Pilot program: Red Light Cameras in NJ

It seems Gov. Jon Corzine signed into law a bill that made it through the state legislature’s lame duck session.

The bill created a red-light camera pilot program. "Outgoing State Sen. Joseph Coniglio(D) sponsored the bill, which orders NJDOT to create a five-year pilot program which municipalities can apply to for permission to install red-light cameras at intersections. In their application, municipalities must identify intersection(s) they want to install cameras on, and provide evidence that a high violation rate exists at the intersection and the yellow light is sufficiently long (the required length varies with the documented speed of traffic at the intersection).

Red-light cameras have worked in NYC. In 2004, NYCDOT found that intersections with red-light cameras saw a 10% overall reduction in collision-related injuries and a 19% decline in pedestrian injuries over six years (see MTR # 464).
" (tstc blog)

Here's the Law.

Keep your eyes open.

 

Well while I surely dont support running red lights, I just dont think this is the time to be spending money on traffic cameras.

 

I was reading an article on this in Car and Driver recently, these cameras actually make it more dangerous out on the roads but they certainly bring in the cash for the government.
They are a pure money maker, its not like when your going through a red light your checking to see if there is a camera anyway.

 

NYC has a lot of them at some major ave and cross street intersections. There's a list of them on the web somewhere. Anyway I see them flashing all the time. At major intersections I do not push the amber lights in the city.

I think another thing we'll begin to see more of are photo radar locations. DC area is using more and more. My sister got a mailer surprise from one of those recently, had no idea it existed on that side road. Said it was my fault (!) since she was coming to meet me and was late hehe.

 

hate them but would rather get a 50 ticket in the mail then pulled over for a ticket plus points. unless you hand out PBA cards

 

Heard the same thing. Running red lights went down but rear end collisions went up because of people hitting the brakes.

 

What is a photo radar? I must be slow.

 

Not a problem , I don't go through red lights.

 

Radar readings enforced by unmanned cameras basically. Your speed is measured and if it exceeds the allowance set your vehicle is photographed just like w.the red light cameras and you get a ticket in the mail.

 

NOt just on existing lights either Clyde.
Many new lights and most new intersections are geting them as well even without the traffic study. I'snt there some stuff people put over their plates to block the cameras?
I thought I read that somewhere.

 

There's a spray and a plastic or lexan cover sold for this purpose but ostensibly for tag protection. I've never used it but I saw a news report in which they tested both devices and examined the photos immediately after - they don't work. The spray I think refracted light from the flash only to the extent it was slightly obscured but no where near sufficient to thwart ID. I'm sure Googling it will turn up mixed results.

 

I learned an interesting bit about the camera enforcement stuff. It sends the notice to the address on file for your tabs. If you have moved and not updated your address then you nay not get the ticket. Of course, if you don't know you have an unpaid ticket time will tend to elapse. After a year (i'm sure this is state dependent) Your license is suspended. Of course, that notice is also sent to the address on file.

This basic thing recently happened to me. However, it wasn't a speed/redlight issue, and a military deployment was the cause of me being out of the loop for so long. Happy ending for me was, I (read, my lawyer) got the whole thing dismissed.

Keep them addy's up-to-date, I guess.

 

With the cameras being mounted on the lights & being so high up, I suspect they rely on the plate being perpendicular to the ground.
What if the plate was angled, say 5degrees toward the road surface and/or 5 degrees to the right. I would think there's no law against that. Be interesting to do some tests.

 

Funny thing about traffic laws. If we all had enough time to read what's on the books (we supposed to know every one) we would be amazed . I think it is illegal to modify , distort , improperly mount and various other codes to a licence plate. So if you alter the mounting it most likely will be illegal.

 

Bummer.
But here is one way to get around not paying for your photographed tickets.

It would be nice to know how this turns out.

 

That is funny.

 

Is that in conjunction with the red light cameras or is this something totally seperate like when you see those speed readers variously on the roads except now they just have cameras?

 

There's an update
=================
New Jersey Department of Transportation has launched a new initiative to catch drivers who run red lights and prevent accidents in high-traffic areas...
The cameras will be installed in Edison, Jersey City, Lawrence, Linden, New Brunswick and Wayne. There are currently six other New Jersey towns that have already installed the equipment.
The six municipalities are part of a five-year pilot program to determine if the monitoring system increases safety.
...
Officials say drivers will receive their photos in the mail along with tickets for running the red lights. The intersections were selected based on past numbers of tickets given out and accidents in the area.

--------------
taken from News 12.


So, this just makes my day. Not that I run red lights, I dont. But more big brother in a revenue generation system is not what we need.

 

Typical corrupt NJ politics - where in the hell is Mr. Corzine or the municipalities getting the money to fund this?

Nero fiddles while Rome burns, but the tax base in NJ is eroding at 5% per year, there's no new businesses being recruited into the State, we pay some of the highest taxes and auto insurance in the country, and he wants to SPEND MORE???

This madness is killing this State - we are a microcosm of the current climate in the United States and now the inmates are running the asylum. You can't SPEND YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS MESS, JON!!!!

 

Most who are native to the area dont realize how blatantly people here run red lights or dont slow for school zones ... if anyone pick an intersection and watch 10 mins, then u will understand... or if u pass a school on major street take notice how NO ONE slows to 25MPH.. and if u dont get it then its because you are one of the offenders

 

Wow you saved yourself the effort of typing a whopping 6 characters by dropping into annoying txtspk! Good for you!

(meant in good fun, not picking on you personally, opinions of hosts, callers and guests are not those of station management)
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

hehehehehe!

how is that for txt spk

 

It was my understanding that in NJ you have the right to face your accuser and can not receive a ticket for a moving violation in the mail.....did they also re-write the law books of this corrupt state? I have said since the day he took office, who in their right mind would let Gov. C run this state when Goldman Sacs paid him million's of dollars to LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's all frickin' democrats know how to do, spend money and make our lives more miserable. But in this case they probably will eventually get the money back.
We already have one of these in one particualarly bad intersection where I live. It's been there for 6 months or more.
In this state, NJ, the drivers in congested areas behave horribly so I'm not surprised we've ended up with this. I also don't think it will make a damn bit of difference in their behavior.

Bob S.

 

Do you think that could still work? Let's take up a collection. I'll bet we could raise $10M just to have him resign. ;>)

Bob S.