Beware of traffic light cameras, esp. 35th and Thistle

[borris]

Just wondered if anyone else noticed this: that the traffic camera at 35th and Thistle, which supposedly snaps only for red-light runners, actually takes your picture if you are going through the yellow light! I’ve seen other traffic cameras do this, and my father even got a ticket for running through a yellow light. Is this the purpose? I just witnessed this (I’m not the one who drove through the yellow light and got flashed!) several times and am curious if anyone else has seen this here or elsewhere, and if this is a malfunction or false posting of its purpose.

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[JustSarah]

The purpose of the yellow light is to warn you that the red is coming. If it is safe to stop given your distance from the light and your speed, you are legally required to complete that stop. If it is not safe, you are to continue through the yellow light. If someone were travelling too fast on 35th (not that anyone does, right?) you may not be able to stop in the same time/distance as someone who was travelling the speed limit. In such a case, a ticket should be issued.

I see people blow through late-yellow lights all the time.

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[borris]

Thanks. I know the purpose of the yellow light and that it is a buffer between the green and the red. My point is that the traffic cameras are supposed to take pictures of people running red lights, not yellow ones. I’ve seen this particular camera flash when someone is turning on the yellow or has been in mid-turn and the light has just gone from green to yellow and it flashed — my point is that the people were not running red lights, they were turning while it was still yellow and they got flashed (and I assume ticketed). It’s not only this camera, but I have seen it several times with this camera at 35th and Thistle. My father got a ticket for doing the same — turning as the light went from green to yellow…the light was not red when he turned, yet he got the picture ticket in the mail (the picture is of him at the wheel, it does not show the light)and lost in court. So, my question is: isn’t the purpose — and the what is stated on the photocamera sign — to get red light runners and not yellow light runners?

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[JustSarah]

You’ll find a lot of similar discussions on the forum by searching “red light camera.” I believe it’s been decided that the camera takes a photo whenever it’s questionable whether the driver ran a red or didn’t come to a full stop before turning on red. I’ve never seen it flash when someone is fully stopped, then turns on red, but I have seen it flash when someone doesn’t stop before the crosswalk, or just never fully stops before making the turn.

And I think the point of the cameras is to ticket drivers who aren’t following all the signal laws, not just red lights. If the light turns red while you’re passing through the intersection, it counts.

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[borris]

Ok. But in this particular case (and in some other traffic camera instances, and the one my father got a ticket at — which was on the Eastside) there is a turn lane with a turn light. 35th and Thistle has a left turn lane with a left turn light, and I have seen the camera flash (taking the picture of the supposed illegal maneuver) when the person has been turning as the green arrow turned to yellow. The driver had completed the turn before the arrow turned red, therefore, they are being falsely accused of turning on a red arrow because the camera flashed while they were completing their turn on a yellow arrow (again, I’ve witnessed this more than once at this light). Since it is a turn lane with a turn light, they are not required to stop unless it is red or has turned yellow before they start their turn. I’ll search the forum… I have missed the previous discussions — thanks for pointing that out.

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[mpento]

I have seen what I can only consider as random flashes there which I assume is just a way of giving drivers a heads up that there is a camera on the intersection because signage is for people who are driving slow enough to be a nuisance. Also I sometimes turn south onto 35th after getting the light on westbound holden. The light at 35th and Thistle is always timed to change just as you arrive at the intersection. Hey the city needs the revenue I guess. Anytime I read about tax collectors in the bible I translate that to the police as the modern day equivalent. But hey Jesus loves you …….

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