Rant - Govt Screwups

[Earl Weiss]

Todays front page news. Chicago puts the brakes on addittional red light cameras due to budget crunch. Seems the City planned on adding to the 189 intersections covered by cameras bringing the total to 330 but won't due to budget shortfalls.

Now get this. Red light camera tickets are $100.00 which is less than minimum court costs alone at Cook County Traffic court.

Based on numbers provided it costs $56,000.00 to install the cameras and $50,000.00 a year to operate and monitor.

Average annual revenue for the current 189 cameras is $300,000.00 per camera per year. Note, thisis the actula revenue collected, not just the potential revenue if collections were better.

How many of us would like a return like that?

 

[Red Baron]

The title is redundant.

 

[Red Baron]

RLCs were installed here in Lubbock, Texas last year, then pulled out because of public outcry...myself included.

It's a slippery slope when citiations are issued based mostly for revenue generation rather than for safety and deterrance. The RLCs were finally pulled when stats showed they cause more accidents...rear end collissions went thru the roof with drivers slamming on their brakes. Additionally, city attorneys decided they were marginal unconstitutional as there's no practical way to face your accuser in court.

I think they're a very bad idea.

 

[rph9168]

Here in Atlanta someone sued because the cameras were set to take a picture as soon as the yellow light turned red saying that did not allow time to clear the intersection if one were turning on yellow. They had to put in a 2 second delay. The revenue from the cameras dropped to less than the monthly fee for the system so they shut them down.

 

[pitzerwm]

In Australia, the quality of the picture was so bad that they had to drop them. People getting tickets could easily prove that they were some place else when the picture was taken. One of the big cases was when a person was in court on another charge.

 

[Earl Weiss]

In Australia, the quality of the picture was so bad that they had to drop them. People getting tickets could easily prove that they were some place else when the picture was taken. One of the big cases was when a person was in court on another charge.

Here itis like a toll pass violation. The ticket is issued to the vehicle owner. So far the courts have ruled Both OK.

Both I and a family member have been nailed. These are set so they don't trip unless the light is red when the vehicle trips sensors which are located before you enter the intersection. No sensors in the intersection. Could be some interesting car wash technology since it involves dual sensors a few feet apart before the intersection which notes the vehicle speed as both are tripped and calculaes stopping distance and takes the photo when speed indicates not stop thru intersection.

 

[rph9168]

When they were on here you got a ticket in the mail with a picture of your vehicle and the license plate. You had a choice of paying the fine ($75) or proving you weren't the one driving. Since they had your tag number, you couldn't renew your license plate with the outstanding ticket.

 

[pitzerwm]

In some states its like a parking ticket, it doesn't matter who is driving.

There is a picture somewhere on the web, where the picture shows the guy's wife with her hand on some other guy's pecker.

 

[rph9168]

Maybe she thought she was driving a "stick" shift.

 

[Red Baron]

I received a ticket and "very high quality" pic of my tag for passing the toll booth on George Bush Tollway in Dallas awhile back. The highway was under construction and the ramps coned off - it wasn't even possible to get to the toll booths. But the ticket was around $15 so I paid it rather than waste 45 minutes arguing with some bureaucratic nitwit over it.

I think red light cameras are a dumb idea. Several times I've elected to push the yellow light a bit after watching closely for cross traffic, on slick roads when it seemed likely the guy behind me wasn't going to get stopped before hitting me. That would get me a ticket with a red light camera.

 

[rph9168]

Local officials here said that the red light cameras were to promote safety, not raise revenue. However, when they had to change the timing of the camera and the cost exceeded the revenues, the cameras were taken down.

 

[Red Baron]

Yeah they played the same game in Lubbock Texas. Council members in favor of RLCs promised it was not about generating revenue, but when it looked like the cameras were going to be taken down, they threatened to eliminate some PD and FD positions to make up the budget shortfall caused by taking them cams down.

Is it any wonder people don't trust politicians?