Bill to ban traffic cameras gets first hearing

[DenverChief]

I know there was a discussion about how to defeat Red Light/Photo Radar cameras here a while back - I'm too lazy to look it up - so new thread....anyway seems like this might be the ultimate way to defeat them - lobby your lawmakers at the state level



DENVER (AP) - Colorado lawmakers are trying to ban red-light and speeding cameras, but they're facing opposition from local governments.

The proposal from Greeley Republican Sen. Scott Renfroe is getting its first hearing and vote in a Senate committee Monday afternoon. The bill would forbid cities and towns from using the automated traffic enforcement devices.

The Colorado Municipal League, which represents more than 250 communities in the state, says it should be up to cities and towns to decide the matter on their own, and that the cameras are important to public safety.

Renfroe argues the cameras are used to make money, not to improve public safety.

Democratic Sen. Lucia Guzman and Democratic Senate President Morgan Carroll are co-sponsoring the bill, giving the proposal a good chance to pass the chamber.







http://www.9news.com/story/news/politics/2014/04/14/bill-to-ban-traffic-cameras-gets-first-hearing/7704399/

[Garcia Bronco]

Nice..I ve always found these to be inappropriate. You need to be there to cite me. lol

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Colorado gets it.

[Simply Red]

MOAR LEGAL POT!!!! - LESS TRAFFIC CAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry ocifer.

[DenverChief]

MOAR LEGAL POT!!!! - LESS TRAFFIC CAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry ocifer.

LMAO

[BWillie]

MOAR LEGAL POT!!!! - LESS TRAFFIC CAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry ocifer.

Korreckt

[Dayze]

but but but.....it'll make us safer if we havef them.

[BWillie]

but but but.....it'll make us safer if we havef them.

the gubment needs to protects us from eval of the werld!!

[GloryDayz]

Now don't go trying to make me like Colorado...

[Jiu Jitsu Jon]

16 year old girl texting on phone runs red light, kills a motorist. Good thing that red light camera was there to prevent that from happening. It's a controversy in my neck of the woods as well, and I'm a-gin' it.

[ForeverChiefs58]

I would like it if they just kept the cameras for use in accidents. If they were serious about caring about safety, the cameras can make a big impact on accidents in intersections

[Simply Red]

I would like it if they just kept the cameras for use in accidents. If they were serious about caring about safety, the cameras can make a big impact on accidents in intersections

Yeah - totally agree here.

[ForeverChiefs58]

Yeah - totally agree here.

Yeah I had a guy run a red light and almost killed me and my family. He was probably doing close to 80 mph in a 35 when he flew through a red light and hit me, crossed 4 lanes of traffic, impact, then went through median and another 4 lanes of traffic before going up steep embankment and up a hill before crashing into front of hotel. He was given a ticket for running a red light and not wearing seat belt. Cop said he couldn't give guy a speeding ticket because since he never even bothered to hit brakes, no skid makes or way of knowing how fast he was going. There were cameras at the light, but they were disabled because of this stupid system.

The cameras can help deter red light runners and help proving cause of accident

[Garcia Bronco]

Yeah I had a guy run a red light and almost killed me and my family. He was probably doing close to 80 mph in a 35 when he flew through a red light and hit me, crossed 4 lanes of traffic, impact, then went through median and another 4 lanes of traffic before going up steep embankment and up a hill before crashing into front of hotel. He was given a ticket for running a red light and not wearing seat belt. Cop said he couldn't give guy a speeding ticket because since he never even bothered to hit brakes, no skid makes or way of knowing how fast he was going. There were cameras at the light, but they were disabled because of this stupid system.

The cameras can help deter red light runners and help proving cause of accident

Him getting a ticket for that changes nothing. He crashed into a hotel. He's getting his due and proper.

[GordonGekko]

Yeah I had a guy run a red light and almost killed me and my family. He was probably doing close to 80 mph in a 35 when he flew through a red light and hit me, crossed 4 lanes of traffic, impact, then went through median and another 4 lanes of traffic before going up steep embankment and up a hill before crashing into front of hotel. He was given a ticket for running a red light and not wearing seat belt. Cop said he couldn't give guy a speeding ticket because since he never even bothered to hit brakes, no skid makes or way of knowing how fast he was going. There were cameras at the light, but they were disabled because of this stupid system.

The cameras can help deter red light runners and help proving cause of accident

Ok so maybe they couldn't get him on speeding, what about attempted murder?

[Skyy God]

I'm pretty sure the cop could have charged him with CNI (or worse) for hitting a hotel.

