Posted on 05/14/2013 3:33:55 PM PDT by oxcart
TAMPA BAY, Florida (WTSP) -- A subtle, but significant tweak to Florida's rules regarding traffic signals has allowed local cities and counties to shorten yellow light intervals, resulting in millions of dollars in additional red light camera fines.
The 10 News Investigators discovered the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) quietly changed the state's policy on yellow intervals in 2011, reducing the minimum below federal recommendations. The rule change was followed by engineers, both from FDOT and local municipalities, collaborating to shorten the length of yellow lights at key intersections, specifically those with red light cameras (RLCs).
While yellow light times were reduced by mere fractions of a second, research indicates a half-second reduction in the interval can double the number of RLC citations -- and the revenue they create. The 10 News investigation stemmed from a December discovery of a dangerously short yellow light in Hernando County. After the story aired, the county promised to re-time all of its intersections, and the 10 News Investigators promised to dig into yellow light timing all across Tampa Bay.
Red light cameras generated more than $100 million in revenue last year in approximately 70 Florida communities, with 52.5 percent of the revenue going to the state. The rest is divided by cities, counties, and the camera companies. In 2013, the cameras are on pace to generate $120 million.
"Red light cameras are a for-profit business between cities and camera companies and the state," said James Walker, executive director of the nonprofit National Motorists Association. "The (FDOT rule-change) was done, I believe, deliberately in order that more tickets would be given with yellows set deliberately too short."
(Excerpt) Read more at mysuncoast.com ...
...each state seems to like to use this scam, we’ve been through it....
Somebody who gets hit in the rear should sue the RLC company.
Safety First. No, strike that. Revenue First, then Safety.
Shakedown racket.
/johnny
NJ we have this goin now! Yellows were shortened and when you go to court it’s pretty much pay the fine! $150.00!
Shortened yellow lights mean more accidents of all kinds. My 18 year old son was killed by a red light rummer after they shortened the yellow lights here in Houston. It was many years before anyone had even heard of a red light camera.
What difference, at this point, does it make?
Cops are Revenuers, in my experience.
Sorry for your loss.
And ol' Charlie's workin' out real good at down at the corner store where The red light is. He sees them out-of-state plates two blocks away.
When They get right on top of that green light, ol' Charlie pushes that secret Button underneath the corner drug store counter. And that yellow light only Lasts for a tenth of a second.
Yeah, the county pays me about fourty a week Ain't that the livin' end? If it wasn't for them tourists in them out-of-state cars I'd have no loot to spend
But the way it stands this year so far, I've made four hundred thou For a high school dropout, I'm doin' fine I'm makin' more than the president now
It also increases the chances of collisions. But what do they care? Heck, just cut the yellow down to zero and let’s make film of the carnage!
OMG! Ditter, I had no idea, and I’ve seen your comments for years. I am sorry for your loss. It never goes away, all the way. Like it was before.
Hammer down!
Very sorry for your loss...
$450 here in Cali.
Such a crock. It isn’t until the sheep get taughtthey don’t have to bow before government that these things get changed. Government is supposed to work for you, not the screwed up other way around we have it today.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT LEFT-TURN SIGNALS and WASTED WAITS when no oncoming traffic exists.
Ten years ago we had NONE of this left-turn lane time wasters.
D.O.T. in Florida might as well be run by Democrats in Washington D.C.
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