Red Light Camera in Operation

Don't red light cameras make people more likely to stop at red lights? Same thing that would happen if you parked a police cruiser at the intersection. The police car and man cost the city big bucks. The red light camera is not only free, it also pays the city little bucks.

Let the bashing begin.

As Michael Jackson would say, 'that's ignorant.'

Red Light cameras are the worst kind of tax. A tax on the citizens that mostly gets shipped out of town into private hands.

Red light cameras cause accidents with big rigs because they can't afford to get a red light ticked and maintain their cdl. See those big coils of steel on the back of all those AK trucks? yes they have been known to break loose and fall onto cars.

That means that Red Light Cameras can kill.

Twice last week I had to slam on my brakes as green lights went to red in record time.  I was not speeding..........never do.  It took all that my brakes could muster from stopping in the middle of the intersections.  If anyone else has had similar situations you might wish to bring those to the attention of Mr. Haller.

More mockery of Middletown is on the way compliments of the Cincinnati print and broadcast media.  What a town??

As someone who has followed this situation from it's planning stages(I was strongly opposed at first solely for the Big Brother reasons) when I was on the Citizens' Advisory Board to the Police Dept., I strongly support this issue now.

Does anyone know where these cameras are at?  I haven't see a listing of the intersections, which leads me to think once again this is nothing more than a revenue generator.  Last time they at least listed the intersections in the journal.

Spider- Situation for you---- you are on Briel doing 35 to 45 MPH, a speed within the posted limit. You approach the intersection of Grand and Briel at 35-45 and your car is right at the crosswalk of the intersection. You decide there isn't enough time/distance at that speed to stop so you speed on through. By the time your car clears that intersection at 45, the light has already changed to red. The time to go from green to yellow to red is in what seems milli- seconds. There are several intersection lights that are timed the same way. There is absolutely no yellow light time on these lights. They literally "jump" from green to red. Perhaps there would be no need for these cameras if the city would time these lights to allow more time on the yellow to clear the intersection safely. Drivers are trying to speed up through an intersection because they know that the yellow caution won't be enough time before it turns red and the camera takes the picture. JMO

Pacman- they didn't go out of their way to publicize the locations- I remember reading one down on Oxford State Rd. or Yankee Rd. Don't remember the rest of the locations. Most aren't in the "mainstream" part of town I don't think.

Well......imagine this.....today's Midd. Journal article....

THOUGHT THE CAMERAS WERE FOR SAFETY FIRST WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF REVENUE.....THE CITY SURE LIKES COUNTING THEIR TRAFFIC LIGHT REVENUE, DON'T THEY?

Red light cams netted $200K in 2010

MIDDLETOWN —Red light cameras spark controversy for generating revenue for cities, but police officials say they’re in place to save lives.

Middletown has nine red light cameras meant to catch motorists who disregard the traffic signals. Year to date, violations are down by about 200, totaling 1,906 tickets, according to the police department.

Those tickets have generated $70,559 so far — $31,751.55 of which has gone to pay Redflex Traffic Systems which operates the cameras for Middletown, according to the city finance department.

With an estimated $12 million budget for 2011, red light camera revenue arguably are but a drop in the police budget. Since the cameras were first installed in 2005, Maj. Mark Hoffman said they’ve been meant to increase safety at some of Middletown’s most dangerous intersections.

IS HOFFMAN AND OTHER POLICE OFFICIALS THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE STILL CLINGING TO THE OLD "IT'S FOR SAFETY AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REVENUE" SLOGAN?

Where cameras are placed is always in flux. Several have been discontinued — such as the camera at Manchester Road and Breiel Boulevard — because accident activity decreased, Hoffman said.

SHOULD READ.....BECAUSE REVENUE DECREASED    IF THE CAMERAS WERE PLACED AT THESE INTERSECTIONS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH RISK OF ACCIDENT, WHY ARE THEY NOT STILL BEING MONITORED? MUST HAVE BEEN A REASON TO PUT 'EM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHY ARE YOU MOVING THEM?.....BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GENERATING AS MUCH REVENUE AS BEFORE. THE HIGH RISK STILL REMAINS IF THE ROAD SPEED IS STILL HIGH AND THE QUICKNESS OF THE RED-YELLOW-GREEN LIGHT SEQUENCE HASN'T BEEN CHANGED TO ALLOW LONGER YELLOW LIGHTS TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION.

A new national study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the rate of fatal red light crashes has decreased in the 62 largest cities across the country. However, the biggest drops came in cities that have red light cameras: 35 percent fewer crashes compared with 14 percent in cities without cameras. Only 14 of the cities polled had red light cameras, according to the study.

14 CITIES WITH RED LIGHT CAMERAS POLLED OUT OF A TOTAL OF 62 OF THE LARGEST CITIES.....HARDLY A LARGE ENOUGH BASE TO ESTABLISH DATA. IF THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS WERE SUCH A GOOD IDEA (BE IT REVENUE GENERATION OR FOR "SAFETY"), WOULDN'T THERE BE MORE THAN 14 ENJOYING THIS NEW FAD?

Residents concerned about their rights regarding the tickets can still receive their day in court just like they would for any other crime, Hoffman said.

YEAH RIGHT HOFFMAN. AND HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WILL GO FOR THE PERSON IN COURT, NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE?

I have driven past the white line at a intersection while stopping, seen the flash but have not gotten a ticket, yet. Also taken a right turn off of 4 onto 14th by woodside  not stopping first because I saw No on coming traffic. The flash went off but again No ticket.  Did learn my lesson and think a little more before making quick turns.

They now send you a link to an online video of the vehicle running the red light in addition to the still photos, so the proof is there.

I still don't understand the problem. If people don't speed or run red lights, then they won't get a ticket. It could be a lot worse too!! When I lived in Germany, they had speed cameras set up in mobile vans all over the place or had them hidden in trees. They even had them built into the guardrails on the autobahn so you couldn't see them. But, at least the fines were more reasonable than in the US. My wife had a fine mailed to her, with her picture of her in her car doing 40 kph in a 30 kph zone. I think the fine was around 15 Euro (about 20 USD)...which wasn't too bad.