One in a series. 

Re: “Culver City No. 1 – Is That Good?”

The mystery behind the sudden huge increase in red-light camera violations in recent months in Culver City lasted barely a day.

After anti-red-light camera activist Jim Lissner (www.highwayrobbery.net) pointed out yesterday that citations in March, April and May virtually doubled violations in January of last year, Police Chief Scott Bixby explained in four words:

“Introduction of refined technology.”

Elaborating, Chief Bixby explained that “the increase in issued citations has to do with the transition from the loops to the mapping radar along with the additional movements captured at the intersections.

“Intersections that previously only captured straight-through or left turn violations are now capturing left turns, straight- through movements and right turn violations.
“The radar has a wider detection area,” Chief Bixby said, “and it is more efficient.”

The chief also had an answer for a specific complaint Mr. Lissner made.

Last month, Mr. Lissner said, issuance of red-light camera violations at southbound Sepulveda Boulevard at Green Valley Circle went up more than tenfold. There were 1317 tickets issued in April alone while in all of 2015, that location had a total of 1558 tickets.”

Here is why, said Chief Bixby:

“The increase in violations there is in the right turns, northbound Sepulveda to eastbound Green Valley Circle, being captured for the first time. These never were detected before.”

(To be continued)