[Tom]

[hikersarenumber1]

Bellingham does not halve red light cameras. Citizens fought and won to keep them out. People run red lights here constantly. Some intersections you can count on 3 to 4 cars after the lights change. It's definitely dangerous. Just saying..

[Tom]

3-4 cars? I can see that perhaps during congested traffic where cars are in the intersection when the light turns red. That is not necessarily as dangerous and it is not considered running a red light. If there are 3-4 cars actually running the red during normal traffic then it's pretty clear that the yellow is too short.

[hikersarenumber1]

No, it's intersections with heavy traffic and long lights and people making to decision to run it rather than wait out another cycle. There is also an off ramp intersection where cars on the main road frequently do what bedivere did and enter the intersection when they cannot completely clear it, and the lights change and then the off ramp traffic is blocked causing the off ramp to back up onto I 5.

[Slugman]

Go west on 50th from Wallingford until you get to the freeway just before entering the U district. Get in the left turn lane to enter the freeway northbound. Wait for the light to turn "green arrow", then wait for the three or four cars that continue across your path, from those exiting the freeway to get to Wallingford. None of them were simply stuck in the intersection. The yellow light for them is quite long, I know from experience. They just run the light because they are impatient and uncaring about laws or other people. Being "stuck" in an intersection is a ticket-able offense anyway, you are prohibited from entering an intersection until you can clear the other side, no exceptions. "No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk, or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle he or she is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians, or railroad trains notwithstanding any traffic control signal indications to proceed." So easy to know the actual laws.... http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61&full=true

[hikersarenumber1]

Yep. I already posted the law.

[Cyclopath]

[Tom]

I am equally annoyed by cutters. In the context of causing accidents it's not the same. I'll take a cutter any day vs. someone running a red in normal traffic. My point was that if vehicles are consistently running a red in normal traffic the yellow is probably too short. As far as the law, I don't believe running a red is considered the same as entering when green or yellow and not clearing the intersection, but it wouldn't be the first time I was mistaken.

[hikersarenumber1]

[touron]

[contour5]

"Blocking the box" is a fairly routine phenomena in downtown Seattle:

The city periodically threatens to crack down and start issuing piles of $136 tickets A little while back I was waiting at a red light and a car passed me on the right, driving on the sidewalk. Whipped a tire-squealing right turn and disappeared.

[hikersarenumber1]

Hey, at least the violator isn't making a bunch of excuses...

[cascadeclimber]

[hikersarenumber1]

People have to live somewhere...

[Tom]