Too much hassle. Just use this:
Posted on 10/18/2014 10:00:41 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows
Drivers in Chicago have gotten wise to speed cameras, budget figures show, and now the city needs to come up with $50 million in revenue.
Chicagoans are costing the city tens of millions of dollars -– through good behavior. Mayor Rahm Emanuel underestimated the intelligence of Chicago drivers, and the city paid for it big time.
On a smooth, wide, well-travelled stretch of Irving Park Road, running between two cemeteries — no homes, no stores, no parking — the city of Chicago is trying to balance its budget. Each flash means a photo; each photo, a violation. Each violation: a hundred bucks, from red-light and speed cameras.
CBS 2 has learned the speed cameras caught far fewer speeders than expected. According to the Mayor’s 2015 Budget Overview, there have been “lower than expected violation rates.”
How much lower? Fifty million dollars lower.
Emanuel’s administration had figured on $90 million in fines to help balance this year’s budget, but they can only count on $40 million. That’s a $50 million shortfall, putting pressure on the next spending plan.
“It was a combination of the camera company’s salesmanship and the city’s greed,” says camera critic Barnet Fagel. The city was expecting a nearly $100 million windfall by flooding the city with the speed cameras, using proximity to schools and parks as justification. The speed camera on Irving Park is listed as close to Challenger Park, which actually looks more like a parking lot — and is, during Cubs games.
-snip-
A report by Inspector General Joe Ferguson maintained “the City cannot prove red-light camera locations are based on safety considerations.” And a University of Illinois at Chicago study concluded “red light cameras are not effective in improving safety.”
(Excerpt) Read more at screen.yahoo.com ...
There have been a plethora of red Light Cameras installed in Broward County at the cost of millions of dollars.
Now, studies are showing an increase of bad accidents, as some motorists slam on the brakes on yellow, causing others to violently rear-end them, and several others behind becoming involved as well. That, and the money spent to combat litigation from a whole new classification of lawyers who see this as a chance to make money.
These cameras were never installed to save lives. They are unabashedly meant for revenue and are failing miserably in their quest.
A lot of them are being removed.
It’s the Chicago way.
> “the City cannot prove red-light camera locations are based on safety considerations.”
They never are, but that’s always how they’re sold.
I’ve reviewed a few of the contracts. The language clearly indicates its a symbiotic relationship between the municipality and the red light camera installer / program administrator. Basically the municipality isn’t charged for the installation, however they may have to fork over up to 40 % of the fines collected nd if they don’t produce a certain amount of revenue within a given period they have to pay a penalty. They even have PR groups setup BY the company that shoves propaganda and misleading figures down people’s throats in the community to get them to accept that it’s “good” for the public safety. Meanwhile they donate campaign funds via individuals so they don’t have to use PACs that would make it immediately obvious. It doesn’t ost the municipality any front money and they sell the idea of revenue enhancement to the city council scmucks for “free” and tell them they have nothing to lose and everything to gain (oh unless the pople obey the law)...
It’s a wonder people aren’t hurling grenades at them...
That’s crazy talk. /sarc
This completely corrupt administration deserves it.
Haha this Chicagoan is lmao at this
Lawyer Harvey Silverglate's 2011 book, "Three Felonies a Day", shows how Ayn Rand prescient vision is being borne out in today's society. Of course the modern key for prosecutors now is having case law so riddled with ambiguity as to allow prosecution almost at whim. Governor Rick Perry in Texas is finding this out but I think his prosecution is being amply demonstrated to be animus on a political scale. Still the absolute best defense of anybody coming to the attention of the legal system is to hire the best lawyer and say nothing until he says so.
don’t worry....they’ll come up with a new law that most people break to get their ticket revenue up....like chewing gum while driving...
Next: just pull them over and invoke civil forfeiture. It’s the socialist way—armed theft.
So is this former Chicagoan.
Agreed on all counts.
Let me correct that statement. They are NOT!!!! enacted to punish citizens or reap financial benefits.
In today's United States, I soon expect to see the hiring of a lawyer become a serious felony.
Of course, Comrade! If you are not guilty, why you need lawyer?
Here’s what they are doing in the UK when it comes to their GATSO Speed Cameras.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iprAsCibZtM
They “set them alight with an old tyre and some petrol”
If we had any guts, we’d be doing something similar.
I guess in Chicago, Blacks don’t drive!
I recall one story out of DC. One camera was generating $200K/year.
It’s “yellow” was set to 0.5 seconds.
"Whereas guilty parties often hire lawyers, and whereas these lawyers often get the guilty off on technical legal points, BE IT HEREBY KNOWN that the hiring of a lawyer, or any attempt to personally defend against an accusation, is prima facia evidence of guilt of the crime being so accused. As this is an attempt to subvert the legal system, any use of a lawyer, or any attempt to personally defend against an accusation, is a Class C Felony, punishable by no less than three and no more than ten years incarceration, and the imposition of a 10,000 dollar fine."
In Kentucky they are concerned about safety. When a light switches from yellow to red, the cross traffic red light turns green after approximately one second.
We have no cameras.
The lion’s share of tickets written at Chicago by these camera sites are for california stops before making a free right. That is not the safety issue for which they are sold to the public.
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