Will LTA scrap the Redlight camera due to safety concern or earning revenue from Sillyporeans more important?

[Trex101]

Quote:Drive.com.au

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleD...age:ClassiePuff

 

 

A new study in the United States has found that red light cameras may do more harm than good. By RICHARD BLACKBURN.

 

Red light cameras significantly increase the risk of crashes at intersections, according to a new study released in the United States.

 

Researchers at the University of South Florida found that cameras increased crashes and related injuries because drivers were slamming on their brakes to avoid fines, causing rear-end accidents.

 

They also claim that some red light camera operators in the US have shortened the time that a light flashes orange in an attempt to increase revenue.

 

 

[Shull]

The study says a more effective solution would be to increase the amount of time an orange light is displayed and to have a short period when lights in both directions at an intersection are red.

 

i believe our amber is pretty long..about 3-4 secs..and we have a short period where all lights are red..

[Apollo]

boh ko leng one...

 

1st, how much revenue generated fr the camera.

2nd, what is the ROI. + or -

3rd. cost to dismantle it.

 

becos it generates a revenue and more pple fined, and it cost $$ to dismantle. no way they will remove it.

 

it's not even a social problem or a safety problem. it's a revenue problem.

[Enzomatrix]

 

lta 1 - 0 drivers

[Fortress]

There was an article in WHO Article 24, that the radar (speed camera) harms drivers, but CTE and PIE is still using them...has our traffic police do anything?

[Enzomatrix]

 

LTA 2 - 0 Drivers

[Fortress]

Enforcement belongs to TP, hence TP 2 - 0 Drivers

[Enzomatrix]

OWNED

[Fortress]

You are probably right. TP owns it but LTA maintains it, less films

[Enzomatrix]

lol hate the cam also la.. always wondering should go past or e-brake but most of the time e brake unless got car behind

[Ke1pie]

someone suggested something else & wrote to LTA sometime ago

http://www.newsintercom.org/index.php?itemid=103

 

Countdown Timers At Traffic Light Junctions

By Tan Kok Tim

 

More than 4 years ago, I wrote to the Government suggesting the use of the electronic countdown timers at busy traffic light junctions. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) rejected my suggestion.

 

The Johor Bahru authorities installed the timers at more than 10 junctions along busy Jalan Terbau two months ago. The timers were first installed in Malacca. It has been installed in many other cities all over Malaysia.

 

 

I can see the Malaysian road transport authorities are more progressive in taking on board and implementing new traffic-regulating ideas. The Malaysians know regulating traffic requires new approaches and not by relying on outdated methods or abiding strictly to international standards and practices alone.

 

We know too well that one country's road conditions can be totally different from another. No two cities are the same. We also know there is no one single solution that could solve all traffic management problems adequately.

 

LTA did not believe in or have faith in our motorists as they believed our motorists would speed and try to beat the timer before it reached zero.

 

They were concerned that instead of enhancing safety, the timers would pose more dangers to all road users. Is LTA overly protective and adverse to implementing new ideas because of this?

 

I doubt the Johor authorities did not consider all factors before installing the timing counters along Jalan Terbau and throw caution to the winds exposing their motorists to dangers.

 

Are the traffic conditions at Jalan Terbau and the Johor motorists' ability and attitude totally different from us?

 

If that is the case, many Singaporeans driving in Johor would have met with many accidents by now.

 

It is about time the LTA check with their Johor counterparts whether there was a steep increase in road accidents along Jalan Terbau or if traffic flow was affected, as a result of the new timers.

 

LTA or the news media should also find out what are the reactions of the motorists to the timers at Jalan Terbau.

 

Is the LTA prepared to put this feature to the test on our roads and have a trial run to assess its worth?

 

We should respect, observe and learn from others.

[Ke1pie]

...and the reply from LTA as follows....

 

Land Transport Authority wrote:

Thank you for sharing your views on the installation of countdown timers.

 

We would like to assure you that we have considered the installation of countdown timers for our traffic junctions carefully. We are aware that countries like Malaysia and China have adopted countdown timers for vehicles at some of their traffic junctions and that the information given by the countdown timers may be helpful to the motorists. Hence, in collaboration with the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), we installed a countdown timer along Rochor Road near Bugis Junction as a trial in January 2003. The trial aimed to assess the behaviour of our local motorists towards the countdown timer.

 

Findings of the trial

 

Over a period of one year, we found that the effect of the countdown timer

was only felt during the initial four months of the trial, that is, there

was a reduction in the number of vehicles beating the red light. Following that, we found that motorists' behaviour had reverted to when the countdown timer was not installed.

 

We also observed that different motorists behave differently when they

approach the junction. For example, when the countdown timer showed two seconds remaining before the traffic lights turned red, some motorists applied the brakes and were prepared to stop while others would accelerate. These observations suggest that the countdown timer may result in a greater likelihood of rear-end collisions at traffic junctions. Studies conducted overseas also confirmed this similar dilemma in motorists.

 

In addition to the technical assessment of the trial, we conducted opinion surveys. The results showed that there was an almost equal proportion of road users who were supportive of the installation of countdown timers at

traffic junctions as those who felt otherwise.

 

The Green Link Determining (GLIDE) System

 

Another reason why countdown timers may not be suitable for our traffic junctions is that unlike Malaysia and China, our traffic light system does

not run on fixed timing. They are coordinated by the Green Link Determining (GLIDE) computerised area traffic control system.

 

The GLIDE system maximises the efficiency of a traffic junction by allocating green time for each approach to a traffic junction according to the

traffic demand. This means that if the GLIDE system detects that the demand of a particular approach is higher, it will redistribute the green time accordingly to optimise the usage of the traffic junction.

 

The GLIDE system would not work if a countdown timer has been installed. For example, if the countdown timer is activated to show that motorists

from a particular approach has 20 seconds of green time left for them to clear the junction, the traffic light system has to wait till the end of the 20 seconds period before terminating the green signal. But there may be times when the approach does not require the full 20 seconds for motorists to clear the junction. With the GLIDE system, the extra time could have been given to other approaches to maximise the efficiency of the junction.

 

We hope we have addressed your concerns satisfactorily and seek your understanding in this matter.

 

Thank you once again for your feedback.

[Apollo]

countdown timers installed in ShenZhen also no problem. only problem LTA has is $$.

 

spent liaoz no revenue = no initiative to do = skolar's mentaility on problem solving = no reward fr bozz = why bother to implement.

[Thermodynamics]

Same traffic regulatory measures applied to countries with different cultural setting yield different results. Redlight cameras may be bad for them in the US but may not be so in Spore. I prefer more redlight cameras around because I have seen enough motorists putting life of others in danger by their rash actions of beating redlights.

[Fortress]

Hate to say this but, I would do the same. Sorry for the car behind, have to just keep your distance.

[Gh05tss]

If can bring in money ( more the better ), why should they scrap it or they will tell you " Why fix(scrap)it when it not broken(still able generate revenue) "

[Watwheels]

To go up against an org that goes by the book and do plenty of studies on issues concerning traffic, I think we drivers will eventually loose out.

[Drive_carcar]

If the fella behind is too near, then he / she will not be able to react in time. That's his / her fault. Further it's a traffic light junction, and common sense says drive with care.