Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Red-light cameras installed downtown (Houston)
Houston Chronicle ^ | 11/21/2005 | by MATT STILES

Posted on 11/21/2005 10:48:32 AM PST by ol painless

Take notice, Houston motorists: There's a clear picture of the future downtown.

It's where the Police Department this morning began testing camera systems designed to catch red-light runners at four intersections.

The 30-day pilot program is part of an effort to pick the best private vendor to install the systems at up to 50 city intersections over time.

Mayor Bill White and other city officials say the cameras serve two key purposes: reducing serious wrecks at intersections and freeing up an understaffed police force from traffic enforcement.

"This is about increasing safety, making people more alert and using the technology that is out there," said Executive Assistant Police Chief Martha Montalvo, who is helping oversee the vendor-selection process.

Critics say the systems don't work properly or lead to increases in minor accidents, as motorists abruptly stop before intersections out of fear of triggering the camera.

Some also say camera enforcement has as much to do with raising ticket revenue as with public safety.

During the testing period, the cameras, which are supposed to automatically detect vehicles that move through intersections illegally and photograph their license plates, will only lead to warning letters.

Eventually owners of cars photographed running red lights will be mailed $75 civil citations. Red-light tickets issued by police officers will remain Class C misdemeanors, with higher fines.

The intersections with test cameras have warning signs. The systems are installed at Milam at Jefferson; Milam at McGowen; Texas at Travis, and Texas at San Jacinto.

The plan is for the winning contractor to install cameras at 10 intersections, and gradually increase to 50, Montalvo said.

"I'm trying to do my very, very best to make this as fair and as operationally sound as possible," she said.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: cameras; houston; redlight
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-42 next last
To: ol painless

A little spray paint on some lens should do the trick.


21 posted on 11/21/2005 11:15:45 AM PST by 38special (Orwell was ahead of his time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tzimisce

As someone else hasd said before. If they send me a summons with a picture of my car, I'll send them a picture of a check.


22 posted on 11/21/2005 11:16:08 AM PST by Master of Orion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: mysterio
I've begun to think that towns that allow this to happen without extensive vandalism of the cameras take what they get.

Not much different from plinking cans. :)

23 posted on 11/21/2005 11:16:41 AM PST by TexasCajun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: TXBSAFH
95% easy. It is all about getting more money for the city of Houston.>>

In Anne Arundel County, Md., they deactivated all the cameras after paying zillions to have them installed.

Would you care to guess why???

Yup...because they weren't generating enough MONEY

The reason that they were generating less money is that they were causing people to think twice before they ran red lights.

Is that rich..or what!!

24 posted on 11/21/2005 11:18:58 AM PST by evad ( Politicians are devious scum, right after newspaper editors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: ol painless

An easy way to get rid of the cameras is to stop going to the businesses which surround the cameras. It will be a short time until they are pulled.

Well, I just don't like to go downtown, that area ( with the cameras) in particular, because it's risky. I might accidentally get a ticket.


25 posted on 11/21/2005 11:19:08 AM PST by TexanToTheCore (Rock the pews, Baby)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IronJack
Not that I would advocate vandalizing the cameras by shooting them with deer slugs or a wrist rocket firing ball bearings or glass marbles or something. That would be a bad thing to do.

You're right, that could cause permanent damage to expensive equipment. What I would not advocate would be using something like this:


26 posted on 11/21/2005 11:19:58 AM PST by P-Marlowe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Master of Orion
If they send me a summons with a picture of my car, I'll send them a picture of a check.

heh...and that will work just fine...until you try to renew your tags;-)

27 posted on 11/21/2005 11:20:28 AM PST by evad ( Politicians are devious scum, right after newspaper editors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: ol painless
Some intrepid FReeper better check the Yellow/Red timing versus OTHER non-camera'd intersections....also compare the results versus Texas DMV code requirements.

See, a LOT of these Camera's intersections have shortened yellow/red periods...that's a "revenue enhancer"!

If you find a discrepancy, document it by video and pictures, and find a GOOD lawyer to do a RICO/Class Action lawsuit based on tickets given out using these fraudulent methods!

