Via Houstonist, here’s ten more intersections to watch out for.
So far, the department’s first 10 cameras have captured more than 3,000 traffic violators since their installation Sept. 1. Officials are planning to install a total of 50 cameras by early next year. The fine for being caught running a red light on camera is $75.
“They’ve proven what we suspected, the seriousness of the problem of people running red lights – just disregarding them, potentially putting others in harm’s way, and not obeying traffic laws,” HPD Sgt. Michael Muench said in a statement today.
Like the first batch, the 10 cameras are located at high-accident sites throughout the city. A warning sign before each location will notify drivers that they are approaching an intersection that is being photo enforced.
Anybody else get the insert in their water bill last month warning about the red light cameras and admonishing you to not run red lights? Boy, I’d have never thought of that. Good thing there’s a campaign to alert people that running red lights is against the law. It was such an obscure point of law before that.
(Yes, I’m being sarcastic. There are many valid complaints about the red light camera program. In my opinion, ignorance of the law is not one of them.)
Violators have 45 days after the ticket is issued to pay the $75 fine or request a hearing. Those who ignore the ticket will receive a final warning before a collection agency attempts to collect the debt.
If the vehicle’s registered owner was not driving the car at the time the violation was recorded, they can submit a declaration of non-liability to the court for its review.
I’d heard from a friend who got a ticket a few weeks ago after his mechanic drove his car through a camera-observed light that challenging the ticket via sworn affidavit was not an option. I’m not sure if that was poor communication on the city’s part, or if this really is a new thing. Either way, be aware of it.
The 10 newest ntersections are:
- East Freeway westbound service road and Uvalde
- Sam Houston Parkway southbound service road and Beechnut
- Bissonnet westbound and West Sam Houston Parkway South service road
- Hillcroft southeast bound and Southwest Freeway service road
- FM 1960 West westbound and Tomball Parkway service road
- Chimney Rock southbound and Southwest Freeway service road
- S. Gessner southbound and Beechnut
- Southwest Freeway northbound service road and Fountain View
- Westheimer eastbound and West Loop South service road
- Westpark eastbound and Southwest Freeway service road
The full list of 20 camera-enabled intersections is here. Consider yourself notified.
Good thing there’s a campaign to alert people that running red lights is against the law. It was such an obscure point of law before that.
If this is such the public safety crisis that proponents of these cameras contend, then I really don’t understand the moaning about education efforts related to the cameras and red-light running.
I would think that any effort that helps combat this deadly epidemic would be welcomed, not met with derision.
What in the world is wrong with sticking an insert in a city mailer that says red-light cameras are watching you, so behave? Shouldn’t we do everything (within reason) we can to combat this alleged epidemic? This seems very much within reason.
These things are ubiquitous in Europe and the market there has already accommodated them into GPS nav units.
GPS nav units like Garmin and TomTom are becoming popular here in the US but they are much more popular in Europe, partly because European roads are so convoluted and confusing.
One of the most popular and necessary features for European GPS units is a red light camera warning system. The GPS companies keep their data sets of red light cameras as up to date as possible and anytime a driver is approaching an intersection with a red light camera their GPS unit gives them a warning.
I expect the market for similar units in Houston will take off quite nicely if this trend proceeds in the US.
By the way, when I was living in Alaska a few years ago they tried the same thing in Anchorage but couldn’t make it stick. People would shoot them out with rifles and they were hugely despised. Red light running is even worse up there in the winter because of the icy roads. People drive to fast and simply can’t stop fast enough because the yellows are timed to dry pavement at the speed limit. So they just run through the lights. Anyone driving in Anchorage in winter learns to be cautious when entering an intersection on green because there’s always a good chance some monster SUV with bald tires will come barreling through at the last minute.
Does anyone know cameras have been installed at additional intersections and just haven’t been put online? I could swear those are cameras that were recently installed at Studewood and White Oak.
Kevin, I’m sorry, but if you weren’t already so opposed to these things, I’d have expected to find you at the front of the line of people complaining about how much money the city government just spent telling everybody to stop at red lights. What I don’t understand is why you think this is necessary to “prove” that red light cameras are not about revenue. If the city had chosen instead to have HPD stake out these intersections, which would generate much higher-priced tickets, would you demand that they include an insert in the water bill to tell people about it? Why does there need to be a special effort to tell people to obey a law that’s been on the books for decades and is well understood already?
Anybody else get the insert in their water bill last month warning about the red light cameras and admonishing you to not run red lights? Boy, I’d have never thought of that.
I think the intent wasn’t so much to remind folks of the obvious (that running red lights is illegal), but was more to give them fair warning that their odds of getting caught have gone way up. Let’s face it: the reason most red-light runners do so isn’t because they disagree with the law; it’s because they think they can get away with it! We aren’t exactly talking about civil disobedience protests here.
I live on a part of Briar Forest, which has become … unsafe since October 2005, and where the lights don’t change fast enough. When I run that light it is because I fear for my life.
I am not a fan of the cameras. I am also not a fan of radargun-totin’ police officers staking out, say, Kirkwood and Briar Forest in broad daylight.
With all that’s happened around here in the past year, I’d like to hear something else from our leadership other than “keep paying more taxes, fines, and fees” and “we’re cracking down HARD on speeders and smokers!”.