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Traffic Cameras in D.C.
Kappelmeister writes "The Washington Post has an article about red-light-running and speeding cameras all over D.C. that have issued over half a million citations to date. (Police send you a ticket and photographic proof up to a month after the fact.) Though the cameras successfully reduce dangerous driving and boost the city's revenue, a lot of wrongful citations fall through the cracks and give some that guilty-until-proven-innocent feeling. Once again, how far is too far?" I came across this much more informative investigation of D.C.'s traffic cameras a few weeks ago. It's heavy on facts and figures, and hammers home the observation that an extra second of yellow light is at least as good at promoting good behavior, but much less lucrative for the local government and the contracting firm.
1984 is right around the corner?
[hehehe just kidding, I figured I might as well post the first bad reference to 1984...]
Down with privacy up with publicness... Oh wait WHO GIVES A SHIFT!
Tom
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
Apparently, a lot of police cars and other emergency vehicles have been ticketed while they were speeding to answer 911 calls. Although human oversight is supposed to screen out these citations, a lot of cops, firefighters and EMTs found themselves receiving tickets in the line of duty, and the city's appeal process was so complex they couldn't go through the effort to fight them off. The end result is that many of these cops, firefighters and EMTs have been driving the speed limit (usually 25mph) to their calls. It is disgusting that these cameras are now directly endangering peoples' lives.
I used to live near DC, I travel there often still. Given how quite a bit of the city is still a craphole, I can't imagine this money going to any positive use. The DC city council even wanted to assess points to speeders' driving records. However, congressman Dick Armey personally interceded and put a stop to this (because of his privacy concerns). He also wanted to begin congressional hearings into the constitutionality of traffic light cameras in general.
In case of fire, do not use elevator. Use water!
Given that you offer no evidence other than your own opinion, your declaration of 'bullshit' applys more to your own statements. In point of fact, something similar happened in San Diego (click), where the police union denounced red light cameras when five on-duty cops received citations. You're the one who's full of it, not the original poster. Not to mention that anyone who can't make his point without lapsing into profanity is probably too ill-informed to be rendering opinions to begin with.