Well, after nearly getting clobbered by a red light runner at an intersection I was crossing, I decided it was time to make another post about red light cameras and Issue 7
Red light running is rampant from my perspective. I see people run red lights every time I go out at almost every intersection I cross. Something needs to be done.
The cameras are pretty good at recording violations and the photographic evidence is always reviewed by a police officer before a citation is issued. Citations can always be challenged. Dangerous police chases are avoided.
10 cameras operating 24/7/365 vs paying police to do the same task ?
The cameras are installed for free and maintained at a set rate. They catch every violation. Valuable trained, skilled police officers and their expensive to maintain vehicles doing the same task would cost over $3,000,000 a year and wouldn't catch even half of the violations since they have to chase and write out citations on the spot - taking them away from their monitoring position. Their patrol cars burning gas the whole time.
Since the cameras were introduced, their use has improved.
Evidence suggests that a minor increase in rear end collisions may result from the use of the cameras as motorists have last minute second thoughts about running the light and slam on their brakes causing the driver behind them (who, presumably has not left a safe and assured distance between himself and the guy in front of him) runs into him. Blaming the camera for this would be the same s blaming someone crossing the street and causing the motorist, intent on breaking the law, to slam on his brakes.
Other arguments against the cameras tend to involve paranoid fear mongering.
Overall, the majority of studies show the cameras lead people to modify their behavior and the instances of very dangerous "T-Bone" collisions are reduced.
The damage wrought by collisions caused by running red lights are more extensive, cause more injuries, permanent disabilities and death than by any minor increase in low impact rear-end collisions one tries to blame on the monitoring devices.
Vote for safety. Vote for fiscal responsibility.
Vote NO on issue 7.
2 comments:
Almost had me convinced. I admit, I'm divided on the issue. And, as a walker/bus rider, there are times I'm like, OK ladies and gentlemen, come on...
...but then I rode in a car through Clifton at rush hour. It's hard not to run a red light and get anywhere.
Inconvenience, unnecessary. And most red light runs currently caught by cops are not by them sitting around. It's them driving by.
And I don't think 95% of the "perps" they catch will be the late red light runners. My guess it will people who enter the intersection when the light is yellow.
Which, though not really legal, is not a problem with yours truly.
In the last proposal to the city it was agreed that the cameras would only record people who enter on a red.
Different cities have different set ups, it is important to look at what is being proposed here.
yeah, when I used to drive, Clifton was a nightmare. But that's more to do with the huge mass of humanity (mostly young) in a small area than the lights.
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