Red light runners in Richmond up 600 percent

[godwin]

How about we put a red light camera at every intersection and use the proceeds to pay for our roads?


Red light runners in Richmond up 600 percent

Red light runners in Richmond up 600 percent

Massive 600 per cent spike in tickets issued

BY ALAN CAMPBELL, RICHMOND NEWSMARCH 15, 2012 6:03 PM




Remember drivers, these red lights mean stop.
Photograph by: Jennifer Steck, Getty Images/iStockphoto
The number of Richmond drivers getting caught running red lights at dangerous intersections has reached epidemic levels.

Figures released by ICBC on request of the News revealed a shocking 1,394 local motorists were issued tickets for running red lights last year — a massive spike of more than 600 per cent from 2010.

It’s understood that much of the incredible rise can be credited to the installation of more “intersection safety cameras” at accident hot spots around the city.

However, the five extra cameras were only put in place in November last year, indicating that the majority of the infractions happened only in the last six or seven weeks of the year.

The startling figures barely raised an eyebrow with Cpl. Kevin Lin, from Richmond RCMP’s road safety unit, who sees crazy driving on the city’s roads every day.

“No, I’m not at all (surprised),” said Lin.

“I knew that, because of the locations the cameras were placed, that it would probably produce numbers like this.

“At the newer (locations) we are there regularly for collisions and those intersections are known for their problems.”

In 2009 and 2010, Richmond had just four intersection cameras, with a total of 242 and 230 tickets issued respectively to drivers running red lights. Last year, the number of cameras jumped to nine after the launch of a province-wide safety program initiated by the B.C. government, police and ICBC.

There were a total of 30,803 red light tickets issued across B.C. last year, a leap of around 50 per cent from the previous year, compared to Richmond’s 600 per cent increase.

Aggressive driving is the main reason for the meteoric rise, according to Lin.

“People simply do not want to wait for the lights,” he said.

“It really hasn’t come as that big of a surprise, as intersection crashes are a huge issue in Richmond.

“We try very hard to focus our efforts on those intersections all the time.”

If the police catch you, it’s a $167 fine plus points on your license. If the camera catches you, it’s the same fine, but you usually escape points because it’s the registered owner who gets the slap, as opposed to the actual driver.

Lin said the best advice he can give to law-abiding drivers is to be “extra cautious” and be aware that there are people who are going to take chances and not always stop when they should.

But of the impatient culprits?

“They will get caught at some point. They will either get caught by the cameras or by us; but they will get caught,” he added.

Illegal u-turns at major intersections in Richmond are another big problem for Lin’s department.

“A huge misconception in Richmond is the no u-turn at a controlled intersection, especially on No. 3 Road,” he said.

“There are a few courtesy signs telling people that, but when they’re stopped by us, they complain that there wasn’t a sign. But there are no u-turns at a controlled intersection anywhere in B.C.”

The figures released by ICBC also showed that the numbers of fines issued in Richmond for distracted driving — namely, being on the phone — multiplied by more than 70 per cent last year to 1,493.

And the number of tickets issued for emailing or texting while driving in the city jumped to 70 from 41 in 2010.

Intersection safety cameras in Richmond are at: Cambie and No. 5 roads; No. 3 and Blundell roads; Gilbert and Blundell roads; No. 3 Road at Westminster Highway; No. 5 Rd at Westminster Highway; Garden City Road at Westminster Highway; Alderbridge Way at Shell Road; Garden City and Cambie roads and Garden City Road at Alderbridge Way.

Read more from the Richmond News here.

© Copyright (c) Richmond News

[MeowMeow]

I wish they made u-turn cameras too
Hate when dumbasses u-turn on 3 Rd when there are on-coming traffics, thinking their shitty driving skills & luxury SUV'scan fit in to one lane. But they don't and almost collide with vehicle onthe other lane and scares the fuck out of people who's not doing anything wrong.
Posted via RS Mobile

[Presto]

Of those 1394 ticketed, how many were tagged incorrectly (ie late lefts, yellows)?

