Chicago suburb scraps red-light camera

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TireSmoker
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Chicago suburb scraps red-light camera

Post by TireSmoker »

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news ... antage.ars

Local police determined there was no safety benefit to the redlight camera. Good news.

-Dave
markss327
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Post by markss327 »

OK, I'm not a big fan either, but...

"...generating some 7,000 tickets by the end of 2008, according to the Daily Herald. By February, that number climbed to over 10,000 and $1 million in revenue."

With today's economic level, why would you dismiss a revenue generator like this, and that's only with one camera?
I'm I missing something?
-Mark
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Post by TireSmoker »

Revenue generator??

That is *precisely* the problem. How many citizens would go along with such a scheme from the start if it was sold as a "revenue generator" ?? In that case, why even bother with a camera and the people and equipment needed to administer such a system? Why not just tell everyone they are on the hook for an extra $200 this year in taxes?

These damn things are always sold as "increasing safety" and now that has been debunked.

If you're going to cite the economic difficulty of the times, siphoning off even more money to the government is certainly NOT the answer.

-Dave
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Post by markss327 »

Yea, revenue generator.

If you break the law, i.e. run the light, it's $100, pay up. It you're a responsible citizen, and not running lights, it's all moot. Go ahead, call it Big Brother. It is. BUT, if you're clean, you have nothing to worry about. After 911, Uncle Sam can surveillance all he wants.

I'm not up for paying any additional taxes.
You have to run a city, as you would run a business. Laws\Rules have to set, and enforced. In the city, it's the police, in business, it's your HR.
If the cameras bring in money for the city, go for it. You can't have a cop at the corner, 24/7.

I did find it disappointing to see "that it provides no appreciable safety benefits." I dono what to say to that. The camera as a deterrent to running the lights, logically has to increase safety.

All this comes from a guy who was hit broad side from a chick who ran a red light, doing 50mph. This was the demise of my '96 Dodge Ram.
We're just going to have to agree, to disagree.
-Mark
2024 Equinox LT AWD
2015 Yamaha FRJ
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