HomeMy WebLinkAbout23 - Preempt Traffic Signal DevicesJune 13, 2000
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
ITEM NO. 23
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Public Works Department
SUBJECT: REPORT ON LAWS PROHIBITING THE USE OF DEVICES THAT PRE-
EMPT TRAFFIC SIGNALS
DISCUSSION:
During the City Council meeting of May 9, 2000, Councilman Adams requested a report
on the sale of devices that would activate the City's Emergency Vehicle Pre -empt (EVP)
equipment. The EVP system allows Fire Department equipment to contact the traffic
signal control system to either keep the signal green or turn it green for vehicles
responding to an emergency. This system both decreases response times and
increases traffic safety by reducing conflicts with other traffic.
Councilman Adams had received an e-mail from a vendor in Florida and expressed
concern that such private use of EVP transmitters should be illegal. The City Attorney
has asked his staff to contact the California Attorney General to pursue making the sale
or possession of such devices illegal.
On June 1s` the attached news release was on the Internet. It describes the arrest of
two individuals in Florida for selling schematic drawings for "Go- boxes'. They may or
may not be the same people who distributed the e-mail Councilman Adams received.
Hopefully these arrests will dampen the enthusiams of those considering the sale of
similar devices or circuit schematics.
Respectfullolr,�
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Don Webb, Director 22 00 r
By:�.VU e�'q
Richard M. Edmonston, P.E.
Transportation & Development Services Manager
Attachment
Trafficking in Go -Boxes
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Trafficking in Go -Boxes
Updated 8:49 AMETJune 1, 2000
MIAMI (Reuters) - Gridlock -weary motorists fell prey to two Miami
residents who were charged with fraudulently selling remote - control
devices that purported to turn red traffic lights to green, prosecutors said
on Wednesday.
Dubbed "Go- boxes," the devices were advertised exclusively on the
Internet and sold for $69 to $150, U.S. Attorney Tom Scott said.
Some customers who sent in checks and money orders for the devices got
schematic drawings and instructions to construct what turned out to be a
flashing strobe light. Others got nothing at all.
State and federal agents tracked down the alleged sellers by monitoring
the mailbox where the payments were sent. The suspects, Johnnie Greene
and Lisa Moon, were indicted on charges of mail and wire fraud, Scott
said.
Reuters Oddly Enough
Trafficking in Go -Boxes
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