[htismaqe]

Yeah I had a guy run a red light and almost killed me and my family. He was probably doing close to 80 mph in a 35 when he flew through a red light and hit me, crossed 4 lanes of traffic, impact, then went through median and another 4 lanes of traffic before going up steep embankment and up a hill before crashing into front of hotel. He was given a ticket for running a red light and not wearing seat belt. Cop said he couldn't give guy a speeding ticket because since he never even bothered to hit brakes, no skid makes or way of knowing how fast he was going. There were cameras at the light, but they were disabled because of this stupid system.

The cameras can help deter red light runners and help proving cause of accident

He was going 80 in a 35 and never even tried to apply the brakes.

Yeah, I'm sure he would have stopped if he thought he was going to get a $100 ticket.

[htismaqe]

I would like it if they just kept the cameras for use in accidents. If they were serious about caring about safety, the cameras can make a big impact on accidents in intersections

Yeah, in a lot of places, the number of accidents go UP.

[Jimmya]

Cameras are just another way for the local government to make extra revenue.

[Eleazar]

We have them here, and recently there's been a major series of lawsuits based on all the crooked dealings and bribery that led to this company getting their cameras placed over the competition's.

In any case, I drive through one of these daily and I don't think it is reducing accidents. Not that reducing accidents is really the point of these, of course, they are money-printing machines for the city -

but because of the cameras, people are likely to hammer on their brakes when approaching this intersection to avoid getting a ticket and cause a rear-end accident. That seems far more likely to cause an accident than someone who clears the intersection when the light is orange.

[htismaqe]

We have them here, and recently there's been a major series of lawsuits based on all the crooked dealings and bribery that led to this company getting their cameras placed over the competition's.

In any case, I drive through one of these daily and I don't think it is reducing accidents. Not that reducing accidents is really the point of these, of course, they are money-printing machines for the city -

but because of the cameras, people are likely to hammer on their brakes when approaching this intersection to avoid getting a ticket and cause a rear-end accident. That seems far more likely to cause an accident than someone who clears the intersection when the light is orange.

You are correct on all points.

[GloryDayz]

Cameras are just another way for the local government to make extra revenue.

Other than anecdotal references to safety (to allow them), that's all they're there for. Once they went to having contractors to "run" it, went to a "mail-out tickets" solution, and the contractors saying they'd need only a cut of the fines as payment, any thoughts on it being there for safety kind of flew out the window. Basically the city hides behind some goofy "safety" angle, they do nothing but have money pour in...

[htismaqe]

Other than anecdotal references to safety (to allow them), that's all they're there for. Once they went to having contractors to "run" it, went to a "mail-out tickets" solution, and the contractors saying they'd need only a cut of the fines as payment, any thoughts on it being there for safety kind of flew out the window. Basically the city hides behind some goofy "safety" angle, they do nothing but have money pour in...

There have been a couple of actual studies here (commissioned by watchdog groups) that have proven they're actually making a few intersections more dangerous...

[Anyong Bluth]

There have been a couple of actual studies here (commissioned by watchdog groups) that have proven they're actually making a few intersections more dangerous...

Yep, if you really want safer intersections you make longer yellow lights. They've found tyese these companies putting up the RLCs have been actually making them as short as possible to increase tickets.

Up here in Chicago they did that and accidents have not been reduced by the cameras and gone up at some intersections. Compared to Evanston just north of us, who doesn't have any cameras and has lengthened their Yellow lights to at least 4.5 seconds and usually 5.0+ seconds and accidents have been on a steady decline.

Money grab and NOTHING more.

[htismaqe]

Yep, if you really want safer intersections you make longer yellow lights. They've found tyese these companies putting up the RLCs have been actually making them as short as possible to increase tickets.

Up here in Chicago they did that and accidents have not been reduced by the cameras and gone up at some intersections. Compared to Evanston just north of us, who doesn't have any cameras and has lengthened their Yellow lights to at least 4.5 seconds and usually 5.0+ seconds and accidents have been on a steady decline.

Money grab and NOTHING more.

Yeah, the shortening of the yellow lights is crazy. In a lot of cases, they knew they could get away with it because nobody had timed yellow lights before, they had no reason to care.

[Anyong Bluth]

Yeah, the shortening of the yellow lights is crazy. In a lot of cases, they knew they could get away with it because nobody had timed yellow lights before, they had no reason to care.

NHTSA has stated that the minimum recommended duration no matter how slow the posted limit is should be no less than 3.0 seconds.

These companies have lobbied to get all the yellows changed to that - and you'll notice that the Yellow light at the next intersection or the one preceding a RLC intersection will not be 3 seconds but proportionally longer. This is a joke.

