(Houston Mayor White's) Plan for red-light cameras stalls

the camera doesn't lie.

So EVERYTHING that I see in the movies and on TV is real? These cameras could not be made to fake or "adjust" pictures for additional profit?

Further, the owners of the camera company would NEVER try to cheat us for extra profit. Ask Enron.

Government employees would never take bribes. Ask Ben Reyes.

This is about revenue and nothing else. Ask Councilwoman Gibbs.

If this was such a good idea then City Council wouldn't be scared to death of it.

Here are some recent examples (this year) of failures:

Yes, I've seen those. Vendors should collect and analyze the data, then do what it takes to file them under "Lessons learned." They're going to have to eliminate the errors before they collect one red cent from my town.

If a camera could pull a trigger (say on someone vandalizing an ATM, possibly trying to rob it), would you trust its judgement?

You mean, like an automated gunshot? LOL. When the red-light camera-ticketing process has a glitch, irate people start calling city hall and/or showing up in court, all of them telling similar stories about their non-guilt. Somehow, I think that human part of the error-detection-and-correction might have some holes when you add a gunshot to the mix.

How about this: Strike a deal with the Big Brother Camera Co. whereby they can install and maintain their system at a couple intersections and run them in production mode for three or six months, except that they're only sending warning citations to the offenders. You might even put undercover cops at those intersections to monitor the process. If it works, BBCC gets to start doing it for real. If not, send 'em packing. If they don't want a deal like that, fine. Either they don't have the confidence in their system or, business is doing so well that they don't need yours.

So EVERYTHING that I see in the movies and on TV is real?

Yeah, I can just see it now. Pixar Entertainment, Traffic Enforcement Division. :-)

These cameras could not be made to fake or "adjust" pictures for additional profit?

Definitely. They'll probably split the action with everyone in your local news media to make sure none of them gets any ideas about doing one of those popular hit pieces about corruption in City Hall. Hey, maybe it's just a matter of increasing the current payoff.

Further, the owners of the camera company would NEVER try to cheat us for extra profit.

Fine. If you really think there are not enough safeguards to prevent that, buy the system instead of giving the vendor a piece of the action.

Government employees would never take bribes.

Sure they do. As do policemen, judges, traffic court clerks, etc., etc. I wouldn't expect this system to change the reality of that, for better or worse.

If this was such a good idea then City Council wouldn't be scared to death of it.

Maybe they're not convinced that all the kinks have been worked out of it. Or, maybe they're afraid too many of their constituents could be talked into wearing tinfoil hats.

Again, it's very simple. Before I'm buying into it, they'll have to answer all the concerns and demonstrate that it works and will keep on working.

At least 15 cities nationally have yanked similar camera systems for various reasons. Among them: lack of judicial support, technical problems, mounting lawsuits and voter referendums forcing their withdrawal.

...

Last year, a San Diego judge threw out almost 300 tickets issued using traffic cameras. The city had given up too much police power to the camera vendor, the judge said, after it was determined the firm placed some cameras too close to the intersection and shortened signal timing.

http://www.cincypost.com/2004/12/18/tix121804.html

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