Lights...Camera...Action!
In this picture, you can find two cameras on top of the traffic lights here at the intersection of Richmond and Hillcroft. There are 9 other intersections in Houston that are monitored. What happens (if you aren't familiar with this process) is that when the lights turn red, the cameras catch cars that run the red lights and a traffic ticket is sent to you in the mail!
According to this site, if you are caught running a light by an officer it is a criminal offense, and if you are caught by a camera it is civil. Another interesting thing noted in this post is:
"... Eighty percent of drivers who run red lights do so within the first second after a light has turned red. And over the past 30 years, yellow light times have decreased. Cities have created yellow light traps, where a driver has to decide between slamming on the brakes and hoping not to be rear-ended, or flooring the accelerator to try and make it through the intersection. If cities would lengthen yellow light times, red light running would decrease, as even a camera proponent admits..."
These cameras may encourage Houstonians to be more safe out on the roads...but it is also interesting to learn that, "...A single camera in San Diego brought in $6.8 million in 18 months..." from red-light-runners. Something to think about.
Anyway have a great day...and be safe!
posted by Candice and Megan @ 5:32 AM
Two girsl like you are monitoring houston!! excellent... I will try to monitore your photoblog often hehehe lol.
Greetings from a peruvian in Barcelona
Thanks for stopping Réal DP. Nice to see you all the way from Houston.
As I have often said because I still can only get dial-up connection to the net I do not get around all the photo-blogs I would like.
I love the photo and explanation of running red lights and getting caught on the wrong type of cameras.
Hey there Candice & Megan, I just posted a shot similar to yours though the gadgets are sensors for flow and not the red light catcher. Wish we did have those however!
I find it weird that a red light violation caught by a human is criminal but by a techie gadget, its civil - I wonder how they decided that. Rather than issuing tickets, I think maybe they should put a trap door that pops open so the car goes under the road and into a dark room - that might scare the driver from ever running another light. We have a lot of pedestrian deaths here because people run red lights.