Red Light Camera Uses Short Yellow in San Bernardino, CA

Red light camera intersection has a yellow time so short it violates state law. Yellow sequence begins at the :23.03 mark and ends at :26.03 -- for a total of 3.0 seconds. Video taken in San Bernardino on November 14, 2008 showing northbound Mount Vernon Avenue at 9th Street, an approach that is monitored by a red light camera. For the full story, visit:
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/26/2606.asp

There is a 35 MPH speed limit sign visible in the video just behind the pedestrian "do not walk" hand. Under California law, at a 35 mph intersection the yellow light should stay lit for no less than 3.6 seconds. (See Page 90, California MUTCD)
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/signtech/mutcdsupp/pdf/camutcd/CAMUTCD-Part...

The Texas Transportation Institute has found that yellow timing shortened below the minimum threshold increases the number of $400 citations the city is able to collect:
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/02/243.asp

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• red
• light
• camera
• thenewspaper
• yellow
• signal
• timing
• engineering
• san
• bernardino
• california

[jfs1988]

I got flashed at this intersection on Thursday. Now this intersection had been flashing red for about 3 days earlier this week. It got fixed by Wendsdsay afternoon. The ligth was green and then turned to yellow. The yellow seemed to be programmed in microseconds, because the moment I passed the first crosswalk it turned to red. My speed was 40 MPH and my distance would of let me made it on time.

Im just gonna have to accept it and pay the ticket.

[callscott1]

that flashed while it was still yellow.  when it turned solid red the flash already went off

[pizzledizzlewizzle]

i agree that the cameras are bs, but wasnt this yellow 3 seconds??? lol

[702dirtrider]

These red light cameras are nothing but a legal way to extort money from people in tough times. Tell me how it is safe to have a bright light flashed in your face at night while driving, not to mention they shorten the yellow. It doesn't improve safety at all people will only slam on their brakes are speed up even faster now to avoid the fine.To me San Bernardino's officials are spitting in the face of there constituents and only wan''t to nickel and dime them to death with no regard for safety

[mortician54]

Photo Enforced...is a scam!!! and causes accidents most all the time!!!

[GothicRunes]

What's the speed limit on that road? Then we'll know for sure.

[111dragonslayer]

Robhot1982: It is too short, and they had to overturn thousands of citations because of it. Yellow light duration has to be a minimum of 3 seconds on arrows, and for straightaways it is dependent on speed limit.

[mawsea07]

How do I time an intersection like this? I did it with a stop watch but it gave me a different time each time.

[killersushi99]

Theres a light down the road from my house and the yellow is like 2 seconds long!! You blink and youve missed it. Crazy stuff.

[journeyquest1]

San Bern has had its share of crooked cops and poloticians. I remember this guy they called him a gadfly because he was smart enough to point out corruption. So they made him out to be a mental case and locked him up for a year or so. I watched him on tv during city council meetings and he made good sense to me. It was a setup to shut up. I think his name was Wright.