You Aren't Citizens; You're Prey -- Or Cash Cows
By lowering the yellow light time without announcing it, Chicago made nearly $8 million off of red-light cameras -- which I contend make our streets more dangerous because drivers often stop short to avoid getting a huge ticket via camera.
The full story from Odette Yousef at WBEZ:
Chicago's red light cameras are under increased scrutiny, after a Chicago Tribune investigation found glitchy cameras may have issued thousands of tickets in error. The report also found many yellow lights are slightly short of the city standard of three seconds.WBEZ has been looking into yellow lights too -- and we've found something else. Many traffic experts say Chicago flouts industry best practices with how it programs its traffic control devices -- and one engineer says it may be "entrapping" drivers into running red lights.
Oh, and no, "Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration will not refund $7.7 million in red light camera tickets it collected after quietly lowering the yellow light standard," reports Hal Dardick in the Chi Trib.
Chicago as usual!
It's not just in Chicago, they did the same thing in Florida and got caught.
Red light cameras and speed cameras have nothing to do with safety and everything to do with revenue. Their biggest supporters are the companies who make the cameras (and usually supply them to municipalities for a cut of the booty) and insurance companies (another excuse to raise your rates).
Studies (not the 'studies' funded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Robb--err Safety) have shown that red light cameras do in fact increase accidents, as mentioned in the excerpt.
Oh, and the 'black boxes' being quietly incorporated into your next car? It's illegal for you (the "owner") to remove or modify them.
DrCos at October 31, 2014 4:04 AM
If safety at intersections where the overriding interest, they'd simply put a four-way red light for an extra 2 seconds of so before turning on the green.
But that would cut on revenues, so...
I R A Darth Aggie at October 31, 2014 6:34 AM
Darth, that's actually the way signals are programmed here... it's not two seconds, but there is a definite "settling time" where all lights are red. It makes it a lot easier to recognize when a car coming the other way is going to run the light.
Cousin Dave at October 31, 2014 7:18 AM
We're also cash cows for bein forced to buy our prescription drugs through U.S. Pharmacies rather than from abroad through the mail, or growing them at home.
Michelle at November 1, 2014 5:44 AM
Something came to my mind after being busted in the next county for blowing a stop sign: Most of the money I coughed up goes to that county's fire and public safety services. Therefore, it is a TAX, for which I am not represented... IOW, it is TYRANNY to collect it.
The part that's an actual fine for violating the California Vehicle Code, I'm still stuck with...
jefe at November 1, 2014 3:58 PM
My comment vanished so here it is again.
The issue is not red light cameras. The issue is paying for government with fines. There is a pretty obvious conflict of interest when government is paid this way. And it shouldn't be a surprise that governments act to make more people criminals to get more money. If the fees were rebated to the citizens instead of being used as revenue there would be no reason for cities to dicker with the yellow light length.
Ben at November 1, 2014 5:21 PM
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