The first intersection has a 3 second yellow and a camera. The second intersection has a 4 second yellow and no camera. Is this intentional? The light turns red way too fast for normal operation. Give the red light to your city hall with a “Stop the Red Light Photos” phone call.
Not sure what this is suppose to prove? Federal regulation requires yellow light to stay lit a minimum of 3 seconds so none of these lights are in violation. 3 sec for 35mph zone is pretty much the norm everywhere. I did recently get a ticket for running the red light ($700 fine – what a ripoff!!!!!) on a highway with 55mph speed limit. I filmed the Yellow staying lit for 3 seconds but our state regulation requires 5 sec for 55mph so the judge had no choice but to dismiss my ticket. YAY!!!!!!!!
Using my computer-mouse superpowers by pressing play and pause over and over and over again you will notice that the light changes to Yellow at 2:09 and changes to Red at 2:13. Since You-Tube doesn't show me tenths of a second, I do think that the Yellow in this video is approx. 3.3 – 3.7 seconds.
Just for the hell of it, I had a try with the timing device on my phone. First one that I got was between 3.15 and 3.30 seconds. Second light change, between 3.05 and 3.19 seconds. Third light change, 3.10 and 3.15 seconds. These first 3 were at the camera site.
At the second site, all 6 timings that were taken by myself ranged from 3.71 to 3.96 seconds. Each change of lights was run twice and tested. Aim was to beat the video both on the start and stop.
Question now needs to be asked: Is the speed limit the same for both sites? Are there mitigating factors relating to either site? My understanding is that at sites that have arrows painted in the lanes coming up to the lights, there are generally 3 arrows (Closest to the line, middle and distant or furtherest away from the line) to direct traffic. If you are over the middle arrow at 35 m.p.h. / 60 km/h, upon sighting the amber light, you should be able to stop at the stop line. Use the distant arrow if your speed is 50 m.p.h. / 80 km/h. Greater than that speed, use your discretion! This was taught to me when learning to drive, many years ago, and it must be valid as have never had a red or amber light ticket, and that is in over 30 years of driving.
good video man. I had a police officer cuss me out because I ran a yellow light traffic trap here in Cleveland. and the yellow light was even shorter than the one in your video. it literally was less than 2 seconds I kid u not!!!!!!! plus they were following behind me. I was going westbound on superior Ave toward downtown Cleveland at night.the officer cussed me out like it was personal
The minimum is not 4 seconds for a yellow light … unless the speed limit is 40 mph. For a 35 mph limit, the yellow light duration is supposed to be 3.6 sec. In other words, the duration depends on the speed (and the incline of the road). Google "yellow light duration equation" and you'll see some state Traffic Engineering Manual's come up. Check them out for details.
Since clearly we don't want people running red lights, the appropriate response to believing the yellow light duration is too short is to petition the city to increase the length of the yellow light, not to tell them to get rid of the red light camera. There are a lot (most) of people who run red lights not because they didn't have enough time to stop, but they choose not to stop because they don't want to wait.
While I agree with you in that these cameras and yellow light duration is bullshit, I agree with the comments regarding your reaction time. Your reaction time when starting the stopwatch is longer than when you stopped it. It is about a 3 second light, which I agree is too short and more dangerous. These cameras are all about revenue.
@djrichardblanc
No, your timing in starting the clock was a second late. I would say from estimating, it was probably a 3 second yellow, which is still pretty ridiculous. Your point is noted that the yellow is ridiculously short. But it is slighting longer than what you were indicating here.
@MrBFagel Thats a good idea you have there. What was your results for yellow lights with cams vs yellow lights without?
For the sake of accuracy, you're better off just letting the stop light run once it's green, then take a freeze-frame shot of the time when it hits yellow, same on red, and subtract.
BIG BROTHER is not only watching, but broke.