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Red-light cameras
It's the Holy Grail for cash-strapped localities: cameras, supplied by a private company, that snag red-light runners. The company takes a cut, the city gets the money, and it's win-win for everybody.
Red-light runners are one resource that South Florida possesses in an abundant, inexhaustible supply. Tapping into them is like harnessing the power of the sun.
Besides, everybody hates them, so it's like taxing child abuse or something. There's no constituency of red-light runners that will organize to push back against being targeted.
Another advantage I see is that, this being Florida, the rear-end collision side-effect of drivers slamming on their brakes at the last moment will be more pronounced than in other states where these cameras are being tried. Take into account all the usual text-messaging, phone-yakking, ingesting of dangerous drugs, and doing make-up while driving that happens in every state, and add to it the slower reaction time of a tailgating senior who is trying to get through the light because, like everybody else in Florida, it's important to get wherever you're going ahead of all the other drivers, and you've provided a stimulus for one of our major industries: personal injury lawsuits.
It's the gift that keeps on giving.
CHAN LOWE
Comments
They tested schemes to defeat these on Mythbusters, and the only hope appears to be the highly illegal gimmick they rigged up to do a James Bond like flipping of the license plate to a phony when speeding through a light. I suggest anyone trying this use a duplicate of the mayor's tag in the community where you test your license plate flipping rig and see how the whole presumed guilty till you prove yourself innocent aspect works for the city officials :-).
Posted by: Tom | April 20, 2009 7:05 PM
the license plate sprays don't work and using htem is illegal i htink.
you can get a gps red light camera detector like www.gpsangel.com
that works. i picked up one on amazon for $99.
Posted by: FF | April 20, 2009 7:52 PM
False! There is an organized group to defeat the red light cameras. Both the National Motorists Association have teamed up to defeat red light cameras. Unfortunately, this year, red light cameras are likely to pass due to lawmakers greed, not a concern over pubic safety. Accidents increase where red light cameras are installed according to independent studies. The average red light violation accident is 8 seconds into the red while the average violation is less than 1 second into the red. Most violations do not result in an accident. Cameras will ticket violators but will do nothing to reduce accidents. These are the facts. Your legislators ignore them.
Posted by: Henry | April 21, 2009 10:03 AM
Intersection accidents, especially red light and stop sign infractions, can result in the most deadly accidents - the t-bone.
They are not common but they make up for in severity what they lack in frequency.
The rear-ending that results from people following too close to stop when the vehicle in front stops unexpectedly -- for a red light -- is less dangerous if more common.
If the cameras cause more rear-end collisions the combination of the cost to the driver in the vehicle that hits the rear of another coupled with a heavy fine should begin the education process.
Posted by: Gerard Terry | April 23, 2009 12:11 PM
too much action....Camera!
Posted by: rev. marvin e. purser jr. | April 27, 2009 6:37 AM