Even worse are the companies that got caught setting the Yellows to 2.9 or 2.8 seconds. May seem insignificant, but it caused a surge in tickets generated, and sadly a rise in accidents at some of those intersections.

[cosmo20002]

16 year old girl texting on phone runs red light, kills a motorist. Good thing that red light camera was there to prevent that from happening. It's a controversy in my neck of the woods as well, and I'm a-gin' it.

So, this example here makes sense to you somehow?

[Anyong Bluth]

So, this example here makes sense to you somehow?

I believe it was sarcasm- because the RLC didn't and doesn't do anything to increase safety or prevent accidents.

[GloryDayz]

Yep, if you really want safer intersections you make longer yellow lights. They've found tyese these companies putting up the RLCs have been actually making them as short as possible to increase tickets.

Up here in Chicago they did that and accidents have not been reduced by the cameras and gone up at some intersections. Compared to Evanston just north of us, who doesn't have any cameras and has lengthened their Yellow lights to at least 4.5 seconds and usually 5.0+ seconds and accidents have been on a steady decline.

Money grab and NOTHING more.

Or get the cops out of wherever they are and station them at those intersections enough to keep the regulars guessing. After that, all you have to do is park a cop car there (instead of letting cops drive them home and park them in their driveways), and you might find folks slow down.

[htismaqe]

Or get the cops out of wherever they are and station them at those intersections enough to keep the regulars guessing. After that, all you have to do is park a cop car there (instead of letting cops drive them home and park them in their driveways), and you might find folks slow down.

One of the cities here did that and guess what? It worked.

[GloryDayz]

One of the cities here did that and guess what? It worked.

http://twanzphobic.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/shock-01.jpg

[Predarat]

Those Red Light companies are nothing but a scam. They do not send the ticket and bill, send a 2nd notice after the deadline then charge a 100$ late fee on top of the tickets. These damn things should be outlawed.

[GloryDayz]

One of the cities here did that and guess what? It worked.

What's next, the city of KCMO getting smart enough to run some sort of traffic control for the parkers of 1201 Walnut/the attached "Standard Parking Garage" during events like the Big-12 tournament (that Missouri has not teams in)?

Not to stray, but having been one of the "downtown" folks who've paid for every step of progress KC has seen in the downtown area, it maddening! Between closing streets for construction for years at a time, one after the other, and Standard Parking being whores and letting the fucking Arvest bank get built into the SE corner of the garage (thus eliminating any chance of six stories of parkers getting out onto Grand Ave), I'm praying KCMO loses the Big12 tournament and it goes to a City/State that has a team in the fucking tournament.. Why??? Because they can close-down the streets, but when traffic is backed-up for 4-5 stories, they do not a goddamn thing to help get the garage emptied. They can help at Chiefs games, but not during the Big-12 tournament. So fuck KCMO, Standard Parking, and Arvest Bank! Assholes!

I'm sure they have a litany a reasons, excuses and unsolvalbe complexity, so I'll just be happy if they lose the tournament and eliminate one more "daytime" event the SPRINT center hosts that fuck-over the people mainly in 1201 Walnut and parkers in the attached garage... Sly is a fucker! And just wait until next year's Big-12 tournament with the NW corner of 13th/Walnut fucked up so they can build another building... The gridlock is going to be epic...

There, I feel better.

[cosmo20002]

I believe it was sarcasm- because the RLC didn't and doesn't do anything to increase safety or prevent accidents.

I know it was sarcasm, but it was a pretty dumb way to criticize a red light camera. If someone runs a Stop sign and kills someone, it would be pretty dumb to say, "Good thing that Stop sign was there to prevent that from happening."

[htismaqe]

I know it was sarcasm, but it was a pretty dumb way to criticize a red light camera. If someone runs a Stop sign and kills someone, it would be pretty dumb to say, "Good thing that Stop sign was there to prevent that from happening."

The proponents of RLC do say that.

So they are pretty dumb, huh?

[Demonpenz]

Round-a-bouts please

[Just Passin' By]

Good luck to you all, and remember to vote out any local politician who votes for cameras.

[Anyong Bluth]

The proponents of RLC do say that.

So they are pretty dumb, huh?

I'd say anymore that people who are in favor of them by a overwhelming majority are either uninformed or lack the ability in critical thinking, and simply opt for being in favor of them because at 1st blush it "sounds" like a good idea and a preventative measure.

[Radar Chief]

So, this example here makes sense to you somehow?

I have worked directly with one of the companies that sets up these RLC’s and if there was a point posted on this topic that I disagreed with it would be included in this post.