The GA has passed the measure allowing Red Light Cameras. It’s on the way to the Governor’s desk. I hope he doesn’t sign it. I don’t like Red Light Cameras. It isn’t really due to privacy concerns as they point at the pavement and take pictures of cars. I can lean out the window of my office and do that. I also don’t really believe that they cause more rear-end collisions. People tell me the data is there but to me, it’s more a symptom of the problem than a problem itself. Stated another way, I think that people have become so used to driving w/o using turn signals and accelerating through yellow lights that any change that forces them to actually obey the law will cause problems.
So, what’s my beef? Well, I see the Red Light Camera more as a revenue stream for government than I do a real safety device. The companies that operate these devices spend huge sums lobbying for their installation. It seems too cozy. It is essentially a cash register at every intersection. I think the only way I would support these things would be for the resulting revenue to go to some good public cause. Earmark the proceeds for parks or charity or something. What does everyone out there think?
February 21, 2007 at 1:06 pm
1. How much money will be spent before these things are paid for before the “new and improved equipment” is required?
2. How am I to remember which member of my family is driving THAT vehicle at THAT time, in THAT intersection on THAT day? I know that some families in Manassas would have a VERY hard time with this one since some have 13 kids.
3. If 2 people own the vehicle which person will be given the ticket? If the ticket is not paid whose license will be suspended? Spouses do not have to testify against each other in a court of law.
4. What happend to a witness? I don’t guess there has to be one..well except camera…are these talking camera’s that can be brought into a court room? Well, Mr. Camera, can you tell me if it was a male or female driving the car? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
5. 2 cars one intersection, 1 camera, both cars run the red light, which one gets the photo?
6. I’m all about the Big Brother Theory…Photo shop can do LOT’s of things these days.
February 21, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Too cozy indeed.
Dated but still prolly holds a key to the truth.
http://tinyurl.com/2mrc45
Hasn’t DC practically reversed it’s budgetary woes with these cameras alone?
http://tinyurl.com/34v4bj
I’m not a red light runner by nature however, I do have greater concern with the Big Brother government initiatives we have been witness to in recent times. I feel this measure would condone a broader application(misuse?) of such powers upon the public in general. Earmarked proceeds seem to get “re-appropriate” at the whim of pressing need in short order. Then we left asking where’d all that money go? Remember the 1983 gasoline tax earmarked for rebuilding the roads and bridges in the US.Politicians found other ways to use it(of course) ….for example: http://tinyurl.com/39lfuq Should we really trust such things are different locally? How could this be guaranteed?
February 22, 2007 at 11:16 am
I see this as just another step towards us ending up looking like Europe. You can’t walk anywhere in a UK city, and not be under the watchful eye of the Bobbies, via video camera. I don’t mind being filmed in a private establishement, for security and loss pervention, as long as there is a sign plainly visible stating that the management is doing so. I can make the decision whether or not to give that establishement my business. A public way is quite another thing altogether. I don’t want government filming me at all. I don’t care if it is for traffic enforcement or public safety.
February 22, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Google “Photo Red Virginia” and you will find a wide range of views
and data on the subject. It obviously has so many pros and cons,
that my first suggestion is that Manassas give it careful review
before we make any decision – even though the GA has given
us permission, we shouldn’t race out of the box on this one
( Find it interesting that even some “progressives” are given
pause with the studies that show a decrease in side collisions
but an INCREASE in rear end crashes.) To be worth our support,
photo-red must show a strong, measurable benefit to public
safety.
Stop, look and listen would be a good policy for at least the next
few months. I’m sure the Virginia Municipal League and others
will be providing additional information.
February 24, 2007 at 8:55 am
I have always believed that simply having the cameras visible to drivers in certain intersections (Main & Center) is deterrent enough. Then you don’t have to raise revenue by punishing the honest and rewarding the liars (“I have no idea who was driving my car that day!!!”)
February 24, 2007 at 10:32 am
Tony:
The way that this has been implemented in the past, it doesn’t matter who was driving. The owner of the car gets the ticket regardless. If your buddy borrowed your rig to move and ran a red light, you still get the ticket and it’s up to you to get the money from him.
February 24, 2007 at 3:56 pm
At a VML seminar on this subject, Vienna stated that an owner
could avoid a fine by sending a letter stating they were not driving
AND who, in fact, was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident.
February 24, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Fair enough, I wasn’t aware of the “appeal” mechanism.
February 25, 2007 at 12:50 pm
We are all familiar with the phrase, ‘where there is a will there is a way’. It is the nature of the human to find a way around something they don’t like and don’t want aka appeal mechanism. In my opinion, the red light camera will not work. It is the nature of most humans to weasel out of a wrong by lying, blaming another, not admitting to doing it and NOT wanting to be held accountable. Respect and fear are not in their realm of thinking because they can always bail out or get bailed out from facing the consequences for their own actions by some ‘shield of protection’ or another aka special interest group.
Now if the City of Manassas were really interested in creating a stream of revenue which would make our city safer in bad weather and more attractive to move to, they could hold themselves to their own standards and enforce the ‘shovel the snow’ ordinance. Growing up in the north that had snow from November through March, no one needed to post a bulletin to get-your-snow-shoveled or else we enforce the laws. No man, we learned the easy way, by remembering our citizen duty or the hard way. The fine WAS imposed!! It was simpler back then. Do it and get no fine. Don’t do it and pay the fine. There was NO appeal mechanism. You own the house you are the one ticketed no matter who lives there. You own the business, you shovel or arrange for shoveling to be done no matter what your name was and who your Daddy was.
Unconventional wisdom, you bet but it gets the job done and the city kitty gets fatter!
February 23, 2008 at 11:18 am
I like your blog very much
Hope you keep on posting great stuff
regards, jenna
ps – I just randomly picked one of your posts to say this
October 4, 2010 at 7:03 am
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