Red Light Camera Ticket

chadyaz · #1 08-10-2011, 01:36 AM

I got an unpleasant surprise in the mail today. It was a letter from Calgary Police Service for running a red light. The total came to $296. Let this be a lesson to all, it doesnt pay to run red lights.

alittlej · #2 08-10-2011, 01:53 AM

hey at least you were able to open your mail .....i hear some people who run red lights are no longer able to open mail.....or may know of someone they did not know is no longer able to open their mail......
YELLOW MEANS CLEAR THE INTERSECTION
RED MEANS NO GO .......
this is some thing i would not be proud of and $296.00 should have the decamil moved to the right by say oh 3 or 4 spots.......

TangoKilo · #3 08-10-2011, 10:08 AM

Congratulations!!!

A $287.00 fine sure seems like a reasonable reminder to STOP on red...

Compared to killing a family in a minivan that is!!

njd03 · #4 08-10-2011, 10:54 AM

Who runs redlights?

Jamie Black R/T · #5 08-10-2011, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadyaz

it doesnt pay to run red lights.

it took a fine to tell you this?

doetracks · #6 08-10-2011, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T

it took a fine to tell you this?

I was wondering this as well

mtylerb · #7 08-10-2011, 11:41 AM

One thing I noticed when I moved to AB from BC almost 6 years ago was the retarded number of people that run red lights here. Nothing compared to what I saw in BC. Here I see it happen 2-3 times a day, in BC I saw it maybe once a month.

It doesn't help that municipalities, like Edmonton, change their lights so that they stop traffic at every other light. It's ridiculously inefficient for traffic to try and move around and I'm betting it annoys people to the point they just don't care anymore and so they run a red to try and get ahead. In BC most lights are timed so that you can make 5 or 6 before you get stuck at a red.

I don't run reds outright. In the middle of the night, I've been known to stop at a red (which for unknown reasons has turned red at an all but unused intersection) check all directions and then go. I don't live in Edmonton, anymore, but 66 St NW and 129 Ave NW was one I frequently did that at.

Braun · #8 08-10-2011, 11:52 AM

This is funny. although some times it happens. At first i thought the same..... how the F do you run a red light..... but then one time a got rear ended for stoping at one. and i knew well in advance that he was comming but i had to choose to take it like a champ or break the law......... well the take it like a champ approach put my truck out of commission for a bit, and I was rather sore as well. I was lucky to get hit by the right person though. Company truck for a MAJOR company in town that will remain un named. But to give you the idea, they are a major client of Shaw GMC and apparently Shaw does alot to maintain that reputation. Driver gave me information but told me just to hold off reporting it until I talked to the boss. I said deal! didnt really want my insurance going up either considering I was already paying 3200 a year as a 19 year old. Boss told me to take it to Shaw to get it looked after said he would make the arrangements for me and that I wont have to do much but gave me explicit instructions to DO NOT GET A DAMAGE STICKER..... Apparently I talked to the wrong guy when I took it in. Said it will be anywhere from 4-6 weeks before they could even get to my truck told me to get a damage sticker blah blah blah........ called and left a message for mr bossman kinda getting ****ed saying he would take care of it and told him what I was told. Within 4 hours I got a call from shaw asking me if I could have my truck at their shop the next day(wednesday) the repairs would be done and I could pick up the truck thursday after hours. picked it up detailed inside and out.....

However since then. If I feel it is unsafe due to a vehicle following me or the driver behind me I have no hesitation going through an intersection late. but you have to be aware of what is happening at the intersection as well. we have horns for a reason and that is to get other's attention. I have since had to run a red or two.

Braun · #9 08-10-2011, 11:53 AM

That said i do see reds being run more often than is necissary. I have also been a passenger to drivers doing it and to be honest i think it is more of a people not paying attention issue. Alberta drivers seem to have a lackadaisical disposition on driving. Not taken very serious. not good

NorthernAbGuy · #10 08-10-2011, 12:12 PM

What's a red light? Seriously, there are no controlled intersections where I live. I was amazed when I moved from Calgary (a city of 1 million people and God knows how many cars) to Fairview ( a town of 3000 where you can shoot off a cannon down mainstreet on a saturday morning and no one would know) and the insurance company wanted to CHARGE ME MORE MONEY!!! They could not explain the reasoning behind it other than "that's our policy, it's determined by postal codes". So I decided to do business elsewhere. Stop for the red, the life u save might be your own.

chadyaz · #11 08-10-2011, 12:40 PM

This is the first ticket I've got since I was 16 (16 years) and I've never been in an accident. I'm looking at this as a little bit of a wake up call to pay a bit more attention behind the wheel. While the ticket stings the wallet a bit, the outcome could have been far worse. I've since found myself stopping at intersections whereas before I would have considered going through.

