Traffic-light Cameras for Jackson?

[Rural King]

Well even Jackson is now looking at the idea of red light cameras for traffic enforcement of intersections. I'm not fond of the idea, esp. since the city might be looking at getting a free system that is paid for by sharing a percentage of each ticket with the the firm that runs the camera, which seems to me to be a conflict of interest. Watch for rear-endings to go way up as folks screech to a stop to avoid entering an intersection of a yellow light for fear of getting ticketed, which I have read is occurance that rises in frequency after redlight cams are installed even as red-light running declines, thus a trade-off.

Here is the article:

http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../511060312/1002

There is a nice pic of Jackson rush hour traffic in the article as well.

Any thoughts on red-light cameras? Nashville folks?

Is this a good idea for Jackson?

Lets see some feedback on this. I thinks its an intersting urban discussion topic.

[it's just dave]

According to an article in the Tennessean, the cameras at the Gulch (and I'm sure in other areas) are not enforcement/surveillance cameras, but installed to monitor traffic at the light to improve traffic efficiency. They've replaced the old-style in-pavement monitoring to trip the light when traffic builds up. Here's the story (and the picture Jackson borrowed from the Tennessean, lol).

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...400/1026/NEWS04

But, in keeping with the main topic of the thread whereas cameras are installed to catch violators, I'm not so sure it's a bad idea. The running of red lights and stop signs is a true pet peeve of mine. Every day I watch as people run the lights or the signs ... blatantly so. It seems to follow the general lack of manners in society nowadays. Courtesy be damned as long as one doesn't have to actually obey a traffic law or be slowed from their destination for a few seconds. These folks obviously didn't learn to drive in the same manner I did. These are the same people who break line at a convenience store, carry on loud cellphone conversations no matter where they are, let the door fly into your face when entering or exiting a building, and abuse the handicap parking areas.

I don't have a problem with traffic enforcement via electronics. I believe one should be able to explain themselves in court in the event extenuating circumstances are present, but for the most part, anything to make our streets safer in this era of recklessness is fine with me. Believe me, I'm no Pollyanna while in my car, but basic traffic laws for my own protection are iimportant to me.

I've had long talks with my 82-year-old mother about this very thing. I've told her that many people just DON'T stop anymore for anything, so approach each intersection as though Mr. or Miss or Mrs. Manslaughter is approaching from the other side. It's not only the victims of others' carelessness that should be concerned, but the violators themselves. If there's two of them at the same intersection, woe be to them. May they rest in peace, and not kill me.

Pay attention out there, folks, someone on a phone is going to kill you if you don't watch out. And if you're one of these people in such a hurry as to throw caution to the wind, think about it a bit more.

[HABANERO7]

Cleveland has 2 intersections that currently have cameras to do the traffic detection only...

There

[HABANERO7]

In today

[Rural King]

I remember reading that one day in the Knoxville News Sentinal, and saw last night on the Memphis nightly news on the news ticker that the city had okayed their use. It seems to be the growing trend in cities to use the traffic-light cameras, but I just ain't crazy about the idea of relying on a computer controlled camera, esp. one run by a company with incentives for tickets to be sent out, to enforce traffic laws.

[Lexy]

I remember reading that one day in the Knoxville News Sentinal, and saw last night on the Memphis nightly news on the news ticker that the city had okayed their use. It seems to be the growing trend in cities to use the traffic-light cameras, but I just ain't crazy about the idea of relying on a computer controlled camera, esp. one run by a company with incentives for tickets to be sent out, to enforce traffic laws.

They have them in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Owensboro KY, Lexington KY, Louisville. Almost everywhere I guess. If you obey the laws, then you have nothing to worry about ya know. It really never crosses my mind to be honest. I guess they are a good thing, but the ones here in the Nashville area are for traffic control, not traffic patrol and red light runners monitoring.

[Rural King]

^ Call me not trusting. My fear is that they will catch yellow light runner, by bad timers or by the car barely being in the intersection when the light changes. I have no problem with the concept, but I can see alot of issues and questions with them. The other thing I fear is folks who are honest will hit the brakes when the light changes yellow for fear of being in the interesection when the light changes, thus causing more rear-endings at intersections.

I'm sure it will catch plenty of red-light runners, but I see some possible negative aspects of those cameras being put in place.

[jmanhsv]

Red-light cameras are illegal here, but we do have the traffic control cameras on the lights, which still scare the crap out of people, even though they are pointed the wrong way. I think red-light cameras should be installed if the city has a severe shortage in police officers, or if there is a "problem intersection". But if it is for the sole purpose of getting extra cash, they should not be used.

