4um: Red light cameras in Texas are ticketing motorists who had legally entered intersections

Title: Red light cameras in Texas are ticketing motorists who had legally entered intersections
Source: HIGHWAY ROBBERY.NET
URL Source: http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1805.asp
Published: May 15, 2008
Author: .
Post Date: 2008-05-15 20:27:36 by Artisan
Keywords: TEXAS, BIG BROTHER, SCAM
Views: 281
Comments: 19

Texas Red Light Camera Offenses Require Imagination Red light cameras in Texas are ticketing motorists who had legally entered intersections.

The red light camera programs throughout Texas have opened themselves up to a significant new legal challenge. KTVT-TV reports that the Garland, Texas has essentially made up its own definition of red light running to ticket motorists who have not violated the law. Since Garland was one of the first cities to adopt red light cameras, its ordinance served as a model for the rest of the state. Most other cities use Garland's definition of red light running.

According to Garland's ordinance, a ticket will be issued "if the vehicle proceeds into an intersection at a system location when the traffic control signal for that vehicle's direction of travel is emitting a steady red signal." Garland defines entering the intersection as crossing an imaginary line that runs between the end points of the curb drawn parallel to the crosswalk. At one Garland intersection, the imaginary line would be ten feet beyond the painted stop bar.

According to Texas law, a motorist must stop "at a clearly marked stop line" when the red light is displayed. If the vehicle passes this physical line while the light is yellow or green, the driver may cautiously continue through the intersection. By creating an imaginary, unmarked stop line, Garland has given itself another ten feet in which it can ticket drivers.

About 80 percent of red light camera tickets issued nationwide are mailed to the owners of vehicles that entered an intersection less than one second after the light turned red. For most cities, the majority of citations are issued as little as 0.1 seconds after the light turns red. By changing the definition of the stop bar, Garland has, in effect, allowed itself to ticket drivers 0.2 seconds earlier (at 35 MPH) than state law would permit. Motorists whose tickets show a very low "late time" or "time into red" may now be able to mount a legal challenge.

Farmers Branch motorist Noel Hillis showed KTVT a $175 refund check he received when he filed a municipal court appeal of a Garland hearing officer's ruling. The red light camera photo showed that Hillis was beyond the stop bar when the light turned red.

§ 544.007. TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNALS IN GENERAL. (a) A traffic-control signal displaying different colored lights or colored lighted arrows successively or in combination may display only green, yellow, or red and applies to operators of vehicles as provided by this section.

(b) An operator of a vehicle facing a circular green signal may proceed straight or turn right or left unless a sign prohibits the turn. The operator shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk when the signal is exhibited.

(c) An operator of a vehicle facing a green arrow signal, displayed alone or with another signal, may cautiously enter the intersection to move in the direction permitted by the arrow or other indication shown simultaneously. The operator shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian lawfully in an adjacent crosswalk and other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

(d) An operator of a vehicle facing only a steady red signal shall stop at a clearly marked stop line. In the absence of a stop line, the operator shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. A vehicle that is not turning shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown. After stopping, standing until the intersection may be entered safely, and yielding right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully in an adjacent crosswalk and other traffic lawfully using the intersection, the operator may: (1) turn right; or (2) turn left, if the intersecting streets are both one-way streets and a left turn is permissible.

(e) An operator of a vehicle facing a steady yellow signal is warned by that signal that: (1) movement authorized by a green signal is being terminated; or (2) a red signal is to be given. Source: How Do You Know When Youve Run A Red Light? (KTVT-TV (TX), 6/12/2007)

Motors: Cars in control; Black boxes will be watching drivers.(Features)

R OADSIDE speed cameras will eventually be redundant because vehicles will automatically cop themselves for speeding.

That's the plan of the Department for Transport, which has commissioned companies to develop aircraft-style black boxes for cars.

The black boxes will be linked to central computers via the Global Positioning System.

Every time a vehicle breaks the speed limit the black boxes will send a signal to the computer with the car registration number and a ticket will be issued automatically.

The black box will also be able to slow vehicles down by over-riding the engine management system and in the case of stolen vehicles will be able to bring them to a complete halt. But the potential for such a development has been slammed by motorists' pressure group, the Association of British Drivers.

The ABD's road safety spokesman Mark McArthurChristie says: "This announcement continues their flawed and dangerous "one-size-fits-all" approach to road safety. The DfT seem to have decided in advance that crashes can be cured by simply sticking to the speed limit." Such black-box systems are eminently feasible and would be a development of the sort of systems that the car makers themselves are developing and planning to fit to new vehicles within months.

