The problemNorthland reader Greg Bausch reports that he once sat through several traffic light changes while waiting for a left-turn signal light to turn green at Vivion Road and North Oak Trafficway.
You know how it is with electronics, he says. It’s not a matter of “if” they will fail, but “when.”After finally giving up on seeing green, he drove through the intersection. Afterward, he realized it was monitored by cameras, which police use to ticket red-light runners. He fretted about getting a ticket and having to prove his innocence in court.Although the ticket never came, he still wonders: What happens when traffic lights malfunction at red light camera intersections? Will the driver who disobeys a red light be ticketed? Who decides that?The answerThe company that provides the cameras monitors the footage for possible violations, then forwards those to police who determine whether to issue a ticket. If a traffic light clearly is malfunctioning, no ticket will be issued, said Capt. Steve Young, a Kansas City police spokesman.Usually the red light camera company does not forward those issues to police if they realize the traffic signals aren’t working properly, he said.The Watchdog has learned not to chase cars too closely near intersections. He can’t brake fast enough when the cars stop suddenly.Read more The Watchdog
Posted on Sat, Feb. 11, 2012 09:50 PM
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