[ST] Red Herring?

[Jack Hays <rude@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have to agree and disagree with everybody so far.

I agree that we need to keep the light runners under control. heck, Billie
and I wanted them to install the spikes from the old drive in movies to get
the buggers! But where do we stop?

What I do not like is that these cameras have primarily turned into revenue
generators. The High Sheriffs brag about safety while loading the revenue
bucket.

In the last three months I have been at intersections beside cops, and I
like cops, and have witnessed car after car running red lights. In one case
both myself and the officer had to apply brakes to keep from hitting two
cars. Nothing happened! I was ecstatic that finally someone ran a red
light, a cop was there, and justice would be served. WRONG! She merely
pulled two blocks up and went into What-A-Burger to meet her buddies for
lunch.

The majority of cases I have read state that when the cameras have been
installed the timing of the yellow light has been decreased. Wonder why?

And the crashes change from side impact to rear impact. I know that sooner
or later everyone will catch on and a rear collision is better than a side
collision but at least show the facts and DO NOT shorten the yellow.

Here in Texas, Garland is notorious for short yellows. So much so that the
legislature introduced a bill to outlaw the cameras as there was so much
secrete data, no appeals, and the revenue was rolling in. The tickets here
do not go against your driving record. The result is that high income folks
do the same thing they always did as $75.00 is nothing to them. The low
income folks struggled and were jailed in some cases. On the last week of
session the bill had majority support but favors were exchanged and the
bill died. The result has been that within two months Dallas, Richardson,
Wylie, Frisco, McKinney, Lewisville, etc. have all rushed to install the
cameras. They all get a promised inflow of cash from the same vendor. It is
then used to help project a balanced the budget. All from the same foreign
vendor. I have several problems with that.

Based on the failure of the red light camera law the cities are now
proposing to install crime cameras in areas they feel warrant it. Sounds
like a good idea at first but who decides where, under how much influence,
and what of the minor crimes do you attack? All of them or just the ones
that get news exposure? Mixed feelings on all of this but maybe Orwell was
correct? Heck, why not put all those GPS units in autos and in case of a
wreck use the data to prove someone was speeding five over and had to be at
fault. Oh, I forgot, there already there in a lot of new cars.

I want safe intersections and have taught my daughter to not go on green
until she sees the cars stopping. I like the human element to any issue of
"Stop, do not pass Go" raffles.

Let's just tell the truth about why we're installing red light cameras.
BTW, a Dallas police just ran a red light this weekend and hit another
police van. Wonder if she would have if she knew there was a red light
camera at the intersection? Sure she would.

OK, I rambled enough. Think I'll get out in the backwoods and try to avoid
everybody looking out for me. I might see a truck bearing down on me when I
start to stop and go through that intersection to avoid the crash. Just
hope there is no camera there when it happens :-)

Jack Hays
972-952-5065
"I'll see you on the dark side of the Moon"
Que Lastima
4 - 8 - 15 - 16 - 23 - 42

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