[shenmecar]

Richmond

[mos_skeeto]

I'm usually for all the cop checks and things they implement to make our streets safer. I noticed with intersections with red light cameras that a lot of people 'gun it' when the light hits yellow... even more so than normal. In cases where the driver will run a late yellow or red regardless of a camera being there, it ends up making it much more dangerous especially when you have someone turning left the other way. If an accident happens it will be at a higher velocity.

[gars]

Originally Posted by Presto

Of those 1394 ticketed, how many were tagged incorrectly (ie late lefts, yellows)?

If it was done by cameras, you'll be able to see the car clearly over the line before the light turned red. Officers screen those before the tickets are issued.

If you were turning left, you still must have entered the intersection before the light turns red. Just because you're turning left, it doesn't mean you're allowed the run the light.


I don't drive into Richmond on a daily basis, but still go down twice a week to west richmond for a class with my dboat team - and I see people running full reds often.

I have no sympathy for people running reds. I think they should put up cameras on every intersection. Maybe then will people stop running the lights. I don't care if it's a cash grab.

[Paradise240]

Putting up red light cameras would be great, but what if the driver sees a red light, and they SLAM on the brakes to avoid the ticket and there's no way for the car behind him/her to stop safely and BAM ! Rear ended, assuming they were not tailgating or doing outlandish speeds. It would be difficult for the driver behind to argue with ICBC it's not his/her fault.

Lots of pros/cons from putting cameras at every light it'll be hard to make the switch and it'll come down to the cost of the cameras as well.

[Nightwalker]

Originally Posted by Paradise240

Putting up red light cameras would be great, but what if the driver sees a red light, and they SLAM on the brakes to avoid the ticket and there's no way for the car behind him/her to stop safely and BAM ! Rear ended, assuming they were not tailgating or doing outlandish speeds. It would be difficult for the driver behind to argue with ICBC it's not his/her fault.

Lots of pros/cons from putting cameras at every light it'll be hard to make the switch and it'll come down to the cost of the cameras as well.

You act like this doesn't already happen. I've seen many people slam to avoid running into an intersection on a red light.

If you're following distance is reasonable and you're paying attention, there's no reason you should hit the person in front of you.

If you do hit the person in front of you, it's pretty easy with ICBC. It's entirely your fault for rear ending the other car. Case closed.

[Paradise240]

I never said it doesn't, but it'll increase the rate of it happening.

Yes, that's very true if your in a lighter car, but I see many larger vehicles on the road which can't stop as sharply.

[gars]

Originally Posted by Paradise240

Putting up red light cameras would be great, but what if the driver sees a red light, and they SLAM on the brakes to avoid the ticket and there's no way for the car behind him/her to stop safely and BAM ! Rear ended, assuming they were not tailgating or doing outlandish speeds. It would be difficult for the driver behind to argue with ICBC it's not his/her fault.

Lots of pros/cons from putting cameras at every light it'll be hard to make the switch and it'll come down to the cost of the cameras as well.

if you see a red light, you are already waaaaaaay too late. If you see a yellow light, you need to gauge how far you are and if you're able to stop safely; nobody is asking you to slam to a screeching halt. If you can't do that safely (this is a very basic driving technique), you shouldn't be on the road.

I drive through an intersection with a red light camera like how I drive through every intersection. I don't pay more attention to the lights just because there's a camera. I don't recall once where I came up to an intersection and slammed to a halt because I was worried the camera would catch me.

When I approach an intersection, I always scan my rearview mirror to see how close the person is behind me. If he/she is tailing me, I slow down or tap the brakes so they know I might be stopping at the light. Defensive driving 101.

[Nightwalker]

Originally Posted by Paradise240

I never said it doesn't, but it'll increase the rate of it happening.