[HABANERO7]

According to today

[smeagolsfree]

I spoke to an airline pilot, from Texas I think. They have them certain places and he got a ticket in the mail from one. He said his showed Him, the light and the tag. Evidently the company doing the sevice for the City gets $45.00 and the City Gets $5.00 out of a $50.00 ticket. He also said there is a big business selling a film coating that goes over the tag that keeps a picture from being taken at an angle.

People will do anything to beat the system.

[Rural King]

The city only gets 5 dollars out of 45? That doesn't seem like a good deal for the city at all. So folks in that Texas (or whatever state he was from) city are paying 9/10s of a ticket to a private entity? Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?

As for the tag film, hey as long as its legal, no harm no foul I suppose. LOL

[HABANERO7]

I've heard of that film stuff for the tags, I suppose it will show up around here if the test proves well and the city proceeds.

I wonder how many law enforcement agencies in Tennessee use some sort of camera enforcement. We have heard of a few on this post but over all, out of x amount of entities in the state how many currently use a system?

There seems to be lots of mixed reviews about the whole deal, makes me wonder who

[Rural King]

^ Maybe both? Cities looking for more revenue and companies looking for new markets. Seems like that would be a good market setting to be in for both entities. LOL

[smeagolsfree]

The city only gets 5 dollars out of 45? That doesn't seem like a good deal for the city at all. So folks in that Texas (or whatever state he was from) city are paying 9/10s of a ticket to a private entity? Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?

I am just relaying the conversation. Thats what he said for sure. He said it was stupid for the city to do it too.

[Rural King]

^ That seems like bad public policy to give 90% of a ticket to a private company. I would whole-heartedly agree its a stupid arrangement.

[Rural King]

Red lights cameras are getting a green light for testing in Jackson. Jackson has reached an agreement with American Traffic Solutions (ATS) to monitor intersections and in the coming weeks set up test cameras at interesections deemed needing increased monitoring, which according to the Jackson PD are intersections with 10 or more violations a day. ATS will receive 31.50 off a 50 dollar ticket, which in line with what smeagolsfree stated in an earlier post.

Jackson is moving alot faster it seems in this process than Knoxville did, which took months to get to this point (roughly April/May till Nov. 10), while it took Jackson just over a month to decide to go ahead with testing out a red-light system. I just found that interesting, why, I don't know. LOL

[ricky_the_great]

i know in germantown they have cameras. we always drove slow in germantown. i remember my friends and I called germantown police the gestapo(sp?) of traffic cops, in high school

[HABANERO7]

1/09/2006 New traffic cameras will officially go into service in Red Bank (Chattanooga) It seems that more and more are springing up in this area, Cleveland will soon start the tester camera at a busy intersection on Hwy 11

[Bears]

I dunno if anyones ever seen this but how about those traffic signals that have the countdown clocks on them? Maybe that would help stop people from accidentally running the red because it'll countdown how much longer you have for green then the numbers will start to blink when theres about 5 seconds left before the light turns yellow. Same with the red light. It counts how much longer the light will stay red.

[monsoon]

Charlotte has had these for several years now and they do seem to reduce accidents in high crash interesections. There are maybe 35 of them or so in the city but they are not all active at the same time. If you run a red light, you get a fine mailed to you in the mail with a photo of your car in the interesection with the light red and a close up of your license tag. (no I have not been caught but someone in my house hold was ) The fine is a $50 and do not go against your driving record or insurance. It's more like a parking ticket.

A little more sinister is the same thing for speed. We also now have automated radar speed cameras. If you pass by one of these things above the speed limit, you get the same offense as the traffic camera. These things are completely mobile and they move them around the city, though they are limited to certain highways.

[HABANERO7]

In Chattanooga there is an area north of downtown headed toward the Hixson that has terrible speeding and accident problems. The area is known locally as the S curves, which are located on Hixson Pike. There have been several fatalities in that location over the last 8 years. Chattanooga is proposing to use speed limit triggered cameras. Sounds like a plan in areas where needed.

I have never seen the countdown signals that were mentioned.

[Rural King]

^ I've never seen the countdown clocks either, but they sound like a great idea to me. In Union City on US 51 coming into town from the north they put in a "flasher" to indicate a red light for cars coming towards where it and TN 5 cross. I think those are good too, as they make you aware of lights ahead, esp. for folks not familar with the area.

[Bears]

Well heres a picture of one even though it isn't exactly what I was talking about.

http://www.dbup.com.ar/images/expovial2001-2.jpg

The ones I was talking about looked like this only the countdown was added to the right side of the traffic lights and on the pole that held the lights for pedestrians.