Short Yellows Slow Down Red Light Cameras

thenewspaper.com ^ | 2/25/2007

[JTN]

On Thursday, the Lubbock, Texas city council voted to delay installation of red light cameras after a local television station exposed the city's short timing of yellow lights at eight of the twelve intersections where the devices were to be installed.

"Many folks believe this is a money grab and then we found out through KCBD Television there's a discrepancy in timing," Councilman Gary Boren said, as quoted by KCBD.

Earlier this month, the station cited the rule-of-thumb that Lubbock City Engineer Jere Hart asserted as the basis for timing lights at city intersections. At most of the proposed camera intersections, Hart did not follow his own rule.

At 82nd and University, the 50 MPH speed limit suggests the need for a 5 second yellow, but it currently set at just 4.3 seconds. At 82nd and Frankford, the speed of traffic requires 4.5 seconds of yellow, but the public is only given 4.0. Milwaukee and 19th, a 55 MPH intersection, has a 4.4 second yellow when it should be 5.5. Parkway and Zenith has a 2.9 second yellow which is illegal under federal regulations mandating yellow times of no less than 3.0 seconds. Hart admitted the light should be 3.5 seconds.

Last year, before the news investigation, Hart assured city council members that he would not increase yellow times.

"Jere said, if [the red light camera program is] implemented, the public would prefer to have an increased amber cycle, but stated the program will not adjust the amber/yellow time," the city council's traffic commission minutes of September 19, 2006 read. "Jere stated enforcement would generate revenue, more so in the initial phase, then most likely receding in subsequent years."

Short yellows assure a steady flow of red light camera ticket revenue. A Texas Transportation Institute study found that an extra second of yellow time added to the current ITE formula yields a a 53 percent reduction in the number of tickets issued along with a 40 percent reduction in accidents.

[JTN]

More here, where a city councilman admits that the cameras are meant for revenue, saying, "I am in favor of the installation of these for reason of public safety, for freeing up officers to do other duties. But it's also about the generation of revenue."

Note to stupid people: This thread was not posted as a defense of red light running, nor will you find anyone in this thread defending running red lights. Please do not waste everyone's time with posts saying otherwise. That's not the point. Thank you.

[JTN]

Ping

[Fierce Allegiance]

On Thursday, the Lubbock, Texas city council voted to delay installation of red light cameras after a local television station exposed the city's short timing of yellow lights at eight of the twelve intersections where the devices were to be installed.

The person responsible for retiming the lights should be jailed for a term of no less than 20 years. This is deceiving the public for gain, and it causes more accidents, andangering the public. It's also a breach of faith in government officials.

[kidd]

There was a thread about two weeks ago that discussed that people were not obligated to pay red light camera fines (or that payment could not be enforced).

[JamesP81]

A Texas Transportation Institute study found that an extra second of yellow time added to the current ITE formula yields a a 53 percent reduction in the number of tickets issued along with a 40 percent reduction in accidents.

They have decided that they'd rather generate revenue rather than reduce traffic accidents at intersections by 40%. Your government just helping out.

[NonValueAdded]

Agree, those short timings should gain that engineer a charge of negligent homicide for any fatalities at those intersections. The insurance companies should sue the city for all the accidents at the intersections to recover their costs.

That Texas study about the huge decrease in problems with an added second tells me even the standard timings are geared more towards someone with NASCAR reflexes than the general driving public. Tar and feather time.

[VeniVidiVici]

Short yellows assure a steady flow of red light camera ticket revenue. A Texas Transportation Institute study found that an extra second of yellow time added to the current ITE formula yields a a 53 percent reduction in the number of tickets issued along with a 40 percent reduction in accidents.

Heaven forbid they should just do the right thing and extend the yellows.

And yellows should be the same length regardless of speed.

We recently started getting the "countdown timers" meant for pedestrians that say how long one has left when crossing the road before the light turns yellow.

No longer do I have to plan to hotfoot it or slam on my brakes. I just check out the time left when approaching the intersection and adjust my speed accordingly.

[SF Republican]

WOW, Lubbock twice in one day, first the Chippendale dancers now this.

[Army Air Corps]

As a Lubbock resident, I have been following this cash grab scheme. The City Traffic Engineer was interviewed on a local radio news programme and he squirmed when confronted with stats that showed no benefit to public safety and reports from cities that stopped using the cameras. The traffic engineer relentlessly regurgitated the same three talking points; it became obvious that he had a bloodyminded determination to push this with the city council.

[Army Air Corps]

A ping for the holder of the Hub Ping list.

[rawhide]

Why have yellow lights at all? Just go from green to red immediately. That will really drive up the revenue! (sarcasm alert)

[Army Air Corps]

From the KCBD News Channel 11 website:

2/27/07
City Council Freezes Hiring
Red Light Camera Delay Forces Hiring Freeze

The goal to have two police officers for every 1,000 Lubbockite's could be in jeopardy. That's because, Lubbock's City Manager has issued a hiring freeze.

The decision comes after the proposed red light camera system was put on hold. After a NewsChannel 11 investigation into the timing of the yellow lights in Lubbock, the city council voted to halt the installation and go back and check yellow light times. That decision will apparently delay the installation of those cameras and the projected revenue of $1.5 million dollars.

City Council can anticipate revenue and that's exactly what they did in the most recent budget. Back in September, they approved the budget, anticipating that $1.5 million dollars in revenue from red light camera tickets. That money was expected to be made within six months of the cameras going up.

Lubbock Councilman John Leonard says that may have been a bad decision. He said, "I hope that we don't do things like this in the future. Think it's bad management practice to be honest with you."

However, it was the city manager's decision to issue the freeze which is in compliance with section six of the budget ordinance. In this case, city hiring has been frozen for department's from police and fire to public works and parks and recreation. Councilman Leonard says that a freeze can be a good thing but not when it comes to public safety.

"I'm not against a hiring freeze. That probably is needed at city hall to be honest with you we've been hiring like crazy with the number of people at city hall compared to where it was a year ago. But when we start talking about public safety, that's a whole other issue," Leonard said.

There are exceptions to the freeze and hiring could be done on a case by case basis. However, Leonard tells us this does push back the goal of having two police officers for every 1000 Lubbockite's.

"We worked hard trying to get to our 2 per 1000 count on policemen and we're almost there. We're a recruiting class or two away from being at that goal," Leonard said.

We did learn that despite the need for more officers and with the freeze in place, the Lubbock Police Department is using other staffing arraignments like offering overtime to keep a safe number of officers on the street at all times. We will continue to follow this story and let you know how this freeze will effect hiring in the future.

[traviskicks]

"Many folks believe this is a money grab and then we found out through KCBD Television there's a discrepancy in timing," Councilman Gary Boren said, as quoted by KCBD.





Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[TheKidster]

This is no surprise, most new traffic laws are meant for 2 purposes;
1. Generate revenue
2. Give police more opportunities to "fish" for possible criminal activity where there is otherwise no cause for suspicion.

[jjm2111]

Obviously, traffic fines shouldn't be treated as "revenue".

[gondramB]

>>"Jere said, if [the red light camera program is] implemented, the public would prefer to have an increased amber cycle, but stated the program will not adjust the amber/yellow time," the city council's traffic commission minutes of September 19, 2006 read.<<

So the elected officials know what the people who elected them want and simply refuse to do it.

[ellery]

This is direct evidence that "law enforcement" here will increase public danger in order to line their own pockets. Vile and disgusting.