We have those cameras in our town. If you stop with your bumper over the white line, you get a ticket. Yesterday, I was ridding with my daughter who only has a learners permit. We came upon one of those intersections and the light turned yellow when we were far too close to stop. My daughter practically skidded trying to stop in time while the car behind us was inches away trying to avoid hitting us. I ask her why she did that and she said, “ It’s one of those that takes your picture.” I feel those are actually MORE likely to cause a crash.
The speed limit is 55mph then drops to 45mph near the town. Fail to slow down fast enough and you will have your picture snapped and you will be fined. The town is within its rights to enforce this.
But what if all laws were enforced this way? Do you want camera in your home? work? school? You and your kids could be ticketed for all kinds of things. Spitting on the sidewalk, putting a booger on the bathroom wall (yes there is a law), j walking, going too slow, etc.
Would we be safer if all laws were enforced to the fullest extent? These laws were put in place by politicians, not God. Could it be that politicians had in mind to create a traffic situation that would bring in revenue? Like dropping a speed limit down to 45 and then setting up a camera?
Are we all sheep and obey a law simply because it is there or do we do what we can to fight against injustice by bringing light and embarrassment to those who would create and enforce a law for revenue? Make no mistake, this is NOT about safety, its about money. If the program did not generate revenue, it would be shut down regardless of any life it would save. If you don’t believe that, you are naive.
Is it always an all or nothing thing when it comes to laws? Does a speed limit apply to police? no, fire? no, ambulance? no. What if your kid were dying and you had to get them to the ER? Too bad. How come a cop can drive whatever speed he or she wants to regardless of the circumstances? Why are they above the law?
I am not saying all law is bad. Just saying that before you blindly say that this guy is wrong, you take a hard look at your own life, and specifically your driving habits. If you have sped while behind the wheel, did you go ahead and send in the money for speeding even though you didn’t get a ticket?
Is it breaking the law ONLY when you get caught? Why don’t some of you law abiding citizens pay a fine every time you speed regardless if you are ticketed? Don’t be a hypocrite. Is it right for me but not for thee?
The difference between the majority of you unquestioning adherence to the law types and this guy is a camera that caught him and you simply have not gotten caught.
City government doesn’t care if it causes more accidents. All they want is their cash. In many or most cases, they shorten the yellow light at these camera locations so that the average person going to work will be caught running the light. If you’re a contract worker, it’s not worth losing a day’s pay to go to court and fight the ticket. That’s what they’re counting on...that most people will just pay it.
I got a ticket in the mail for running a “red” light once after a bad thunderstorm headed to work. The light was green as I approached then it turned yellow and almost immediately turned red (no 3-4 second lapse) as I was going through it. I just figured the storm had disrupted the cycle, it would be discovered to be not working and they would send a crew to fix it. Come to find out, they deliberately “fixed” it (and other camera lights) that way. I went back to the location and studied the length of the yellow light. It was much shorter than most other lights around town. They deliberately shortened the yellow light cycle. That, plus the fact that there were two large light cables that hung down over the traffic light (since Hurricane Ike) which impaired the view of the light as you approached made me think this was intentional on the part of the city. Needless to say, since I was contract, I didn’t go to court. It would have cost me more money to do so. And that is how they profit.
Okay, we are in deep trouble when learning to comply with the law is only an issue if you actually get punished when you fail. As long as no one was looking, she could roll through the light. And, yes, sure enough, stopping when she should will truly cause more accidents. I think we have entered the twilight zone.