Red light cameras in Florida

[mclasser]

I'm in Florida visiting some friends and know this place is red light camera heaven. I'm extra careful at every intersection here, completely stopping before the first white line for a few seconds, THEN slowly inching forward to see if the coast is clear to make the right on red. Some intersections have the following sign:

If such intersections don't explicitly say "No Turn on Red," I can still make a right on red after coming to a full stop before the first white line, correct? I've heard of cameras being rigged down here and people still getting tickets after coming to a full stop, then making the right turn.

 

[raytseng]

Yes, the law for right on red is full stop before the limit line then turn right.

I think it's more likely that people are complaining since their concept of the law is not the same as the actual literal law. Meaning probably not actually fully stopping, or not stopping behind the limit line

If they actually believe the camera is actually "rigged", and you didn't get caught, then you're screwed no matter what you do, it could give you a ticket turning on a green light.

 

[Chris142]

I would not trust them.id wait till a green to make a right regardless.the ones her gave you a $491 fine for putting your front bumper over the line.

 

[raytseng]

There's an intersection with a camera here. They have a sign that says right turn on red after full stop allowed, just to remind you that it's legal.

Sometimes it triggers the photo, and you see the flash. however you will not get a ticket.

If your area is corrupt, that's a different story.

 

[Merkava_4]

If it says right turn included, I'd stay there until it's green. You're gonna get alotta people mad at you, but they're not paying for your traffic ticket. A red light run is $400 in CA.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
If it says right turn included, I'd stay there until it's green. You're gonna get alotta people mad at you, but they're not paying for your traffic ticket. A red light run is $400 in CA.


Is right on red illegal across CA, or are these obnoxious ticket fees only on corners marked with right on red not allowed?

 

[raytseng]

in CA
right on red when safe is legal after full stop,
Unless marked with no turn on red sign

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
I would not trust them.id wait till a green to make a right regardless.the ones her gave you a $491 fine for putting your front bumper over the line.


Wow! Man that's INSANE!!

 

[Garak]

Check the specific law. Some jurisdictions have (or at least had) a blanket ban on right turns on red lights. In others, you're still not supposed to "blow" the red while turning right, and a certain programming window in the camera will allow for that to be enforced reasonably well.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Is right on red illegal across CA, or are these obnoxious ticket fees only on corners marked with right on red not allowed?


A few years back they had 3 or 4 red light camera intersections in Fresno. You were allowed to turn right on red, but everybody including myself was too afraid to take a chance. I got busted going through one of those red light cameras one day and had to pay the fine. After I paid the fine, I completely avoided all the red light camera intersections altogether. And then about a year later, the city council decided it was costing them more to maintain the red light cameras than what they were getting through ticket revenues.

 

[DoubleWasp]

They're not rigged, per se. They're just not set up properly in some cases. People get their picture taken by red light cameras all of the time, even while travelling under green. Police reviewing the photos toss them away.

I treat all right turns on red like yield signs. Just keep going if the coast is clear. Never got one of those stupid things but once. Lawyer got it dismissed.

Florida is not the haven it once was. Florida supreme court ruled that private agencies cannot conduct law enforcement. That killed most of the cameras out there. There are plenty of intersections that used to flash away, where there is now nothing. Plenty more still work, but are no longer reviewed since they can't legally enforce them.

 

[RF Overlord]

When "right on red" first become legal during the gas crisis, the law was you could do it as long as the intersection wasn't marked "no turn on red". Massachusetts decided to be contrary and mark 95% of the intersections in the state. The feds stepped in and told them they'd cut off federal highway funds unless they allowed it.

Some official's brother must have owned a sign-making company.

 

[Cujet]

Suggestion:

Use "Waze" on your smart phone. Configure the settings to inform you of police, and red light cameras. Disable all other warnings.

Waze will still warn you audibly of cars on the side of the road and debris in the road. But at least Waze's moving map won't be populated with every possible "reported" hazard.

