Quote:
Originally Posted by John 070
The thing is, red light cams do not make any mistakes. You were either before the stop line when the light turned red, or you weren't. It is physically impossible for a camera to take a picture of your car having not reached the stop line, when the light turned red, if it didn't happen.
I always looked at it as if you have an opportunity to have more than $500 in fines just going to work, if you run lights and speed. Nobody can afford to do that 5 days a week, 4 weeks in a month, 52 weeks in a year. So what happens? Behavior changes.
When I'm in DC, I see people observing the limits, and stopping at red lights. Mission accomplished. I mean DC publishes the location of every camera, they aren't hiding them (except with mobile units).
In my lifetime, I've only gotten one ticket from a cam, and it was when I ran the light in 2002. Oddly, I did about 41 in a 35 in DC, and did not get a ticket. Urban legend says they only allow 4 over, unlike MD, which allows 11.
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I should like to feel that speed and/or red light camera's are more accurate than the average police officer. No offense please, but a human error is easily made. If you have doubt about a camera picture you can request the official "calibration report" that must not be more than one year old (at least in The Netherlands). What's wrong with a camera that give you a fine if you really run a red light? I mean, it was red for longer than 1 complete second before your front bumper crossed the line at the intersection? And what is wrong for with a speed camera that gives you a fine when you speed more than 10mph at a busy highway during rush hour? Of course we shouldn't send a fine for someone speeding 3 miles over the limit. That, typically, was unintentional.
Camera's should not be installed everywhere. Camera's should be installed at those traffic lights where people notoriously run red lights and/or accidents have happened in the past. Similarly to those installed on high ways. Let's face it: If we'd all stick to the limit in dangerous areas we'd have a lot less accidents. And then, I'm sure the police would be a bit more "easy going" when we speed 12 miles over the limit on an interstate.
I can't stand those State Troopers that just sit in the middle of nowhere "waiting for a target". Let them focus on those who speed around busy highway intersections, people that drive without thread on their tires, people that drive cars without working lights, or those that drive with their rear fog lights on without reason...
But who am I? I guess I'm glad I'm not a State Trooper... No offense please for those on this forum who are
. I've have yet to meet a nice one, so please introduce yourself!
