ginger1
By Ginger1
In response to the story about Police issuing citations to traffic violators, I captured video of numerous vehicles running red lights at the intersection of State and La Cumbre.
It really does bug me no end that the city ignores this stuff. I’ve documented this at other intersections, one near Peabody School, with two incidences of pedestrians very nearly being hit while crossing in the crosswalk. In one video, the car driver is actually honking his horn for the pedestrian to hurry up out of the way as he swerves to avoid killing them.
Below are the red light violators:
GINGER, your videos do not show enough of the intersection to determine if these are red light runners.
Simply being in the intersection when the light is red does NOT necessarily equate to running the red. Perhaps this misunderstanding could be why you think it is so rampant?
One’s vehicle need only be partially in the intersection when it turns red for it to be a legal crossing. So that means, only ONE INCH of your bumper could be past the stop bar when the light turns from yellow to red. The light would be red for nearly your entire trip through the intersection, yet that would NOT be running the red.
Yeah the 805 truck really looks like it entered when red, but we can’t see the where it was when the light turn red. Again though, not really looking like what it sounded – that cars were coming to a red light and just proceeding through it while cross traffic was going. That’s key. When people say “cars do it more than cyclists,” this is not the same. Cyclists go through an active intersection without slowing down, despite other cars entering the intersection DAILY. I see it every single day on Cathedral Oaks. Cars trying to catch a yellow in an intersection like this is different. Not as arrogant and flagrant of a move as casually just going full speed in while waving at others to stop while they violate the traffic laws. Show me cars doing what cyclists do and that’s another conversation.
1. For the sake of space, the videos were edited. But trust me. I purposefully recorded 2-3 seconds of yellow and then red with vehicles in the intersection. Specifically to address comments like yours.
2. Your premise regarding allowed actions at yellow signals is factually wrong. Read the CA MVC (California Vehicle Code 21453 ) or the Driver’s Handbook. Here’s the link: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/laws-and-rules-of-the-road/#:~:text=A%20yellow%20traffic%20signal%20light,safely%2C%20cautiously%20cross%20the%20intersection.
Or this published in the Sacramento Bee last month: “Can you be ticketed for driving through the yellow light? Yes.
If you misjudge the amount of time you have to safely go through the intersection while the light is yellow, then California Vehicle Code 21453 states you could face a penalty for running a red light.” (https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article277931318.html)
I trust that the facts presented and clearly documented appropriately address your concerns. The “rules of the road” are there to help prevent injury and death, so why not pay attention, slow down, and do the right thing? It IS up to us. Even if the police departments were able to enforce the rules, it is, in the end, up to US to behave responsibly while operating our motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles on our streets. BEFORE someone else get’s hurt.
If they were edited, why did you leave out the part where it went from yellow to red?
It looked pretty clear to me that the big truck entered the intersection after the lights were red.
Not that I don’t trust you, just that I think you’re mistaking cars willfully and arrogantly driving THROUGH red lights with those that are just driving INTO them in order to beat the yellow.
I get your point and thank you for the legwork here!
Like I said, the original videos show at least a few seconds of yellow before red. EdHat staff. edits. Videos clips, even 5-10 secs each (there were 4) take up a lot of space on the server. Feel free to not trust me, but please don’t run through intersections when the light is red. Motor vehicle (that includes e-bikes!) or bike.
The driver is making minimum wage, just trying to earn some money for his family to eat in a city where the traffic engineers are too lazy to properly configure the lights. I applaud the 805 driver for getting his job done despite being in a city full of first world complainers and incompetent traffic engineers.
Not to mention a fool complaining that traffic engineers are the cause of people breaking the law.
Tagdes,
Without placing blame, I’d like to see a dedicated 101 X State Street exit and a dedicated 101 X 154 transition. I thought for a while that maybe the light at the State Street X Calle Real at State Street North needed to run green longer, but then realized I don’t want traffic backing up onto the 101 by the people trying to use the 154. That would take the talents of traffic engineers to solve, and my personal belief is that I think Santa Barbara has outgrown the current situation and the problem at times backs itself up to the La Cumbre X State and I’d be happy to hear traffic engineers are on it.
My guess? Giant uniquely shaped roundabout
Leave people alone. You are not the police
“I’m a believer…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB9YIsKIEbA
Well, there it is. Wow. In the first video, the moving truck definitely entered while it was red, but it still looks like people trying to beat a red turning arrow. In my opinion, that’s a little more forgivable (but not OK) than coming to an intersection at a red light and then proceeding through as if it were green. Glad to see that’s not really the case.
you really need a better hobby than playing wanna be cop, driving around town and video taping people driving. Just over the top. Our PD does this and does a fine job of it. You expect there to be a traffic cop at every intersection, every minute of every day? That is about as ridiculous as you thinking this is helpful.
Well, knowing that there is someone out there videoing – and publishing may be helpful in deterring others from trying to beat the lights.