Here in West Palm Beach, Florida, the red-light cameras are legendary. We have a "battle royal" with the powers that be. As it is impossible to "face your accuser" in court. As nobody witnessed the "infraction" (a Constitutional right)

 

[SwampSurvivor]

If there was ever any question about municipalities doing some Boss-Hog stuff to get revenue - red light cameras are a good example.

They are ONLY to generate revenue and seem to cause more wrecks from people stopping when it is unsafe to.

But, hey, they get more money without having to bring on more police!

 

[DBMaster]

It is just one more thing to give the public reason to dislike police. I know that the cameras don't usually involve the police, but they are a traffic enforcement procedure. Many of us feel that most traffic enforcement is geared toward revenue collection. If it weren't they'd be out in unmarked cars pulling people over for things that are far more dangerous than just speeding. There is an entire industry built around traffic citations (police, RADAR guns, LASER guns, courts, lawyers, traffic schools, insurance companies). An entire segment of our economy would collapse if the revenue oriented "enforcement" stopped.

I know that lost of cops don't look at it that way, but almost everyone will admit it puts them in conflict with citizens who are not likely to commit serious crimes.

I don't know what the answer is, but here where I live the public's disdain for traffic rules is so bad, and getting worse, that there is no way on earth that the random, arbitrary enforcement methods in place will make a difference.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
If it says right turn included, I'd stay there until it's green. You're gonna get alotta people mad at you, but they're not paying for your traffic ticket. A red light run is $400 in CA.


Is right on red illegal across CA, or are these obnoxious ticket fees only on corners marked with right on red not allowed?


Right on red is legal as long as you come to a complete stop before the limit line. The problem MOST people have is that they did NOT come to a complete stop. We are somewhat infamous for the term "California stop" since MOST people do not actually stop. I've seen people make the right turn on a red light at about 5-10 MPH and I'm sure if you asked them they would have said that they stopped.

I've driven in many cities that had these red light cameras and never once got a ticket. Maybe I'm just lucky?

 

[skyactiv]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
If it says right turn included, I'd stay there until it's green. You're gonna get alotta people mad at you, but they're not paying for your traffic ticket. A red light run is $400 in CA.


Is right on red illegal across CA, or are these obnoxious ticket fees only on corners marked with right on red not allowed?


Texas was the last state in the nation that didn't allow right on red at all traffic lights.

 

[InfmousCornholio]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
Suggestion:

Use "Waze" on your smart phone. Configure the settings to inform you of police, and red light cameras. Disable all other warnings.

Waze will still warn you audibly of cars on the side of the road and debris in the road. But at least Waze's moving map won't be populated with every possible "reported" hazard.

Here in West Palm Beach, Florida, the red-light cameras are legendary. We have a "battle royal" with the powers that be. As it is impossible to "face your accuser" in court. As nobody witnessed the "infraction" (a Constitutional right)

Waze is awesome. Pro-policers have a FIT over that feature. Too funny.

The day they "expired" in NJ was a happy day. Safer roads result, since we don't slam on brakes anymore to avoid.. as was said: The $250+ fine for being an inch over the line, at the intersection with a 4 - minute light.

What's that? "Oh, there aren't any lights that long?" ... Jersey City NJ. Rt 440 and Communipaw Ave. Put it in park, check your phone, and be ready to road - rage with the traffic that blocks a lane to cut you off making a right put of the IHOP.. You're welcome. 4 minutes. I timed it. Multiple times. Make that light...

 

[Benzadmiral]

My routine when approaching a known red-light camera intersection:

1) Avoid it. If I can't:

2) If the light has been green for a while, I pull over out of traffic and wait until it goes yellow, then drive up to the now-red light. This way there is never a question whether I'll be able to make it; I go on a fresh green light. And I won't be speeding to make it, since several of the camera intersections around here also give out tickets for speeding.

Yes, it's annoying to have to do this. So are the cameras.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Texas was the last state in the nation that didn't allow right on red at all traffic lights.


In New York City there is no right turn on red allowed. I can't say if that's in all five boroughs, but everywhere I have driven there it is true.