Red light crossing in CA

vij_mahesh · Post by **vij_mahesh** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:00 am

Something strange happened this weekend. My wife was driving the car and she was crossing traffic intersection, photo-camera (for red light violation) took photographs. I mentioned "strange" word because our car was the first car waiting to turn left. When left signal became green, she starting crossing the intersection. When we were in middle of the intersection, we could feel that red-light camera took the pictures. I do not understand at all why camera went on at all.

My questions are:

1. What is red light crossing rule in CA? Should we complete intersection crossing before light turns red or we should not enter when light is red. There was one car behind us and surely that car was more delayed than our car. So camera might be for that car too, we don't know though. Is it possible to get two cars ticket during same red light violation?

2. How does red light camera work? They did not take picture when we were entering the intersection. Only when we were in the middle of intesection, it happened.

3 Another point is that my wife is having CA driving learner's permit. So how this will work for herself.

Please provide your inputs.

Vij

HighTorque · Post by **HighTorque** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:31 pm

On a side note, did they mail you the pictures also?.
I was in a similar situation a while ago and they had mailed me the ticket with pictures of my vehicle crossing the intersection. There was also a note of the time in secs it took me to clear the intersection while red. Since they had three different pictures with the time I spent in the intersection during the red light, I did not even bother contesting it and just paid up the fine. However your case you do not sound like you got a ticket, right?

vij_mahesh · Post by **vij_mahesh** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:43 am

#2, So far I did not get ticket. But this happened this weekend itself.

vij_mahesh · Post by **vij_mahesh** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:44 am

#2, So far I did not get ticket. But this happened this weekend itself.

Others, please give your suggestions.

DilliDoorNahin · Post by **DilliDoorNahin** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 3:23 am

vij_mahesh;6795#2, So far I did not get ticket. But this happened this weekend itself.

Others, please give your suggestions.[/quote]

I was in the same situation couple of years back. I thought that I was photographed but then there was another car right after me. I never received the ticket. I talked to a friend of my friend who worked in Trafiic management and he said that many times, the cameras malfunction and if that is evident in the photo, they just discard the photo and do not send ticket.

vij_mahesh · Post by **vij_mahesh** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:07 am

Thanks Dilli....!!
I hope, I don't get ticket.
Others, please chip in your ideas like :

How long does it take to ticket to reach at home address?
How do traffic camera work?

ycl1688 · Post by **ycl1688** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 7:09 pm

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Feb/15/ln/FP702150368.html

above links shows how the camera works:)

guru · Post by **guru** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:41 am

I attended traffic school recently (for a speeding ticket) and the instructor said that if you enter the intersection when the light is Yellow, the camera will take pictures. As long as you enter the intersection in Green, you will be safe (even if you cross the intersection on red).
I think that you get the ticket in about 4-6 weeks in California.