On Nov 30, 8:58*am, Jim Yanik wrote:
Metspitzer wrote :

We were setting at an intersection yesterday in Alabama. *Besides the
regular red light there was a single red light hanging, and it had a
white strobe that looked like it was part of the flashing red light
and it shined more at the bottom. *One of the passengers said that
this is a camera to see who runs the red light.

Is he right?

No,speed cameras are set back from the intersection,so they include the
traffic light itself in the pic of your car being past the white stop bar..
Usually on a pole at curbside,they are a breadbox sized box,and may have an
extra box for the flash.

some traffic lights have an extra light so that police can tell that the
light is actually red in a particular direction without seeing the red
themselves.(because they are off to the side...).
The ones in my area change from white to blue when the traffic light is red
for that lane and direction.

I've also seen red lights that have a strobe built in,so that it draws
drivers attention better. eyes are naturally drawn to flashing or movement.