Comments on: “Red light cameras working exactly as intended”

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 01:41:12 +0000

Honestly, in traffic court, if it were innocent until proven guilty, you would be hard pressed to ever get convicted of a speeding ticket. Beyond a reasonable doubt. So, yeah, for better or worse society has chosen to look the other way on traffic offenses.

By: J.T. Wenting

J.T. Wenting — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 11:32:56 +0000

“If the above is correct, what ever happened to “innocent until proven guilty” and the right to confront one’s accuser?”

in traffic law the burden of proof was reversed decades ago.

By: gitarcarver

gitarcarver — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:43:58 +0000

I know that the state of Florida had a lengthy and protracted legal battle over the legality of the cameras. Lawyers and clients demanded to see the computer programming and records of the cameras. The companies who make the cameras and the government fought tooth and nail to not have proprietary information made public.

Eventually the government and the companies won, so there is no way that a citizen can actually see the maintenance records or examine the code to see if there is a flaw in the code. The argument that the camera was flawed is no longer allowed as far as I know.

Which brings us to this story out of Orlando and Orange County, FL:
http://www.wftv.com/news/25802690/detail.html

If the judge eventually rules in the case in favor of the (35,000) drivers in the class action suit, the drivers won’t get a citation refund of $125, they’ll only get $75 and the remaining $50 will be taken as attorney’s fees.

That’s $1.75 million in lawyer’s fees.

By: Richard Nieporent

Richard Nieporent — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:04:35 +0000

John, with the old system the signs say 25 miles when flashing. Thus it is easy to see that there is a lower speed limit. The standard speed limit for the road (35-45 mph depending on where the road is) is in effect at all other times. With the speed cameras there is no flashing light to indicate the cameras are in operation. There is only a small sign that is easy to miss if you have not driven the road before indicating there is a speed camera ahead and that the speed limit has dropped to 25 mph. Thus a 45 mph road will suddenly become a 25 mph road for the short distance that it takes to pass the school. If you were within the speed limit for the road and missed the sign, by the time you see the school is ahead it is too late to slow down because the speed camera will have already gone off.

By: Roy in Nipomo

Roy in Nipomo — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 14:45:46 +0000

I can’t speak for MD, but in CA the signs say “25 MPH When Children Are Present.”

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 13:42:32 +0000

@Richard Nieporent: Do the speed signs have hours posted at which time the speed limit changes? If not, isn’t going 45 in a 25 mph zone ‘speeding’, no matter the day of the week or time of day?

By: Richard Nieporent

Richard Nieporent — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 01:13:47 +0000

Over in Montgomery County Maryland they have put up speed cameras by schools. As with red light cameras there is only a fine with no points assessed to the registered owner of the vehicle. The rationale for the speed cameras of course is that it was “for the safety of the children”. However, unlike lights on roads by schools that only flash when school is in session to indicate a 25 mph speed limit, the speed cameras operate 24 hours per day 365 days per year. Thus you could get a ticket for exceeding the 25 mile speed limit at 2:30 in the morning on a weekend during the summer school break. These speed cameras have nothing to do with safety and everything to do with revenue.

By: Leafs

Leafs — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:59:34 +0000

Gitarcarver: But what about the revenues, won’t someone do something about the revenues?

When I used to live in Toronto, they had mobile speeding cameras and there were a lot of complaints about their use, but the day the cameras were pulled off the road, I noticed that people started driving like jerks immediately.

I believe cameras can improve safety, but sadly revenue appears to be the driving force behind instituting cameras. It bothers me when law enforcement appears to be driven to act by revenue streams.

By: gitarcarver

gitarcarver — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:27:35 +0000

I read somewhere a few days ago that one municipality had gone the opposite route. Instead of fining people for violating the speed limit or running a red light, they were taking pictures of cars that obeyed the law. The drivers were then entered into a lottery with $100 prize or something like that.

Crashes, speeding, and running red lights were all down in that city.

I wish I could find the article. It seems to be a case of “the carrot is better than the stick.”

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:35:05 +0000

The police are grossly inept at solving or preventing actual crime but constantly alert and vigilant with respect to revenue producing traffic violations. In my humble opinion, there should always be an option of community service in lieu of a fine. That would adequately deter the infraction without making it appear that the police were glad you did it.