Mercedes-Benz has perfected its intelligent cruise control system that automatically slows a car if it is becoming too close to the vehicle in front.

And Volvo has developed a similar system that can determine if a crash looks imminent - the driver is warned and if no action is taken the brakes are applied automatically.

The first Volvo to receive the new system will be the S80 saloon next summer when the new Collision Warning and Auto Brake system will be an optional safety extra likely to cost in the region of pounds 1,000

CAPTION(S):

SMART CAR: The S80 saloon will be the first Volvo to have the new Collision Warning and Auto Brake system fitted next summer

The website highwayrobbery.net explained the California lawmakers are now considering those SPEED cameras which will issue tickets. right now those are illegal. but theyre trying to implement them in addition to red lite cams on every corner.

Another thing CA did recently is outlaw the photoblocker spray which prevents these cams from picking up your plate. as of 1/1/08 its illegal here.

MY REPLY TO ZEITGEIST: 1John Chapter 2: "21 I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth. 22 Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist."
"I don't know where Bin Laden is. I truly am not that concerned about him"
George W, Bush, 3/13/02 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html

They don't, although they outlawed selling it here and anyone caught selling it will be fined $250 per can. evil bastards.

the only guy in assembly or senate to vote against the ban was Tom McClintock, the guy who ran against Arnold for governor in 2003.

I must give him kudos for that although 2 years later Tom endorsed arnold after arnold had banned guns, banned cell phones, called for open borders, etc.

Tom then told me on a radio show that ron paul is not 'presidential timber',. he's running for US Congress. He's a sellout, but sad to admit he'd still be better than 99% of current US Congressmen.

“The best and first guarantor of our neutrality and our independent existence is the defensive will of the people…and the proverbial marksmanship of the Swiss shooter. Each soldier a good marksman! Each shot a hit!” Schweizerische Schutzenseitunt (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941

My niece and her family moved out of Lake Dallas, to our other place in north TX just to escape this shiite.

Right now it's just from Grapevine/Coppell to the other side of Lewisville by the Colony, but when they finish the construction it'll go all the way east to I-75/McKinney. I'm exploiting a technological loophole and riding FREE.

Six U.S. cities have been found guilty of shortening the amber cycles below what is allowed by law on intersections equipped with cameras meant to catch red-light runners. The local governments in question have ignored the safety benefit of increasing the yellow light time and decided to install red-light cameras, shorten the yellow light duration, and collect the profits instead.

The cities in question include Union City, CA, Dallas and Lubbock, TX, Nashville and Chattanooga, TN, Springfield, MO, according to Motorists.org, which collected information from reports from around the country. This isn't the first time traffic cameras have been questioned as to their effectiveness in preventing accidents. In one case, the local government was forced to issue refunds by more than $1 million to motorists who were issued tickets for running red lights.

The report goes on to note these are just instances that have been identified, and there may be more out there, and urges visitors to send in their own findings.

I've noticed they are putting cameras in Citrus Heights, CA now as well. Think I'll have to shop in another town.

A friend of mine wanted to start speaking at our local city council meetings regarding 9/11. so i go check out the city website 'minutes' from their last meeting and found out that theyre scheming to put in yet another red lite cam. it's only one block south of another corner of cams they already have.

If i hadnt stumbled across it i never would have known. the people usually find out when the cam goes up.

I'd been to highwayrobbery.net before but i spent more time there yesterday. he offers great tools and action plans to prevent your city council from implementing these cams. it is a great resource. I already have the letter and will attend the next meeting with a stack of signatures.

There's a memory jog. Pull up a beach chair and begin the anesthetization process.

generally most people's only interaction with cops is traffic tickets. i think its less than 5% who ever bother to fight them? I really hate these cams everywhere. i look forward to fighting one of these. I got one once in the mail but it was in the 30 day preliminary period so it wasnt a citation, just a warning.

my neighbor brought one to me once that she had gotten but she got lazy and just paid it instead. i told her, gee if youre gonna lick their boots at least try to plead not guilty and see the outcome.

great song. Im gonna do my damndest to fight these new cams in my neighbrhood. then ill have a party and play this vid. :-D

Looking into your eyes I know I'm right
If there's anything worth my love it's worth a fight
We only get one chance
But nothing ties our hands
You're what I want
Listen to me
Nothing I want
Is out of my reach

(I'M FREE)
HEAVEN HELPS THE MAN who fights his fear
Love's the only thing that keeps me here
You're the reason that I'm hanging on
My heart's staying where my heart belongs
(I'M FREE)

Running away will never make me free
And nothing we sign is any kind of guarantee
But I wanna hold you now
And I won't hold you down