US Cities Scrapping Red Light Cameras

[PatrizioD]

Like the title says, cities across this great country are doing away with traffic cameras. "Why?" you ask... well, money is the answer! (Isnt it always?)

Dallas, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina have joined in the growing number of cities who have started to see record declines in ticketable offenses and accidents. This has caused revenues to drop sharply, causing officials to wonder where they're going to get money for schools, road work, and countless other things. So, I pose this question to you all... what do you think of the fact that the government is willing to reverse a 40% drop in accidents, just so they can start ticketing you more to generate revenue?

[third_shift|studios]

engineer: "hey look...it works!"
beurecrat: "what do you mean it worked?"

[SandmanWs7]

I've been caught by those damn things twice.

[SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]

Fatal accidents have dropped since people don't want to run the red...fender benders have increased though because dumbshits slam on their brakes.

[grouch0jr]

Fatal accidents have dropped since people don't want to run the red...fender benders have increased though because dumbshits slam on their brakes.

sounds good to me.

[SandmanWs7]

one of my dads good friends is a sherrif and he says alot of those your see are "dummy" cameras.

that explains a lot.

[third_shift|studios]

that explains a lot.

lol...self-ownd

[SandmanWs7]

lol...self-ownd

What I ment was that I never got the tickets from those two times.

[FORD RECOVERY EXPERT]

the idiocracy....

[grouch0jr]

the idiocracy....

seen that movie?

[gwballin]

Like the title says, cities across this great country are doing away with traffic cameras. "Why?" you ask... well, money is the answer! (Isnt it always?)

Lets not kid ourselves, as you clearly point out, these cameras were always about money. Sure the government says that they initially put these up for safety, but studies showed the presence of these cameras increase the number of accidents and premiums we pay for insurance.

We got them in New Orleans about a year ago. Did the city have to pay for the cameras, nope. All the vendor wanted was a cut of the ticket revenue, of course it was about the money.

Now the cameras work to well so lets get rid of them. This just goes to show again, that this was never a safety issue.

[bodyman5000]

sounds good to me.

sounds really good to me too.

[Hot Black Trans-Am]

I hate camera's.

[grouch0jr]

sounds really good to me too.

i meant the decline in fatal accidents part. if its making a difference, good.

[ls1camino]

engineer: "hey look...it works!"
beurecrat: "what do you mean it worked?"

You have no idea how often that happens to me at work...

[DJ Red Barron]

I'm glad to see them go. I never was a fan of getting an automated ticket.

[davidbie]

Lets not kid ourselves, as you clearly point out, these cameras were always about money. Sure the government says that they initially put these up for safety, but studies showed the presence of these cameras increase the number of accidents and premiums we pay for insurance.

We got them in New Orleans about a year ago. Did the city have to pay for the cameras, nope. All the vendor wanted was a cut of the ticket revenue, of course it was about the money.

Now the cameras work to well so lets get rid of them. This just goes to show again, that this was never a safety issue.

I agree, but I can't beleive the audasity they have in admitting they don't care about the safty of people and that it is all about money. I mean we all know it ,but to admit it?
Wow,they have become to comfortable with walking all over us.
These officials need to be held accountable!

[grouch0jr]

You have no idea how often that happens to me at work...

i do, haha

[whoa guy]

NC was actually one of the first (if not the 1st state) to rule against the program. Once High Point disabled them, Charlotte followed suit like a month later. They are still up but just dont work!! Great use of my tax dollars!

Heres an article on it:

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/11/1132.asp

A ruling today by the North Carolina Court of Appeals threatens red light camera programs in the state. The decision upheld two lower court rulings that had required the city of High Point to direct 90 percent of photo ticket fines to the public school system. Today's ruling expands the precedent statewide, turning money-making programs into a money-losers for the cities involved.


High Point had argued that the Article IX, section 7 of the state constitution did not apply to red light camera tickets because they imposed a "penalty" not a "fine." Judge J. Douglas McCullough swept aside the word games, writing for the court, "the fact that the violation results in a civil penalty rather than a fine for an infraction is irrelevant if we are to observe the Supreme Court's admonition to consider 'the nature of the offense committed, and not in the method employed by the municipality to collect fines for commission of the offense.'"


High Point had been paying Peek Traffic Inc. $35 out of every $50 citation to operate the cameras. Under today's ruling, each ticket issued would cost the city $30. High Point had suspended its program last year pending the outcome of the appeal. Officials admitted at the time that they would not continue the public safety program if it ended up costing money. Greensboro and Greenville likewise suspended their programs last year.

[grouch0jr]

NC was actually one of the first (if not the 1st state) to rule against the program. Once High Point disabled them, Charlotte followed suit like a month later. They are still up but just dont work!! Great use of my tax dollars!

Heres an article on it:

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/11/1132.asp

A ruling today by the North Carolina Court of Appeals threatens red light camera programs in the state. The decision upheld two lower court rulings that had required the city of High Point to direct 90 percent of photo ticket fines to the public school system. Today's ruling expands the precedent statewide, turning money-making programs into a money-losers for the cities involved.


High Point had argued that the Article IX, section 7 of the state constitution did not apply to red light camera tickets because they imposed a "penalty" not a "fine." Judge J. Douglas McCullough swept aside the word games, writing for the court, "the fact that the violation results in a civil penalty rather than a fine for an infraction is irrelevant if we are to observe the Supreme Court's admonition to consider 'the nature of the offense committed, and not in the method employed by the municipality to collect fines for commission of the offense.'"


High Point had been paying Peek Traffic Inc. $35 out of every $50 citation to operate the cameras. Under today's ruling, each ticket issued would cost the city $30. High Point had suspended its program last year pending the outcome of the appeal. Officials admitted at the time that they would not continue the public safety program if it ended up costing money. Greensboro and Greenville likewise suspended their programs last year.

what a crock of crap. as far as im concerned if you blow a red light you deserve a ticket, i hate watching people fly through yellows at 100 mph. its a shame that this was actually effective and they are disbanding them