Yes, that's very true if your in a lighter car, but I see many larger vehicles on the road which can't stop as sharply.

It doesn't matter if you're driving a semi with a trailer, it's up to you to keep a safe following distance. Plus if you were behind the other car, you would see the yellow and know you're not going to make it. You would already be stopping.

[MindBomber]

Originally Posted by Paradise240

I never said it doesn't, but it'll increase the rate of it happening.

Yes, that's very true if your in a lighter car, but I see many larger vehicles on the road which can't stop as sharply.

The only valid reason for that larger vehicle to not always maintain a following distance which allows for the vehicle to come to a complete stop is if they another vehicle cuts in front of them, but even then, a comfortable safety margin to allow for this circumstance should exist. Driving a large vehicle carries the responsibility of recognizing it is not a small car and requires additional caution to operate, including paying attention to the ignorant other drivers on the road.

[spoon.ek9]

This shit happens downtown ALL the freaking time. I'm more surprised when people DON'T turn/cross intersections DURING and LONG AFTER a red light.

[tofu1413]

more cameras mean more richmonders gonna rear end each other..

[Ludepower]

Can someone enlighten me why we have a red light camera besides it being a cash cow?

These speeders who try beating the light will know where these cameras are. (They stick out like a sore thumb)

While the average joe who had a lapse in judgment and gauged their distance wrong takes the brunt of the fines.

The majority of us can agree that when this does happen it's unintentional.

[gars]

Originally Posted by Ludepower

Can someone enlighten me why we have a red light camera besides it being a cash cow?

These speeders who try beating the light will know where these cameras are. (They stick out like a sore thumb)

While the average joe who had a lapse in judgment and gauged their distance wrong takes the brunt of the fines.

The majority of us can agree that when this does happen it's unintentional.

Most red light cameras are placed at intersections that have a history of accidents caused by people who run red lights. If the cameras deter people from running red lights (like you suggest because the cameras stick out like a sore thumb), then this will bring down the number of accidents (which are a lot more dangerous than people getting rear-ended).

And I'll be honest, in the 12 years I've been driving, I don't ever recall having a lapse in judgment and running a red light. There have been times where I might have run a stale yellow, but never a red.

[Geoc]

Finally, some punishment for the retarded driving in Richmond. In the intersection by St. Edwards and Bridgeport, there is almost a guarantee some impatient asshole would run a stale red (i.e. the opposing lane left turn arrow light is green).

Not to mention the retards who go 50km/h and guns it when they see a yellow

[Duff Beer]

Did the cars have this:

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by Ludepower

While the average joe who had a lapse in judgment and gauged their distance wrong takes the brunt of the fines.

The majority of us can agree that when this does happen it's unintentional.

In other words: DRIVERS WHO ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ROAD. Maybe a nice ticket in the mail is what they need to snap them back to reality.

Remember that red light cameras DON'T ACTUALLY ACTIVATE UNTIL THE LIGHT IS RED. If you're snapped on one of these, it means you ENTERED the intersection ON A RED LIGHT. No lapses in judgement for you in that case, you're a straight-on fucktard.

[melloman]

I've heard the excuse by "someone" I know saying...

"Oh the light must be broken." And the person would run the red light.. she did this when I was in the car and I freaked!! There were no cars around but never-the-less I had the face of...

[Soundy]

I was in a cab in Richmond once and the cabbie blew through a red light... I was like, "ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?!", and he says, "No, it's okay, I learn to drive from my brother, he go through red lights all the time."

Then we came up to a green light and the cabbie stopped and I was like, "WTF man, it's green!", and he says, "Yes, but my brother might be coming the other way."

[Santofu]

^ This is mind blown but kinda funny at the same time

Nevertheless I'm probably gonna prohibit myself from taking a cab.

[Soundy]

It's a JOKE (and a very old one).

[swfk]

But I'm Asian too

[El Bastardo]

On the other side of this discussion:

Does running red lights happen a lot in Asia?