Speed traps?

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

My friend said that she was driving on Broadway last night and saw a bunch of blue lights on video cameras pointed at intersections.  Are these speed traps or cameras snapping pictures of people who run red lights?

Comments

[nalz.livejournal.com]

You're right, they are electro-magnetic sensors. And they are often the bane of my commuting existence when I'm on my motorcycle.

[ron_newman]

In some states, the law has simply been changed to allow a motorcycle to treat a red light as a stop sign. That makes more sense than trying to re-engineer lots of traffic signals to be able to detect motorcycles (and bicycles), and it doesn't cost anything.

[nalz.livejournal.com]

I agree. I wish all states would pass these kinds of laws, and other more moto-friendly laws that make sense.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

It's not that hard to have a loop detector that can sense a bicycle -- the ones in Cambridge do (that is, the few remaining loops that aren't either broken entirely, or turned off and replaced by fixed timers).

It helps if you can see where the loop is, or if they paint a small bicycle symbol on the pavement to show you where to wait.

[ron_newman]

True, but why spend money to re-equip all those loop detectors when you can just change the law for no money at all?

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Because if the intersection needs a light, then the eventual green light would be helpful for the bicycle or motorcycle.

If traffic is light enough that drivers can easily get across without too long of a wait, even at busy times of day, there shouldn't be a traffic light in the first place.

[ron_newman]

Since bicycles and motorcycles are small and easily maneuverable, they can safely cross through gaps in traffic that would be unwise for the driver of a car. They can also cross just part of an intersection at a time, if necessary.