Georgia Senate Restricts, Maine Rejects Red Light Cameras

the Newspapercom ^ | 03/21/2008 | n/a

[Ken H]

03/21/2008

Georgia Senate Restricts, Maine Rejects Red Light Cameras

Georgia state Senate votes to force cities to justify red light camera programs while Maine panel votes to reject their use.

The Georgia state Senate yesterday voted in favor of a measure that adds significant restrictions to the use of red light cameras while a legislative panel in Maine ensured automated ticketing machines remained banned from that state's roads.

Although Georgia Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville) would rather see the devices banned outright, his measure represents the next best thing in a state that has authorized their operation for several years. If adopted by the House and signed by the governor, cities with existing camera programs would have two years to show "demonstrable evidence that there is a genuine safety need" at each of the intersections where the devices are installed.

Traffic engineering studies would also be performed at each location to determine whether alternatives to the cameras might improve safety. The state Department of Transportation serves as the final judge by issuing operational permits.

All new requests for camera installations in the state would face the same justifications in order to obtain a permit from the state. Loudermilk's bill gives the department has the right to inspect and audit any photo enforcement program and can enforce compliance by revoking the permit to operate cameras if a city refuses to cooperate.

The bill also requires a second red light camera ticket notice to be sent by certified mail to ensure that the vehicle owner actually receives the notice before being judged guilty. Current law only requires one notice sent by regular mail.

In Maine, the state legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Transportation yesterday voted to kill a proposal by state Representative Donald Pilon (D-Saco) that would have allowed cameras to operate throughout the state. No committee member voted in favor of the proposal.

The full text of the Georgia bill is available in an 80k PDF file at the source link below.

[battlecry]

And the uber-nanny state of Maryland embraced them...

[Breyean]

Here in AZ, cities like Scottsdale and Paradise Valley (both pretty wealthy communities)are not only installing red light cameras, they have speed cameras set up on several major surface streets, and Scottsdale even has them on the freeway where it runs through that city.

Plus, they also have mobile speed cameras mounted on vans that they place around the cities.

[Imperial Warrior]

Red light cameras, aka government revenue collection devices, ie: money scoopers, have proven to be a traffic hazard, not a benefit since motorists frequently either slam on brakes or shoot through intersections to beat the light cycle to avoid a $50, $75, $100, or higher fine (not including administrative court “costs”).

Legal problems involving license ID number disputes to vehicle owner vs. vehicle driver responsibility for liability, insurance points, etc have made this little device for collecting additional income for local bureaucrats and municipalities based on supposed public safety, a negative, not a positive. Besides, the entire premise of red light cameras, that being that their placement will prevent traffic accidents and improve public safety is horribly flawed since by the time a picture is taken, the vehicle has already passed through the intersection and the chance to prevent any accident that could have occurred has already elapsed.

Furthermore, legal challenges to the accuracy of and altering red light camera timing cycles has only added to public outrage, confusion, and legal challenges. Finally, the exact same concept behind the red light camera has been around for a very long time, it’s called the disgraced speed trap, favorite tool of greedy and corrupt tax and spend municipalities that justify highway robbery of unknowing motorists based on the premise of improving public safety when the actual goal is improving revenue collection.