production schedules and fatter profits.

Someday I would like to ask a traffic engineer how he gets to work because I know he doesn’t drive.