http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/04/08/BAGVH621TM1.DTL

PLEASANTON
New red light pulls quick change on speeders
For some drivers, device too effective on its debut run

Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer

The Bay Area's first traffic signal with the power to punish speeders was up and running Wednesday, forcing Tami Perry to brake right in the middle of an important telephone call.

"I think it's a bunch of bull," Perry said of the signal in Pleasanton after it went from green to yellow to red because she was going over 40 mph in a 35 mph zone.

"I was just talking away," explained the 35-year-old Tracy resident, who was cutting through Pleasanton on her way home from Fremont. She simmered down to mull the idea of a traffic light that turns red when it senses oncoming lead foots. "I didn't know a signal could do that. I guess if it's in a residential area, it's kind of good."

The stoplight was the talk of the town Wednesday. Many couldn't resist breaking the law to give it a test run, including Vice Mayor Kay Ayala, whose brazen drive-by at 37 mph didn't trigger a red light.

Some said the signal, on two-lane Vineyard Avenue at the intersection of Montevino Drive, was a brilliant blow for safety. Others predicted confusion and collisions. Some guessed teenage drivers would see a challenge in trying to beat the light at warp speed.

A few even grew paranoid.

"There's another one that's doing the same thing," said Costas Fournotis, a 37-year-old Pleasanton contractor who claimed a traffic signal on Bernal Avenue had twice turned red as he hurtled toward it on his Italian motorcycle.

"We don't have any others here in the city," countered Mike Tassano, a city traffic engineer.

The machine on Vineyard was working with machine-like precision Wednesday afternoon as traffic control technician Bob Hudson fiddled with its controls. Every 15 minutes or so, somebody went from speed to heed.

"It's going from green to yellow to red, like it ought to," he said.

Drivers on Vineyard are met by an electronic sign that flashes the speed limit -- 40 mph westbound and 35 mph eastbound. A camera about 350 feet from the intersection measures their speed and directs the signal to turn red for anyone exceeding the speed limit by more than 5 mph.

A reporter who set his cruise control to 50 mph during several approaches got red in the face and had plenty of time to come to a stop. The yellow light lasted 3.5 seconds; another green light arrived in 15 seconds.

Chris Bruno, a 41-year-old San Mateo resident who works in Pleasanton, said the city was asking for trouble.

"These guys don't know what goes on in the minds of speeders," he said. "Don't antagonize someone who is already antagonistic."

Alexandria, Va., also weighed in. One of at least four cities with such a signal, Alexandria has a lesson to share: the signal only works at certain types of intersections. Bob Garbacz, Alexandria's division chief of transportation, said the system had won kudos on a lightly traveled two-lane road, but "it worked too well" on a popular four-lane thoroughfare.

On that road, drivers often were stalled for several minutes as other speeders repeatedly reset the red light, creating lengthy backups. Engineers solved the problem by adjusting the sensors to trigger a red light at 40 mph in the 25 mph zone, but that reduced the program's effectiveness.

Pleasanton officials say they have no plans to add more of the signals, but they were clearly pleased with the one they have.

The signal got 17-year-old Gui Fonseca to speak words that few teenagers have spoken before.

"I know I was speeding, because there aren't too many cops out here," Fonseca said, sitting in his restored 1967 Camaro. "This is a heads-up."

E-mail Demian Bulwa at dbulwa@sfchronicle.com

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...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
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How about a light that'll sense someone talking on the cell phone and turn red, intsead? I'd pay for that

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How about one that detects cars with prestige license plates or either BMW's and just makes them sit there for about three minutes!?!?

Sounds like a good idea in school, hospital or certain residential areas where pedestrians are at risk, even when they do manage to cross in the crosswalk.

What is the difference in cost vs. a standard traffic light?

I swear that there's one here in Herndon (DC suburbs). No room for any police to sit on the side and clock speeders and its on a 2 lane residential road 35 mph. Maybe Spock or Flori's been by it?

Anyhow, I have to admit that I've been tempted to try and beat it but I'd have to be running somewhere b/w 55 or 60 mph to get through in time which would be pushing it.

Oh, poor lady. Come on, just let her speed and chat on her cell phone, what's the harm?

I wonder if you can beat it say going 100mph?... I hope they don't put one of those next to a high school it could be bad.

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