TangoKilo · #12 08-10-2011, 12:59 PM

Chadyaz,

What an incredibly mature and refreshing way to look at the situation.

Thanks!!

ishootbambi · #13 08-10-2011, 01:00 PM

i havent been ticketed for it, but there are a couple of traffic lights that really bother me. the one at the airport in medicine hat is a beaut. if im driving at the speed limit with a 63000 kg truck, the yellow is too fast to stop it. after seeing the damn thing a couple times i just have to slow to 30 km as i approach it just in case. other drivers honk at me and give me dirty looks all the time, but whaddya do?

Redfrog · #14 08-10-2011, 01:13 PM

If you run the light to avoid someone rear ending you and you have a collision with someone else you will own it. If you cross a center line to avoid a wreck and hit some one you will own it. Think about it.

horsetrader · #15 08-10-2011, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braun

This is funny. although some times it happens. At first i thought the same..... how the F do you run a red light..... but then one time a got rear ended for stoping at one. and i knew well in advance that he was comming but i had to choose to take it like a champ or break the law......... well the take it like a champ approach put my truck out of commission for a bit, and I was rather sore as well. I was lucky to get hit by the right person though. Company truck for a MAJOR company in town that will remain un named. But to give you the idea, they are a major client of Shaw GMC and apparently Shaw does alot to maintain that reputation. Driver gave me information but told me just to hold off reporting it until I talked to the boss. I said deal! didnt really want my insurance going up either considering I was already paying 3200 a year as a 19 year old. Boss told me to take it to Shaw to get it looked after said he would make the arrangements for me and that I wont have to do much but gave me explicit instructions to DO NOT GET A DAMAGE STICKER..... Apparently I talked to the wrong guy when I took it in. Said it will be anywhere from 4-6 weeks before they could even get to my truck told me to get a damage sticker blah blah blah........ called and left a message for mr bossman kinda getting ****ed saying he would take care of it and told him what I was told. Within 4 hours I got a call from shaw asking me if I could have my truck at their shop the next day(wednesday) the repairs would be done and I could pick up the truck thursday after hours. picked it up detailed inside and out.....

However since then. If I feel it is unsafe due to a vehicle following me or the driver behind me I have no hesitation going through an intersection late. but you have to be aware of what is happening at the intersection as well. we have horns for a reason and that is to get other's attention. I have since had to run a red or two.

I don't believe there is ever a right time to run a red light coming up to a green light if you pay attention when it turns yellow you have 5-7 sec before it turns red if you are paying attention you should have no problem slowing down which allows the person behind you to stop also. if you don't have time for that how do you figure you have time to notice the person behind you will not stop in time and still have time to check and see what is happening in the intersection. If you have run red light using this system and not hit anyone it is by dumb luck not by skill. I would suggest not pushing it

Big Racks · #16 08-10-2011, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horsetrader

I don't believe there is ever a right time to run a red light coming up to a green light if you pay attention when it turns yellow you have 5-7 sec before it turns red if you are paying attention you should have no problem slowing down which allows the person behind you to stop also. if you don't have time for that how do you figure you have time to notice the person behind you will not stop in time and still have time to check and see what is happening in the intersection. If you have run red light using this system and not hit anyone it is by dumb luck not by skill. I would suggest not pushing it

I'm one of the guys who stops at ALL red lights, regardless of time of day or night and regardless of any other traffic. Gets a bit annoying in the middle of the night when a light goes red as I'm just about to it and there is NO traffic in either direction. Not sure if it's a weather/road condition thing in the winter here but I've never seen so many lights as in the greater Edmonton area, including Beaumont/Nisku/Leduc that run on timers rather than traffic sensors. Arrggghhh!!! Yet I still do my duty and stop like the good sheep that I am.

