L.A. City Council Votes to Remove Red-Light Cameras

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

It seems like we have a cop for every 3 citizens in our police state...

You may have noticed we didn't have enough of them during our recent "shoplifting early for Christmas" events here. I sometimes drive 4-500 miles to England and never see a real copy. Speed cameras in "Talivans" yes, but not a real cop.

Originally Posted by slowmover

You'll be in the vanguard by turning yourself in to authorities after driving at 3-mph over the limit. Etc.

Surely if you do this your head will explode due to exposure of sustained high speed travel. Unless of course you wear a stout and well constructed hat. I suggest a bowler.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

OK - how do people here propose that red-light "jumpers" or "runners" be caught ?

(I am not in favour of these cameras, I want accidents caused by people breaking the rules to be reduced)

Philadelphia had a really big problem with bad accidents and pedestrian injuries on Roosevelt Boulevard. They installed red light cameras and a ton of signage warning drivers about them. There appears to have been a temporary increase in accidents (rear-enders as drivers jumped on the brakes) but once folks got used to them being there the problems appear to have been reduced considerably.

Red light cameras can work when used to reduce hazards, but they don't appear to work when the intent is to generate revenue. Boo hoo.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Across the US yellow lights have been shortened with the connivance of politicians and bureaucrats looking for private sector higher paying jobs. As a result, accidents went up. A cry went up from the astro-turf wilderness about the slaughter on our roads. Ergo, cameras and huge revenues.

In Canada the yellow light was lengthened slightly, and there is a momentary pause before the lights change to the next configuration. Accident reduction.

.

Exactly, cameras make revenue, not safety.

Extending the yellow light duration is the most effective way of increasing safety. Period.

[Arragonis]

Maybe we could have some cops back ?

The last time I saw a traffic policeman imposing rules it was to make sure drivers didn't pull into a (mostly empty and wasting space) bus lane about 20 ft before they should.

Hardly a safety issue is it ?

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Maybe we could have some cops back ?

The last time I saw a traffic policeman imposing rules it was to make sure drivers didn't pull into a (mostly empty and wasting space) bus lane about 20 ft before they should.

Hardly a safety issue is it ?

...similarly, how many "accidents" have been been caused by over-time parking and likewise reduced by Police "Parking Meter" lads/maids?

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...similarly, how many "accidents" have been been caused by over-time parking and likewise reduced by Police "Parking Meter" lads/maids?

They have reduced Police here, and de-criminalised parking which means that the number of parking, er, people has increased. And so has the number of mistakes made by councils trying to enforce this stuff and so has the cost of the appeals. I'm not entirely sure this is a priority.

Especially when the vehicles doing the catching are parked illegally themselves...



(EDIT - Double Yellow lines in the UK means no parking or stopping).

[99LeCouch]

Heh. Figures that they'd realize it was a corporate welfare scam on the backs of hapless citizens. No problems paying more policefolks to enforce traffic laws. But outsourcing law enforcement to a private company that gets a cut of the revenue, that's a problem.

[Frank Lee]

They knew it was a corporate welfare thing from the start. They just thought they try it to see if they could get away with it- same mentality as the execs I used to work with. Their motto is "It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission". In other words, get away with whatever you think you can, and then some. The risk/reward ratio is favorable.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

They knew it was a corporate welfare thing from the start. They just thought they try it to see if they could get away with it- same mentality as the execs I used to work with. Their motto is "It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission". In other words, get away with whatever you think you can, and then some. The risk/reward ratio is favorable.

...or, maybe it's the caught/prosecuted ratio is slim-to-none?