Oh, and make LOTS of copies of the evidence, and maybe a website for it too....never trust the Gub'Mint!

28 posted on 11/21/2005 11:32:19 AM PST by Itzlzha ("The avalanche has already started...it is too late for the pebbles to vote")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Itzlzha

Union City CA had to return $1 million in fines that were generated by rigged yellow cycles designed to entrap motorists.


29 posted on 11/21/2005 11:36:59 AM PST by massgopguy (massgopguy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: ol painless

When will the cameras be rigged to nab those making illegal turns? Or catch cars that are following too closely? Or turn on whenever you exceed the speed limit? Or catch cars that fail to signal before lane changes? Seems like all of those things would add to overall traffic safety too.


30 posted on 11/21/2005 11:39:24 AM PST by Lou L
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mysterio

I read on a UK site that the populace has been necklacing red light and speed cameras... Unbellyfeelingingsoc!


31 posted on 11/21/2005 11:46:04 AM PST by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe
I have several semi-automatic paintball markers that I guarantee you will shoot faster than 3-4 balls a second! And I would never ever consider using any of them to vandalize important government equipment being used to track my every move and invalidate my rights under the Constitution.

Cuz that would be a bad thing to do.

32 posted on 11/21/2005 12:50:11 PM PST by IronJack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: mysterio

I can say from experience that they do STOP red light runners ... red light runners kill people.


33 posted on 11/21/2005 12:52:30 PM PST by BunnySlippers
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Tzimisce
The Constitution says you have a right to face your accuser. But I guess that all depends on how you define the words: Constitution, Right, face, accuser, your, the...

...as well as the definition of "you".

They ticket the car's *owner*, no matter who was actually driving. If a friend borrows your car and runs a red light with it, *you* get fined for sitting at home surfing the web while the offense occurred.

34 posted on 11/21/2005 3:06:42 PM PST by Ichneumon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BunnySlippers
The problem created by a big brother government watching our every move through cameras strategically placed everywhere is greater than the one solved by the cameras.

Here's a for instance. We could probably prevent most crimes by placing cameras in all public places and in every home and using a computer surveillance network to track everyones' movements. If we could prevent all crime by doing this, would you be willing to accept a total lack of freedom? Or is freedom worth enough to you to accept that some guilty people are going to get away with crimes? That's the real question.
35 posted on 11/21/2005 3:20:37 PM PST by mysterio
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: mysterio

I don't agree.


36 posted on 11/21/2005 3:34:23 PM PST by BunnySlippers
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: TXBSAFH

a traffic cop is only a tax collector.I've never needed one,ever!Twice I was cited,but luckily I had my tape recorder w/me(they don't like those things!)and 1 deputy sheriff was fired for lying and extorting money from the public(galveston,cty)they were afraid of bad publicity so they dropped the ticket,BINGO!!!The other incident,brazoria cty.When he saw that tape recorder on my dash,he backed off like it was a snake-too late though.ticket dropped!!--CURSES FOULED AGAIN!!


37 posted on 12/10/2005 1:18:22 PM PST by bobwilgo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: TXBSAFH

a traffic cop is only a tax collector.I've never needed one,ever!Twice I was cited,but luckily I had my tape recorder w/me(they don't like those things!)and 1 deputy sheriff was fired for lying and extorting money from the public(galveston,cty)they were afraid of bad publicity so they dropped the ticket,BINGO!!!The other incident,brazoria cty.When he saw that tape recorder on my dash,he backed off like it was a snake-too late though.ticket dropped!!--CURSES FOULED AGAIN!!


38 posted on 12/10/2005 1:20:29 PM PST by bobwilgo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: bobwilgo

I have a carry permit and keep my gun in the glove compartment next to my insurance card. I tell them this and ask if they want to see it. They always decline for soem reason. I get a warning and they let me go.


39 posted on 12/10/2005 2:13:57 PM PST by TXBSAFH ("I would rather be a free man in my grave then living as a puppet or a slave." - Jimmy Cliff)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator
If they really wanted to stop people from running red lights, then they should force offenders to attend Texans games.

LOL, as a Lions fan, I can relate.

40 posted on 12/10/2005 2:16:03 PM PST by mark502inf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-42 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson