Automotive

Red Light Camera Question

  • Last Updated:
  • Aug 10th, 2020 1:45 pm
Member
Jun 7, 2013
274 posts
156 upvotes
Toronto

Red Light Camera Question

If a box is on the other side of the road showing the camera and pointing towards one light could it catch all 4 sides of the intersection with just one camera? There are signs posted saying red light camera in every direction, but I only see one box for it. How would the camera know on an advanced green that turned red (turning lane only) if you ran the light or not?

Image is here showing the box only one side. I was turning left in the 2 turning lanes in the photo (but if you look and you're in the far right lane turning left the light is green beside it and it looks like you can go straight, as its 2 lanes. I seen 2 other cars do the same thing I did on a red light (left turn signal), it's very confusing as I thought the light beside it would allow you to turn left to get into the gas station. It does state left turn signal, but if also looks like you can go straight as well as its 2 lanes ahead.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6228497 ... 384!8i8192
12 replies
Deal Addict
Nov 22, 2017
1048 posts
804 upvotes
Did you see the camera flash? Were your wheels past the line on a yellow? From my understanding cameras only capture cars going and coming in the direction they are pointed at. So I think you should be okay.
Deal Guru
May 1, 2012
10538 posts
11427 upvotes
Toronto
There's no reason to speculate "what ifs."

Wait a couple weeks, if you get a ticket, you get a ticket. If you don't... you don't.
Banned
User avatar
Mar 7, 2007
5347 posts
3026 upvotes
This is an interesting question, if only to understand how the system works.

Is it possible that the box you see has more than one camera lens? Pointing in at least two directions?
______________________________
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 23, 2008
13006 posts
10009 upvotes
Edmonton
ChipsAway wrote: If a box is on the other side of the road showing the camera and pointing towards one light could it catch all 4 sides of the intersection with just one camera? There are signs posted saying red light camera in every direction, but I only see one box for it. How would the camera know on an advanced green that turned red (turning lane only) if you ran the light or not?

Image is here showing the box only one side. I was turning left in the 2 turning lanes in the photo (but if you look and you're in the far right lane turning left the light is green beside it and it looks like you can go straight, as its 2 lanes. I seen 2 other cars do the same thing I did on a red light (left turn signal), it's very confusing as I thought the light beside it would allow you to turn left to get into the gas station. It does state left turn signal, but if also looks like you can go straight as well as its 2 lanes ahead.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6228497 ... 384!8i8192
Logically, there would be no issues for the camera to "know" when the light turns yellow, red, advanced green, etc. Everything has to communicate, even for a basic red light camera.

Technically, there is likely limitations on camera angles, etc. No idea if they can do what you ask, but the fact that you guys in ON have front facing plates won't help you.

As others have said, either you get a ticket or you don't. No sense stressing over it now.

C
Deal Addict
Jan 28, 2017
1088 posts
1224 upvotes
Red light cams only capture traffic in the direction they are pointing towards. So if someone ran the light on any of the other 3 directions they would be safe still. I believe reason why it’s only one direction is because the camera only captures pictures of rear plates given some jurisdictions don’t have a front plate (Quebec).

Nowadays I just use Waze for the camera alerts, especially driving in areas I’m not familiar with
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 12, 2007
20807 posts
6623 upvotes
London
motomondo wrote: This is an interesting question, if only to understand how the system works.

Is it possible that the box you see has more than one camera lens? Pointing in at least two directions?
The system housing does have two lens openings, as to whether there's actually two cameras inside or not ?
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6230115 ... 384!8i8192
Deal Guru
Sep 1, 2004
12900 posts
13099 upvotes
Anikiri wrote: There's no reason to speculate "what ifs."

Wait a couple weeks, if you get a ticket, you get a ticket. If you don't... you don't.
This. Some cities like Calgary will have these housing almost everywhere but only have limited cameras rotating thru them (probably based on revenue, whichever generate most get the allocation).

So while having Waze or other detection system is great reminder, it get quite noisy when you are in a city like Calgary, probably worse in Edmonton as their cameras strat is 2x as aggressive.

Just be aware of your surrounding as you drive. Those camera posts usually make 0 effort at being hidden (at least in Calgary) and can easily be spot.

