Red-light camera stolen in South Seattle

SEATTLEPI ^ | Apr 30, 2010 | CASEY MCNERTHNEY,

[george76]

People who ran a light recently at a South Seattle intersection known for red-light cameras have caught a break.

The camera ...was stolen earlier this month and police are still searching for it.

A police spokesman said they've identified a car they believe was involved in the theft, but the investigation is ongoing.

The camera is owned by American Traffic Solutions, the vendor that contracts with the city. Under normal circumstances, the city pays $3,750 per month for the camera service.

Between July 26, 2006 -- the first day a red-light camera ticket was issued in Seattle -- and May 27, 2009, the city issued about 57,000 tickets...

Last year Seattle and 23 other local governments drew a class-action lawsuit from area residents who contend the city-assessed fees go beyond what the Legislature intended when it approved the cameras in 2005.

Last week, protesters were out in Seattle opposing the red-light cameras.

[eyedigress]

Thats a good answer. That is one of the most beautiful cities in the Country and I am a son of the Seattle to Ketchikan pilot that traversed and lost passage in that dad-gumm pass! LOL! :^)

[Prole]

The worthless b@stards running New Orleans and the West Bank have recently been caught in a huge scandal connected to the scameras therein.

Redflex was offering kickbacks directly to some of the local politicians and lobbyists in exchange for their support and entrenchment of the scamera system.

It's nothing but damn tyranny and extortion with these @ssholes, and people were tarred and feathered for such behavior back in the Colonial days.

Check it out:

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/red-light_cameras_in_jefferson.html

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/traffic-camera-firm-issues-threatening-letter-to-jefferson-parish-louisiana/

The city hierarchy who enforce these things are nothing more than mob bosses conducting a damn shakedown.

.... And any appeals are heard in a kangaroo court.

[RobRoy]

I fly a lot and Seattle is, for me, the most beautiful city to approach from the air in the country. Frankly, if it was not for the politics and the congestion I’d stay. I’ve been here since 1966.

[RobRoy]

Alaska Airlines ties?

[Prole]

Redflex and Louisiana politicians are conducting fraud, extortion and other crimes toward the citizens of the greater New Orleans area.

Only a damn fool would not be outraged during such criminal behavior.

That's why I am not surprised that people are stealing and/or otherwise vandalizing the damn scameras.

[killjoy]

Not too long ago some kids from a Tennessee town were going around stealing license plates off of cars that were similar in size and color to their. Bolting the stolen plates onto their cars and riding around town, running every red-light they could find.

Pretty funny as long as it isn't your plate.

[cherry]

well finally someone came up with an idea to fight the idiocy of red light cameras...since the statist won’t listen to the people, I guess some people acted..

[Fresh Wind]

Interesting link, if you haven’t already seen it...

http://www.speedcam.co.uk/gatso2.htm

[magslinger]

If they stole the plates from cars parked in the personal parking spots next to city hall it would be even funnier.

[magslinger]

Tea + harbor.

Some assembly required.

[Tallguy]

In pre-revolutionary France they had a term for what the locals are doing with these intersection cameras -- "Tax Farming". The local ruler would hire an individual to 'squeeze' the peasants to get the taxes that they felt were their due. Here we have local authorities hiring private companies to simply "generate revenue" to the point where they will tinker with speed limits & light timing until they get the desired amount of monies.

It's an illegitimate use of authority.

[eyedigress]

He was a tug skipper.