As stoplight cameras spread, drivers see red

Christian Science Monitor ^ | 3/19/02 | Craig Savoye

[Fred Mertz]

Screechhhh!!!

[KineticKitty]

I remember getting flashed by one of those 'darn' things in Germany at night, it scared the sh*t out of me AND made me about run off the road. (I was doing 'roughly' 6 kilometers over the speed limit or so)

but I have always wondered, if they can take a picture/photocopy of us and issue a citation, can we send them a photocopy of our money and call it even? lol :)

[snopercod]

Traffic tickets are just another source of income for the government. They really have nothing to do with safety.

[paul544]

I hate to be on the same side as the ACLU.

[Demidog]

Proponents of camera systems say that traffic engineers laugh when they hear accusations of shorter yellow-light times. "They're the only people who are allowed to set the yellow-light time in most places, not the police or the vendor running the camera program, and they traditionally follow national engineering standards.

Yes, and they, being employed by the cities who install the traffic light surveilance systems, would never be influenced by their bosses regarding the timing of these lights.

[Rustynailww]

"send them a photocopy of our money and call it even?" .........a guy did it and the cops sent him a picture of hand cuffs.

[Hodar]

I remember living in Austin ... loved Austin, love Texas ... but the Austin city commission's thoughts on traffic flow is to stop cars at every light. They believe that when traffic stops at each and every light, cars drive slower. Slower equals safer.... Then they wonder why Austin leads the country in red-light runners.

[daviddennis]

It's hard to object to the objectives of the thing, but it makes me mad whenever I see one of these devices - it has too much of a 1984-style feel to me.

This is even though I have never been cited for running a red light. (Actually, I've never been cited for anything other than speeding, and my last speeding ticket was over two years ago).

There's no doubt that these cameras deter running red lights, but at the price of having a more controlled society. I don't think it's worth it.

D

[Poohbah]

Proponents of camera systems say that traffic engineers laugh when they hear accusations of shorter yellow-light times.

Nervously guilty laughter, no doubt.

The traffic light near my house got the yellow shrunk down to less than three seconds just after the camera was installed.

Coincidence, I'm sure.

[moyden]

Hillary's Orwellian Village

[Darth Sidious]

The red-light cameras are not infallible! Though the literature you receive with one, and the smarmy-a$$ed employees at the camera office, would have you believe otherwise.

Contest the things. No matter how far you are inside the intersection when the flash goes off, contest the hell out of 'em. Arm yourself with your own knowledge of what happened, all the information you can find about them including the latest court decisions... and most important of all, the United States Constitution. I'm probably preaching to the chorus on this but the people running the cameras don't give a flying-rat's a$$ about the Constitution. Shove it in their faces if you have to: it's YOUR Constitution, not necessarily theirs.

Don't assume that they "will win": that's not guaranteed at all. If you put up a modicum of resistance, if you go in confident of yourself and your principles, they will back down.

[KineticKitty]

Oh thats bad! lol

[Palmetto]

It's hard to object to the objectives of the thing

Oh, no it ain't.

Answer this - should it always be considered a crime, perpetrated by you, if your car is in an intersection after a red light?

Always?

[Darth Sidious]

Am also thinking of having a BIGGER FReep than last time, with a bunch more people and on a weekend.

Next go-round, I'll have in my possession a large piece of cardboard, painted black on one side. When the light begins turning yellow I intend on holding the cardboard up in front of the camera (but without physically touching the camera) thereby obstructing its view. The "Big Brother's Black Eye", so to speak. There's nothing on the books to prevent it, nothing in North Carolina's statutes making that a crime.

I'm ready to take this from simple protest, to an act of defiance.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Camera supporters also dismiss the "Big Brother" argument, saying that taking photos of someone violating the law in a public street is not having their privacy invaded. The results, they say, more than validate the cameras' contribution to road safety.

1-Which city... that has employed these hasn't made enormous profits?
2-How many cities... have shortened the yellow light times?
3-How would you feel about hiring more fed security to have on these corners 24/7 for the sole purpose of watching traffic?

[RightWhale]

Alaska, Nebraska, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Utah have banned photo-enforcement systems

Is this a true statement? The Czech Republic has banned unshielded outdoor lighting, but this other would actually be big news.

[arly]

Next go-round, I'll have in my possession a large piece of cardboard, painted black on one side. When the light begins turning yellow I intend on holding the cardboard up in front of the camera (but without physically touching the camera) thereby obstructing its view. The "Big Brother's Black Eye", so to speak. There's nothing on the books to prevent it, nothing in

Hey that's a good idea then you won't see that semi pushing thru the green light that is about to T Bone ya!

[egarvue]

Or, to be sneaky....a dark night, and a paintball gun :)