Red light camera and dangerous driver reporting questions

[rojhero]

Hi All,

I have two questions:

1) Do red light cameras also work on designated left turn lights? More specifically, I ran a red light turning left from Crowchild northbound onto 24th Ave westbound. I couldn't see the light behind a large truck and since the driver ran a yellow, I ended up running a red.

2) As a pedestrian, what happens if I report a driving infraction (ie. someone who ran a stop sign and almost hit me walking in the crosswalk) to the police? What kind of fine/punishment would the driver face, if any at all?

Thanks!

[dragonone]

1) y were you so close the that vehicle? the only times i have to run red at left turns was if i was waiting for the oncoming vehicle to pass
2) they take ur statement and investigate it? you have to show up in court, and the ticket might be failure to stop at a stop sign?

[Team_Mclaren]

1)
AFAIK, there are two sensors for the red line camera, one before you enter the intersection, one after. In order for the red line camera to go on, you have to trigger both sensors. As in crossing the first one when the light is red, and the second one (the one follow exiting the intersection) when the light is still red. Pretty sure a cop once told me this, i think... or perhaps i was dreaming.

There are no reasons why you should follow the truck so close, especially when you cant even see the traffic/ traffic light yourself. So you are definitely in the wrong there

[rojhero]

I appreciate your responses.

Just to clarify, when I say a large truck, I mean one of those severely lifted pickup trucks. You'd have to be really far back to be able to see the light (since it is a vertical light, not horizontal- horizontally mounted lights are much higher up). Also, I mentioned that it was a designated turn light (no yielding to oncoming traffic if green). By that I mean that there is no oncoming flow of traffic (the oncoming traffic also has a designated turn light).

I feel that I was close enough to not be able to see the light, yet far enough to safely stop since we were travelling at a low speed. It's just that when I was able to see the light (since the light is slightly offset to the left), I was already in the interesection.

It's a difficult situation to describe, but the picture comes in the mail, I'll post it to better show my point. I'm really hoping it doesn't come though. It's just frustrating because I feel the only way to prevent something like this in the future is to have knowledge of the timing of the light or else drive really far back and piss off people behind me who miss the light.

But again, does anyone happen to know if red light cameras are triggered by a dedicated turn signal?

[badatusrnames]

^^ If you can't see the light, don't enter the intersection to turn left until the truck turns and you can see it, simple as that, that's exactly what a cop would tell you if he had given the ticket to you in person. You deserve the ticket, you put yourself into a position to run that light.

While no one does this, technically you aren't even supposed to enter and intersection and wait until oncoming traffic clears to make a turn to avoid situations like this where you get stranded and run a light or almost get hit by someone trying to run the yellow/red as you try to clear the intersection. The situation is even worse when two people jam into the intersection and try to make the turn on a yellow/red. You're supposed to wait at the stop line and enter the intersection and make your turn when it is completely safe and clear to do so.

And as for worrying about pissing people off that miss the light - fuck them, seriously. Your safety and everyone else's is more important. My aunt got herself t-boned because someone honked at her to make a left turn when her better judgment told her that she didn't have time. She gave in to the pressure and made the turn. It ended up the oncoming vehicle was speeding and she got nailed.

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by rojhero
I appreciate your responses.

Just to clarify, when I say a large truck, I mean one of those severely lifted pickup trucks. You'd have to be really far back to be able to see the light (since it is a vertical light, not horizontal- horizontally mounted lights are much higher up). Also, I mentioned that it was a designated turn light (no yielding to oncoming traffic if green). By that I mean that there is no oncoming flow of traffic (the oncoming traffic also has a designated turn light).

I feel that I was close enough to not be able to see the light, yet far enough to safely stop since we were travelling at a low speed. It's just that when I was able to see the light (since the light is slightly offset to the left), I was already in the interesection.

It's a difficult situation to describe, but the picture comes in the mail, I'll post it to better show my point. I'm really hoping it doesn't come though. It's just frustrating because I feel the only way to prevent something like this in the future is to have knowledge of the timing of the light or else drive really far back and piss off people behind me who miss the light.

But again, does anyone happen to know if red light cameras are triggered by a dedicated turn signal?

WRONG, when you cant see the traffic and/or light before a left turn, you are supposed to stay back and not enter/follow the vechilcle which is already in the intersection. I thought that was common sense...

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


WRONG, when you cant see the traffic and/or light before a left turn, you are supposed to stay back and not enter/follow the vechilcle which is already in the intersection. I thought that was common sense...

Know what else is common sense? They give drivers liscences away in cracker jack boxes now... true story!

[rojhero]

After some more thought, I have to agree that I should have waited for the truck to clear the view while leaving enough space to stop for a yellow/red light. Making people wait behind me is worth it if I can avoid a head on collision with oncoming traffic after my light has turned red and the oncoming traffic has a green (since if timed right, the oncoming traffic could be travelling at 70km/h). I'll just have to pay the fine and call it a lesson learned.

Thanks to everyone for help in clarifying this. It's tough to get rid of bad driving habits once they are formed, even though they defy logic.

But the question still remains. Is the red light camera activated by a red on a designated left turn?

As for the 2nd comment. I'm not sure of the validity since CAA driving school teaches you that one car is allowed to be in the intersection past the stop line with the wheels turned forward. Perhaps my assumption that CAA teaches proper, legal driving is wrong?

[badatusrnames]

^^ I was told by my AMA driving instructor and in the classroom that you aren't allowed to come to a stop in an intersection and wait to turn, the reasoning being that by entering the intersection without being able to actually make a safe turn (basically you are waiting to turn) you are putting yourself into a position where you my be forced to make a dangerous maneuver and break the law and run a red. I'm not sure of the true legalities of it, but they presented it as being the law. Even if the common practice is for a car to enter the intersection. AMA also made me wait for grandpa to walk across all six lanes until I could turn right, so they don't always teach what is practical.

Of course no one actually does this (myself included) and some difficult intersections to make left turns at (such as 20th Ave. N from Edmonton Tr. NE to 10th St. NW) don't have advance turns so people are forced to turn three on red or make dangerous blind turns, which is bad traffic planning if you ask me.

[BlueGoblin]

Originally posted by rojhero
Hi All,

I have two questions:

...

2) As a pedestrian, what happens if I report a driving infraction (ie. someone who ran a stop sign and almost hit me walking in the crosswalk) to the police? What kind of fine/punishment would the driver face, if any at all?

Thanks!

It doesn't look like your second question has been answered. The fine for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk is $575 and the penalty for failing to stop at a stop sign is $289. If you report a driver for their infractions, you will have to provide a written statement to police and be willing to attend court and testify in person as to what happened. Unless you can identify the driver of the vehicle, which is very unlikely, a registered owner ticket is what may be issued. You would at very least though need to have a license plate and a description of the vehicle.

[icetraycnb]

Regarding waiting in the intersection to make a left turn, I believe it is perfectly legal. If you're in the intersection and are forced to make the turn after the light has turned red, you technically aren't running a red. I was told that running a red is "ENTERING the intersection after the light has already turned red," but because you're already in the intersection you're not breaking the law.

[icetraycnb]

Regarding waiting in the intersection to make a left turn, I believe it is perfectly legal. If you're in the intersection and are forced to make the turn after the light has turned red, you technically aren't running a red. I was told that running a red is "ENTERING the intersection after the light has already turned red," but because you're already in the intersection you're not breaking the law.