Is Big Brother watching me? Do I need a tinfoil hat?

August 13, 2006 10:36 AM

I've seen some cameras up on street lamps and the top of traffic signals in Oakland, California, specifically around Telegraph and Grand. How do I find out what these are for and who is watching?
posted by trixare4kids to law & government (10 comments total)

Red light cameras?
posted by scody at 10:57 AM on August 13, 2006

Caltrans Traffic Cameras?

I don't know enough about Oakland to know if any of the cameras on there correspond to where you're seeing them.
posted by crabintheocean at 11:27 AM on August 13, 2006

Are these what you're referring to? It's a replacement for the ground based sensors used to detect when cars are present, so the light can turn green for you.
posted by vprzebinda at 12:08 PM on August 13, 2006

Which are f'in awesome since you don't need to have big old steel rims on your bike to trip even the "bike" sensor! They're usually set at the point where a car will just trip them, so bikes are hit and miss.
posted by kcm at 12:18 PM on August 13, 2006

Are these what you're referring to? It's a replacement for the ground based sensors used to detect when cars are present, so the light can turn green for you.

Oakland desperately needs more of these. It's the epicenter of The Eternally Red Light on a Deserted Street at 3am.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:29 PM on August 13, 2006

You can buy a special magnet for your bike that will trip those sensors.
posted by IndigoRain at 2:12 PM on August 13, 2006

IndigoRain, where do you get the bike magnet? Do they really work, or is it just more weight for the bike?
posted by thebarron at 10:10 PM on August 13, 2006

trixare4kids, they are most likely as vprzebinda said, vehicle detectors for the signals.

I've heard the bike magnets aren't all that useful. The best bet is to call the local traffic department and tell them to increase the sensitivity of the traffic detector loops. This can be adjusted at the control box. Other alternatives are pushing the walk signal button, parking the engine directly over the corner of the loop, or just looking both ways for clear traffic and going through the red light. Obviously if you are the only vehicle waiting at the signal, going through the red light shouldn't be much of a risk. I'd only recommend this as a last resort and only if the police are not around.
posted by JJ86 at 6:06 AM on August 14, 2006

Permanent magnets will just make your bike heavier. Traffic sensor loops respond to conductive materials, not magnetic fields. An aluminum bicycle wheel is just about ideal, if a bit small. For a detailed explanation, see Detection of Bicycles by Quadrupole Loops
at Demand-Actuated Traffic Signals.

JJ86, a non-responsive traffic signal is defective and should be treated as a four-way stop.
posted by ryanrs at 12:44 AM on August 15, 2006

Exactly ryanars, although it's safe to wait a few cycles to determine if that is really the case. Not waiting a full cycle to go through a red light will not convince a police officer who is dying to book you.
posted by JJ86 at 5:54 AM on August 15, 2006