As for getting caught, there is always a flash or 2. Single flash for running lights, 2 flashes for speed violation.
Member
Jun 7, 2013
274 posts
156 upvotes
Toronto
I am thinking if I turned left on the red light and the other light beside the turning light is green, therefore the camera on the other side would see a red light for it's side and likely not know if it was advanced green, yellow, red,etc. In addition the main camera is pointed at the light above and wouldn't see the other side light is my guess. Anyways, it's a very confusing intersection and this happens all the time here. I actually went straight in the far turning lane on the red as well as it's 2 lanes going towards Lakeshore and it looks like you can go that way. Now I know to just get over the lane and go straight there instead.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Sep 9, 2012
6963 posts
6079 upvotes
Oakville, ON
ChipsAway wrote: If a box is on the other side of the road showing the camera and pointing towards one light could it catch all 4 sides of the intersection with just one camera? There are signs posted saying red light camera in every direction, but I only see one box for it. How would the camera know on an advanced green that turned red (turning lane only) if you ran the light or not?

Image is here showing the box only one side. I was turning left in the 2 turning lanes in the photo (but if you look and you're in the far right lane turning left the light is green beside it and it looks like you can go straight, as its 2 lanes. I seen 2 other cars do the same thing I did on a red light (left turn signal), it's very confusing as I thought the light beside it would allow you to turn left to get into the gas station. It does state left turn signal, but if also looks like you can go straight as well as its 2 lanes ahead.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6228497 ... 384!8i8192
ChipsAway wrote: I am thinking if I turned left on the red light and the other light beside the turning light is green, therefore the camera on the other side would see a red light for it's side and likely not know if it was advanced green, yellow, red,etc. In addition the main camera is pointed at the light above and wouldn't see the other side light is my guess. Anyways, it's a very confusing intersection and this happens all the time here. I actually went straight in the far turning lane on the red as well as it's 2 lanes going towards Lakeshore and it looks like you can go that way. Now I know to just get over the lane and go straight there instead.
I’m confused by your confusing descriptions of what you were doing in the intersection. Regardless, here are some answers to your questions:

Signage is often put up on all 4 approaches to serve as both a warning that there’s a red light camera and as a place-holder in case they move the camera’s location. It also serves as a decoy to calm the traffic in all directions.

Camera boxes on posts can have an actual camera in the box or it can be a decoy to calm the traffic since when you approach you’re never actually certain that a camera is present so you hopefully don’t run the red. Some intersections may have more than one camera too. Any camera that is present can only operate in one direction which is the direction that it is pointed in.

The camera knows when you entered the intersection compared to when the light changed and it knows how fast you were going when you entered the intersection. Usually it takes a picture of where you were when the light changed and then another one a split second later to show you in the intersection. Each image is time stamped and shows your speed at the time. This is all used to eliminate false positives from traffic that entered on a green/yellow and cleared the intersection late (such as a left turner finishing their turn after oncoming traffic stops).

The camera knows the above based on inputs from conductive loops embedded in the roadway and/or video & image processing software which come together to determine positioning, speed, and timing.

The tickets don’t go straight from the camera to the mail - all tickets are reviewed first by an officer before they’re issued. So presumably if you crossed the line late but but stopped before proceeding then they’d reject issuing the ticket.

Therefore, if you were turning left or right or going straight and entered the intersection properly then you won’t get a ticket if you cleared the intersection late. However, if you were turning left or right or going straight and you entered the intersection late then you will get a ticket. Really, in the end, whether you were turning or going straight is irrelevant - the only thing that matters is whether you entered the intersection before the light turned red.
Deal Guru
Sep 1, 2004
12900 posts
13099 upvotes
ChipsAway wrote: I am thinking if I turned left on the red light and the other light beside the turning light is green, therefore the camera on the other side would see a red light for it's side and likely not know if it was advanced green, yellow, red,etc. In addition the main camera is pointed at the light above and wouldn't see the other side light is my guess. Anyways, it's a very confusing intersection and this happens all the time here. I actually went straight in the far turning lane on the red as well as it's 2 lanes going towards Lakeshore and it looks like you can go that way. Now I know to just get over the lane and go straight there instead.
Any flashes? If not, who cares. If so, who cares. It's just money and you already admitted you ran a red. Just pay the damn thing and if your time is worthless, fight it if you think it's unjust or you can off on technicality.

I don't give a shit if it's a camera ticket. Even less if it's a speeding camera ticket.
Member
Jun 7, 2013
274 posts
156 upvotes
Toronto
I was on the other side of the road going South turning left. The camera is set up on the east side it appears. It was during the day, didn't see a flash. Unless the camera could take a picture while I was turning to show my license plate, but they wouldn't have a picture of the red light as it's pointed straight up going east. My understanding is it takes a picture from the back and a picture of the light red.
Deal Addict
Jul 16, 2019
1648 posts
865 upvotes
Most camera post have two cameras, one facing the traffic flow and capturing the rear plates and the other camera capturing rear licence plates of right to left traffic . Some have two posts with one post having a camera and flash and the other post having another camera. So it seems that one camera post can capture red light jumpers in two out of four directions only. At least that is my observation unless one of you knows better.

Top