What do you think about the traffic cameras???SCAM????

Beavis Christ AM

It's a scam. They don't use them anymore in Northern Virginia because the company that installed them was getting a kickback from each ticket. Guess what the installation company did to increase it's profit..........they shortened the yellow light. Doesn't sound like a scam to me.

Bert from Oz

I think they can be a scam if not run properly.

See...my thought it this. A fictious person is cruising along the highway, well above the speedlimit. He's caught on camera - but the fine and penalty won't arrive in the mail for a few weeks...but whats stopping him continuing along like that now? Nothing.

Too late if the fine turns up later and he's already crashed.

I think cameras are a good deterrent at red lights...but for speed, the most effective deterrent is police on the roads, catching people then and there.

mark

OF COURSE ITS NOT A SCAM YOUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WOULDNT SCAM YOU...did you know they are watching us? probably taking a picture...OF COURSE ITS A SCAM..,he typed it not me

Gen

We have these cameras in the Phoenix area. They do cut down on red-light running at many intersections, and they have helped with speeding in places, after a few weeks. I greatly appreciate that.

But, it is a HUGE distraction to me when they photograph somebody at night. It lights up the whole area with a horrendously bright light, and I have very pale eyes, so light can get in through the colored part, not just the pupil. So the flash just floods my eyes with light and completely blinds me for 8-10 seconds. Not good when I'm the one driving. And one sad thing that happened on one of our freeways was that at least one camera caught a speeder, and I think a couple did. The guy wrecked and died due to speeding; the city couldn't make good on those tickets, and a perfectly good life was wasted because there wasn't a single cop out there watching. Granted, we should be smart enough to keep ourselves alive without cops babysitting us and making us stop doing dangerous things, but still.

And yes, some of the red-light cameras have been known to snap photos of a person who slammed on the brake and stopped partially in the crosswalk, instead of just running the light.

I like some of what the cameras can offer to society, but they just do not adequately take the place of a real police officer, many times. And a commission on tickets is just absurd. We all pay taxes for police protection; that should cover human and robotic police services. If they can't do the job with the money they have, they need to come tell the taxpayers and ask for more money, not make a few "bad guys" foot the bill.

Coconuts

the way they take the pic's is because is about and eighth of a second after the light turn red if any part of your vehicle is across the sensor then the camera goes off. so if it took your pic then you may not have run the light but you committed the violation of not stopping at the limit line. the traffic cameras in my area take your pic as you enter the the intersection and then another a second later when you are all the way in the intersection.
i don't like the cameras but think they are a good idea because in my area it has cut down accidents by a lot so i feel much safer driving around

palebeachbum

Hmm let's see. Red light means stop. Running a red light is illegal. A traffic camera catches you running a red light. Ticket. Period. I'm sure the cameras are rigged to snap a shot once a car enters the intersection and the light is red. I'm not sure I see what the confusion is all about. It seems pretty cut and dry to me. Now, if the cameras are malfunctioning or the people managing these systems are being crooks and taking advantage of people, that is terribly wrong, needless to say. But I highly doubt this is the case. Not saying it's not possible, I just don't think that's the case. I think these cameras are fantastic. Psycologically, if people know these cameras are in place, they are less likely to drive like idiots, risking their lives along with everyone around them, and if they still choose to, they will get punished for sure. Sounds good to me!

older woman

Cameras do not lie. They catch a lot of idiot drivers violating the laws.

tonalc1

If you had contested the ticket, the tape would have come into evidence. Why didn't you?

Paul G

I live near Fresno, CA.

A few years ago, they installed numerous camera's like these, and began ticketing red-light runners. A few people went to court, and fought the tickets...

Long and short of it is this: after a long drawn-out legal battle, the city uninstalled the cameras, and no longer use them. Reason? Because in our great nation, you have the right to face your accuser, and to hear testimony of witnesses. The court was consistently ruling that the testimony of some employee sitting at a TV reading license plates is not admissable-it's not the same as a police officer pulling you over....

Food for thought...

freedomnow1950

Cameras don't lie. They sure cut down on running red lights where I come from.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: