Can't Have It Both Ways

There are basically two government approaches to the use of Photo-enforcement:  They treat the traffic lawbreaker just as if he were pulled over by a flesh-and-blood cop, or they treat him like he was two minutes late feeding the parking meter.

Another One Bites The Dust

Red light cameras are supposed to save us from ourselves.  They are supposed to decrease red light running and hence decrease collisions, but it just doesn't work that way.  It's just another wonderful theory mugged by reality. ( I explain why this might be so in an earlier post). 

The latest rude awakening is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where two intersections have been data-mined for ten years: five years BCE (Before Camera Era) and five years after (ACI).    And guess what?  Collisions and injuries went up after the red snappers were hoisted.  The theory also posits that t-bone type angle collisions will go down.  They stayed the same. 

No Camber in That Amber

The rule of thumb for yellow light intervals is one second for each ten MPH of the speed limit leading up to the intersection.  AAA found that the city of New York has been shaving that interval by as much as half a second and therefore not giving drivers "...ample time to get through the intersection."

Seems the city that never sleeps also never stops trying to suck money out of the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.  The city brings in a lot of tribute from those pole cameras.  There are 170 cameras snapping happily away at 150 intersections.  They bring in nearly $50 million each year and...and...Mayor Bloomberg wants to up the covered intersections to two hundred and twenty-five. 

Come and Get Me, Copper!

Did you know your mailcarrier is above the law?  "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night (nor the Dark Knight),  nor sleet, nor Robo-Cop with a flash camera, nor traffic laws, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

Seems the USPS can dish it out,  but they can't take it; as it relates to red light and speed camera tickets.  Yep, they'll gladly drop the tickets in your mailbox, but when one comes to theirs it is RETURN TO SENDER. 

"Driving At The Speed Of Light"

I stumbled over this delightful song by Unlucky Fried Kitten.  I especially like the inciteful lyrics:

"Speed Camera, Another three points in the can
Speed Camera, Meanwhile someone mugs my Gran"

The police seem to have the wherewithal to pinch drivers, but not to cage muggers and protect the pensioners

This group must be from England--either that or the whole trip is viewed through a mirror.  I've never heard of them, but I like their attitude and the "driving" beat. 

Running Lights

Red light cameras are supposed to enhance traffic safety.  Red light runners cause a lot of accidents and injuries, and if we can decrease this scofflawry, we'll save lives and property.

The theory that handing out redlight camera tickets will decrease red light running and actual accidents and injuries, bears closer inspection.  The evidence suggests that the stop line cameras do no such thing, They may cut down on light runners, but the accidents actually increase.

Let's reason together as to why this might be so.  There are two kinds of drivers who run lights:  the kind who does it purposely, and the kind who does it accidentally. 

Red Freeze

If an Ambulance or other emergency vehicle is coming up on you and you are stopped at a red light, you are supposed to pull over and let them pass.  But you might have to move forward into the intersection to get out of the way.  You would be breaking a traffic law; entering the intersection against the red light.  It's for a good cause; you may be saving some person's life, and a real cop would recognize that and give you a pass. 

But what if the intersection is infested with red light cameras?  Would you still roll forward and pull over, knowing you will get flashed, ticketed by mail and then have to take time off work to go explain yourself to the traffic judge?  The judge would probably dismiss the ticket, but you are still out the time and aggravation.

Maybe He Voted In The Presidential Election, Also

The long arm of the law is long indeed if it can reach from beyond the grave and pinch red light runners in Baltimore, Maryland. 

You see, every automated traffic ticket must be reviewed and signed by a sworn officer, but the signature is usually a paste-on graphic file and is affixed to the ticket with the click of a mouse button.  But still, a live finger is needed to click that button, even one time.  But what we have here is a finger that clicked that button two thousand times, even while it was miles away and moldering six feet under ground.