Cities View Red Light Cameras As Profit Centers

Houston 2600 writes "Chicago could rake in 'at least $200 million' a year — and wipe out the entire projected deficit for 2009 — by using its vast network of redlight and surveillance cameras to hunt down uninsured motorists, aldermen were told today. The system pitched to the City Council's Transportation Committee by Michigan-based InsureNet would work only if insurance companies were somehow compelled to report the names and license plates of insured motorists. That's already happening daily in 13 states, but not here."

Comments

This is a Tax

[Gates82]

It drives me nuts when traffic violations are used as tax rather then for public safety, and these things typically get passed under the guise of safety.

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So who is hotter? Ali or Ali's Sister?

Re:Side effect

[Moryath]

Houston, TX installed "red light cameras."

Then the greedy-ass city council wanted more revenue, so they shortened the yellow-light timing. They now have yellow-light times that are around 2 seconds on most of the camera-watched intersections. Other cities have done the same thing.

The problem is, the shorter a yellow-light timing, the more accidents. Study after study has shown this. Shortening the yellow light timing (to trap motorists "still in the intersection") to get more ticket revenue also makes for more accidents.

It's literally blood money, coming at the expense of people injured or killed in those accidents, but the city councils don't care because it's "their" blood money.

Re:Side effect

[GuyverDH]

There's a simple way to fix it...

Sue the city that shortens the light, showing accident rates, long waits at the lights causing wasted fuel, out of sync lights, causing wasted fuel.

Make it too expensive to operate the lights in question, and they will disappear.

Better yet, take your own video of the intersection, then send it to the local news to show how the lights are *too short* but only at the camera intersections. Site safety issues and government corruption... They won't stay in office for long.

Re:Side effect

[Hatta]

Nothing wrong with that, even if it is a profit center for the city.

Law enforcement should never be a profit center for anyone. That's begging for abuse. Collected fines should simply be destroyed, increasing the value of the money supply for everyone.