Posted on 03/16/2015 12:23:56 AM PDT by nickcarraway
GETTING a $50 ticket for missing a red light is unpleasant enough. But when it is received in the mail without warning, generated from an unmarked camera, it can cause resentment.
“If there were signs up, yes, I’d feel differently,” said Dan Rosenbaum after he received his camera-based ticket for an infraction in Brooklyn.
Mr. Rosenbaum’s reaction is common among drivers who question whether the cameras are deployed to prevent accidents or to generate revenue. The absence of a caution sign can raise suspicions.
In New York, there are red-light cameras at 150 intersections; none of the cameras are marked. The idea is to keep drivers vigilant. “We want people to obey the law everywhere,” said Polly Trottenberg, commissioner of the city’s Transportation Department.
Drivers are increasingly being alerted to the cameras through other means — from navigation devices to traffic apps like Waze, which allows drivers to mark the location of cameras and radar traps.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
... and we can be SURE that none of the cameras EVER make a mistake by confusing a yellow for a red light by a few milliseconds...
Always make a full stop.
You’re never going to beat a traffic citation that shows you rolling through a red stop light or red stop sign.
$120 - L 60 pound - traffic tickets at that intersection in Staffordshire, England.
Ouch!
True, automation isn’t perfect and I don’t like the idea of any government spying on us. But as a pedestrian who has nearly been run over by idiots running red lights, I would like to see an effective deterrent to that practice. The lives saved could include my own.
If you or anyone else has a better idea, I’m all ears.
“I would like to see an effective deterrent to that practice. The lives saved could include my own.”
Well, it would be o.k. with me ( well sorta) if they weren’t being rigged to entrap the motorist by shortening the Amber. The fact is that they are not viewed by our governing class as a safe driving promoter but a revenue enhancer. There’s the difference.
Red-light and speed cameras should be banned as unconstitutional, period. There is no due process when you get a ticket by mail days, weeks, months later. Do you remember circumstances? Do you have means to identify witnesses? To confront your accuser? Guilty by default is simply wrong and unconstitutional.
Lawfully, well armed pedestrians.
Someone comes at you with their vehicle (Read: Deadly Weapon)...
Open fire.
Just a thought.
What bothers me most about the camera scheme is that the penalty is imposed upon the vehicle owner, not the perpetrator. That’s unconstitutional, and if more people would fight it that way, the scheme would probably collapse.
Yes and I’ll be in the slammer.
It does sound tempting though. :)
A yellow light means “clear the intersection” Jurisdictions (like Washington DC) who shorten the yellow duration to enhance revenue add to the danger of collision etc. damn them all about the money
From a constitutional standpoint I think you end up in a hazy area because a motor vehicle violation like this isn’t treated as anything close to a criminal offense. The whole issue of driver vs. vehicle owner is why the violations include a monetary fine but no points on the license. They can’t prove who was actually driving the vehicle, so they don’t know whose license would be involved.
It’s not the same thing. It’s only the same if it is intentional. They may not see someone darting out in between cars. That wouldn’t give the dartee the right to mow down a driver.
There is a web page dedicated to copious examples of this sport. Many, many innovative pictures.
NJ has terminated all red light cameras as it’s claimed the accident-preventing study is inconclusive. The one in our town is still present, but the enforcement sign is gone.
Not to long ago, the DC commish finally came out and admitted that it’s not about safety, it’s about revenue. Back in the 90’s DC was bitching about commuter taxes and Congress laughed at them. Not to soon after, they figured that Congress could not regulate this aspect of their government so this is what they use as their defacto commuter tax.
There was a recent uproar by the locals that the fines for “them” were too high so there was a move to reduce the amount and I’m pretty sure it went through. It was okay when the outsiders were paying but not okay when “they” were paying.
80% of the tickets in Los Angeles were for right turns which are not illegal. The drivers have to take a day off of work to show up in court. Wait in a long line in a hallway at the court house then ask to see the judge who gives them maybe a minute to explain what happened. It might be dismissed but you lost a days pay fighting the ticket.
They know most would pay up rather than go thru this.
Meanwhile the company in cahoots with the city had shorten the yellow light to generate more tickets. This also caused more injuries and death but the city and the company get more money.
This is want caused judges around the country to eventfully ban red light cameras.
Of course, it would depend on the situation.
But after a few red light runners got smoked by their potential victims, drivers might think twice before putting innocents in danger so they could get to their destinations quicker.
$50 is outrageous ,, it’s $165 here ... and we aren’t rich like those New Yorkers... there tickets should be at least $300.
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