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Denver's red-light cameras were anything but picture perfect in their first month of operation. More than 60 percent of the 2,545 suspected red-light violations caught on camera ...have been tossed out. The reasons vary, but police said that most of the citations were rejected because the "threshold speed" that helps trigger the cameras was set too low, generating hundreds of false readings. "The cameras fired, but the picture clearly showed all of the vehicles in compliance," ... Since then, the threshold speed was reset ... In Denver, police officials expect the city's $838,800 red-light camera system to perform more smoothly...

Denver activated its first red-light ticket camera this morning, and will give drivers violating it a 30-day grace period to get used to the system. Denver plans to increase yellow times at the three other intersections where red light ticket cameras will soon go live –

Red-light cameras are often billed as a great way to improve traffic safety and prevent speeding. A few cities across America, however, have been caught short-timing their own yellow lights below legal levels, in what may be an attempt to boost ticket revenues by giving drivers less time to come to a stop. So how many anecdotes do you need to pronounce something a trend? It's hard to say, especially when the anecdotes in question support the abolishment of something as universally hated as the red light camera. Six possible red light "gotcha" stories, some of which go back as...

Last week, Dallas officials reviewed the numbers and decided that a quarter of the cameras they had installed to catch motorists running red lights were too effective. So they shut them down. They are not alone. Faced with data showing that drivers pay attention to cameras at intersections — resulting in fewer ticketable violations and ever-shrinking revenue from fines — municipalities across the country are reconsidering red light cameras, which often work too well.

Red-light Cameras Increase Crashes, Florida Researchers FindRather than improving motorist safety, red-light cameras significantly increase crashes researchers at the University of South Florida College of Public Health conclude. (Credit: iStockphoto/Sue Smith) ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2008) — Rather than improving motorist safety, red-light cameras significantly increase crashes and are a ticket to higher auto insurance premiums, researchers at the University of South Florida College of Public Health conclude. The effective remedy to red-light running uses engineering solutions to improve intersection safety, which is particularly important to Florida’s elderly drivers, the researchers recommend. “The rigorous studies clearly show red-light cameras don’t work,”...

Supporters of red light cameras say project should be low-cost 7/26/2006 Austin City Council members who support red light cameras say they want to find a system that won’t cost the city much money or effort. City Council Member Lee Leffingwell says the goal of a red light camera system would not be to boost the city’s revenues, but he also wants to avoid draining city funds for a network of cameras at busy intersections. “What I would be looking for in a proposal that comes back to us is one that has zero or minimal up-front costs to the...

A deeply divided Houston City Council today voted to approve a five year contract for the city's proposed red light camera program. American Traffic Solutions Inc. will now begin setting up cameras at ten intersections around town judged to be the most accident-prone. The cameras are set up to take pictures of red light runner's license plates. Violators caught by the cameras will be mailed a $75 ticket. Those who have three violations within one year would have to pay $150 for each ticket after the first two. Debate over the use of the cameras has raged ever since Mayor...

City of Scottsdale illegally interferes with Photo Radar Referendum Have you ever had to go to a government office to file paper work of any type during a Legal Holiday? If you had gone, you would have noticed the doors locked and the lights off, and typically most people would not have gone because they understand that no government offices are opened. The attempts of citizens to place a question on the ballot regarding photo radar was thwarted by the city of Scottsdale and it's actions to claim that our filing deadline was Thursday the 24th which was Thanksgiving Day....

Take notice, Houston motorists: There's a clear picture of the future downtown. It's where the Police Department this morning began testing camera systems designed to catch red-light runners at four intersections. The 30-day pilot program is part of an effort to pick the best private vendor to install the systems at up to 50 city intersections over time. Mayor Bill White and other city officials say the cameras serve two key purposes: reducing serious wrecks at intersections and freeing up an understaffed police force from traffic enforcement. "This is about increasing safety, making people more alert and using the technology...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The first deep sea red-light district - glowing appendages on a newly discovered jellyfish relative - appear to flash their come-hither message to lure prey. Jellyfish and other types of sea creatures are known to produce light, but this is the first deep ocean invertebrate known to use red fluorescent light, said Steven H. D. Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, Calif. Three of the animals were found by scientists using a remote controlled research vehicle at depths of between 5,200 feet and 7,500 feet off the coast of California. The discovery...

Metropolitan Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey yesterday outlined a plan to expand the District's use of speed and red-light cameras, but was not aware of details to reimburse a private contractor for issuing as many as 103,000 traffic-camera citations a month. Chief Ramsey said the police department is preparing to add at least 10 red-light cameras to the 39 devices already installed at city intersections. He said police also will add several speed cameras, including two new vans to monitor motorists in construction zones. "We are implementing these program expansions with the strong support of the communities who will benefit...

(AP) - Legislators' libertarian leanings prevailed over pleas for highway safety Friday when a House of Delegates committee dealt with bills governing motorcyclists and red light scofflaws in Virginia. The Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee rejected several bills to expand or continue local pilot programs that use cameras to catch red light runners. The panel also endorsed legislation allowing motorcyclists 21 and over to ride without a helmet. The panel voted 15-6 to kill Del. Michelle McQuigg's bill expanding so-called "photo-red" monitoring systems statewide. Six northern Virginia localities and Virginia Beach have pilot programs that are scheduled to end...

The Belgian city of Antwerp is to dim its new waterfront lights after complaints from prostitutes. Sex workers complained the bright lights were putting off potential clients, reports Independent Online. "We had some remarks from the prostitutes that there was too much light, both for them and the clients," city council spokesperson Jorn Verbeeck said. "We are investigating the possibility of lowering the light there." Prostitutes complained to city and police officials that the lights did not give them enough privacy and hurt business, he said. The port, which tolerates sex workers in a select few streets near the waterfront,...

Red-light runners beware: Cameras soon will be watching in Denton. The City Council this week approved a new ordinance for the installation of cameras on some streets to photograph cars that run red lights. The measure, similar to ones in Garland, Frisco, Richardson and Plano, aims to prevent accidents. City officials will search for a vendor early next year to install and operate the system, and cameras will be placed at yet-to-be-chosen intersections by the end of 2005. Violators will be mailed $75 tickets. For people with three or more violations, the ticket is $150. "Hopefully the cameras will cut...

These guys are really going at it.

Erroneous ticket drives motorist to distraction Citation: A Severn resident finds himself on an unexpected odyssey through a maddening bureaucratic maze. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Marcia Myers Sun Staff Originally published April 18, 2002 Charles Ricketts opened his mail two Saturdays ago to find a traffic citation with supposedly foolproof evidence that he had run a red light. The enclosed photo, taken at 4:48 p.m. March 26 by an enforcement camera at Reisterstown Road and Menlo Drive, showed a dark purple Dodge Caravan with Maryland license plate M182782. Ricketts drives a dark green Plymouth Voyager with an almost identical Maryland plate -...