I'm curious though where you've seen yellow lights that last 5 to 7 seconds??? I'll have to actually time them next time I think of it but I'm pretty certain I'd notice if they were that long. 3 to 4 seconds I think seems to be the norm to me.

huntinstuff · #17 08-10-2011, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorthernAbGuy

What's a red light? Seriously, there are no controlled intersections where I live. I was amazed when I moved from Calgary (a city of 1 million people and God knows how many cars) to Fairview ( a town of 3000 where you can shoot off a cannon down mainstreet on a saturday morning and no one would know) and the insurance company wanted to CHARGE ME MORE MONEY!!! They could not explain the reasoning behind it other than "that's our policy, it's determined by postal codes". So I decided to do business elsewhere. Stop for the red, the life u save might be your own.

Its true. I once shot a cannon down mainstreet Fairview and no one knew

Actually it was a homemade bazooka, but you get the idea......

The only place you can get killed by a car in Fairview is in the IGA parking lot

bigbuck19 · #18 08-10-2011, 03:21 PM

When I was younger I had a friend whose mom got killed by a semi going through a red, so I've never trusted the green without looking both ways. The fine is high because it's so dangerous, if you think about it - someone going through a red is probably speeding up to get through the intersection, you t-bone someone and they're toast. There's also people turning left when the light changes in some intersections... I've been in the car when a friend was driving, we went through a green but someone turned left. Nobody was hurt, but it sure makes you watch the left lane when you go through an intersection.
Good thing nobody was hurt, I bet you wouldn't do it again. It's kind of scary to see how many people run the red though, I used to live by 137 ave and 50th street and everytime I drove through that area I'd see the flash go off. Unbelievable.

camshaft · #19 08-10-2011, 04:42 PM

The cycle from yellow to red lights is typically, but not always in the 3 to 4 second range. If u are doing the speed limit on that certain portion of roadway, this shud be enuf time for u to 'safely' stop prior to entering the intersection.

Yellow does not mean clear the intersection. It means slow and be prepared to come to a stop if it is safe to do so.

I'd be surprised how many people here don't actually know it is illegal to proceed thu a 'yellow light'

Lone_Wolf · #20 08-10-2011, 04:50 PM

Good to hear you are taking the ticket in stride and using it as a lesson. More people need your attitude and not the "Oh I got a ticket, they're picking on me!" attitude.

bb356 · #21 08-10-2011, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lone_wolf

good to hear you are taking the ticket in stride and using it as a lesson. More people need your attitude and not the "oh i got a ticket, they're picking on me!" attitude.

mr poopypant"s ???

horsetrader · #22 08-10-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Racks

I'm one of the guys who stops at ALL red lights, regardless of time of day or night and regardless of any other traffic. Gets a bit annoying in the middle of the night when a light goes red as I'm just about to it and there is NO traffic in either direction. Not sure if it's a weather/road condition thing in the winter here but I've never seen so many lights as in the greater Edmonton area, including Beaumont/Nisku/Leduc that run on timers rather than traffic sensors. Arrggghhh!!! Yet I still do my duty and stop like the good sheep that I am.

I'm curious though where you've seen yellow lights that last 5 to 7 seconds??? I'll have to actually time them next time I think of it but I'm pretty certain I'd notice if they were that long. 3 to 4 seconds I think seems to be the norm to me.

If you look it up it is 3-7 second with the average being 5 you are right more lights should run on sensors especially at night

Joe Fehr · #23 08-10-2011, 05:33 PM

Here if you are in the intersection when it turns red you don't get fined, in South Australia if you are not clear of the intersection when it turns red you get fined.

Red light cameras are a good thing but so many people do not know the actual rules of the road say turning right at a red light - you are to come to a full and complete stop. Not just a rolling stop, many people get red light tickets for doing this in Grande Prairie.

cranky · #24 08-10-2011, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishootbambi

i havent been ticketed for it, but there are a couple of traffic lights that really bother me. the one at the airport in medicine hat is a beaut. if im driving at the speed limit with a 63000 kg truck, the yellow is too fast to stop it. after seeing the damn thing a couple times i just have to slow to 30 km as i approach it just in case. other drivers honk at me and give me dirty looks all the time, but whaddya do?

Im thinking they realize that we truckers cant stop that quick from say 70 klm on Yellowhead when we are 15-20 ft off the line and it goes yellow(damn i hate doing that, gotta watch them left lane turners).

Ive even seen the camera flash me but ive never gotten a ticket for it. Im guessing so long as it doesnt show over speed limit. I am guessing they check each one before issuing otherwise all the above doesnt apply.