Remember the last post I had about the RedFlex Redlight Cameras? I went on about how The Sentinel was wrong to blindly support the use of these things based on that fact that we went from 2 deaths to none. And because we're getting ripped off by a bunch of Arizonans.
Well here to join the fray is the University of South Florida, you may remember them as the team that went undefeated through half of the previous football season and screwed stuff up in the rankings, but they do some real telling research as well apparently.
It turns out that in Florida, North Carolina, Ontario and some other places that were studied these cameras actually increased the number of wrecks that occurred in the intersections. They also addressed that issue of fatalities at the intersections and apparently the numbers in other places are as minuscule as in Knoxville.
Basically the study shows (you should read it, it's good) that the presence of the cameras heightens peoples tendencies to overreact to a situation.I know this is what alot of us thought but now there is proof.
PS- This is part of my platform for County Commission, these things are ridiculous and have to go. Write in The Pol for District 1A.
*** AN ADDENDUM***
Looks like Chatta-town is having problems too.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Wait, the Cameras Don't Save Us All
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4 comments:
Great post Pol. Not only have studies shown that they increase wrecks, several court systems have banned them because they ticket the owner of the car, not necessarily the driver. I believe this is the case in Minnesota.
what is great is the first sentence in the news sentinel article: "you can't argue with results."
because nothing is open to interpretation apparently. as if by saying the deaths went from 2 to none proves EVERYTHING. i really wish life were that simple.
that's a good point of law, cp. the laws are for the OPERATORS of the vehicle, a camera can't make that distinction. stan almost got a ticket driving my wife's car one time (though that was my fault, the tags had expired) and a REAL policeman issued the ticket to the him. If he had done something his fault, he should pay. What if my car was stolen and the thief buzzes a red light. I get a ticket?! If a human had been there and pulled him over, I'd get my car back sooner. Some things to think about.
That is a really good point. In my experience with the system, in both the photos and the online video of me running a red light, there would be no way to prove that I am the one driving. I wish I had thought of this before I paid my ticket. I was guilty, but it would have been nice to show up to court and see what they have to say about that.
Maybe we can start a movement to get people to contest their fines with that argument. If enough people do it, it could force the city to rethink the whole thing. Maybe.
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