National Stop Red Light Running Week

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that TTAC received the press release for National Stop Red Light Running Week arrived in the middle of same (August 2 – 8)? Equally strangely, the PR flack writing this tardy tiresome tirade seems to see red. “While the message is sound, this particular safety campaign is unlike traditional safety programs like ‘Click It or Ticket.’ The ‘Stop on Red Week’ program has a decidedly corporate slant. The big push behind this week appears to be coming from the photo enforcement industry. These are the companies that install red light cameras. Photo enforcement is right in the middle of the ‘safety vs. revenue’ debate taking place nationwide. It’s likely this campaign is mostly about telling the public how necessary photo enforcement is and encouraging towns to install such cameras.” How long before THAT gets pulled? Meanwhile, how about some common sense tips on how not to run a red light? Seriously.

— If you are the first car at a red light, don’t rush into the intersection when the light changes. Give a couple of seconds and an extra look to make sure traffic with the red signal has stopped.

— If the light is amber, don’t speed ahead to “make the light.” Slow down and prepare to stop. Remember amber lights vary greatly in their timing. If you have enough time to stop, then stop.

— If the light is red, certainly stop. No decision to be made there. Do it for your own safety, not because you want to avoid a ticket.

— Know the difference between arrow signals and disc signals. An arrow, red or green, controls drivers intending to move in a particular direction. A traditional disc, or circle signal, generally applies to drivers moving in any direction at the intersection. Pay attention to the types of signals you are facing.

— If you are in a strange location and don’t know the traffic patterns, traffic signal timing, or intersections, proceed with caution. Many accidents occur when drivers are lost and some intersections are trickier than others.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • GS650G GS650G on Aug 06, 2009

    Maybe the best option is to just stay home and watch TV.

  • GS650G GS650G on Aug 06, 2009
    I blame red light running on increasingly long yellow lights and all-red phases. People adapt to these so-called “safety” measures, and factor them into their driving style… not only by running yellow and red lights, but also by anticipating green. You want more vigilant drivers? Eliminate the yellow light entirely. The public education campaign would be entitled “Red means Red”, and it would sing a happy 1950s-style jingle while depicting horrific crashes with limp human bodies flying through windshields. Tough but fair. And this is easily the worst suggestion I've ever seen. It's probably sarcastic but still ridiculous. Not tough or fair but instead silly. Hopefully the poster is not a public official with the power granted to implement this idea.
  • Lorenzo Heh. The major powers, military or economic, set up these regulators for the smaller countries - the big guys do what they want, and always have. Are the Chinese that unaware?
  • Lorenzo The original 4-Runner, by its very name, promised something different in the future. What happened?
  • Lorenzo At my age, excitement is dangerous. one thing to note: the older models being displayed are more stylish than their current versions, and the old Subaru Forester looks more utilitarian than the current version. I thought the annual model change was dead.
  • Lorenzo Well, it was never an off-roader, much less a military vehicle, so let the people with too much money play make believe.
  • EBFlex The best gift would have been a huge bonfire of all the fak mustangs in inventory and shutting down the factory that makes them.Heck, nobody would even have to risk life and limb starting the fire, just park em close together and wait for the super environmentally friendly EV fire to commence.
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