A letter to the editor from Rhino reader – Alvis Hare
Incredibly, the City Council is seriously considering reintroducing Red Light Cameras.
We already tried this. These devices conspicuously failed to improve safety, failed to pad the coffers of the City of Greensboro, and failed to gain legitimacy.
To all Greensboro Councilmembers: Don’t make the same mistake twice.
– Alvis Hare
The red light camera systems, with their potential for misuse, also function as surveillance cameras in a police state.
These traffic cameras, often touted as safety measures, are in reality money-making scams for states and have been shown to do little to increase safety while contributing to more accidents.
Nevertheless, they are being inflicted on unsuspecting drivers by revenue-hungry municipalities, despite revelations of corruption.
Do we know if G’boro uses a company to lease cameras? If so, it’s likely the company takes a cut of the ticket fines, raising questions about profit motives.
I’ve read that in some areas of the country, turning right on red can cause the cameras to capture your information. Additionally, some companies reduce the amount of time that traffic lights stay yellow to capture more license plates.
And what about confidentiality if a company monitors these cameras? They will have some of your info as well.
It’s not a good idea, especially from greedy council members who don’t care about citizens. Just follow the money.
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Correct. The for-profit private companies that operate the cameras routinely shorten the duration of the yellow light, so as to catch more “red light runners”. CHA-CHING !
It doesn’t take people long to catch on, and so drivers slam on the brakes the instant the light turns yellow, which DOUBLES or TRIPLES the number of rear end collisions at the intersection.
These things are a shake down, have nothing to do with safety, and are all about picking the pockets of innocent people (and causing crashes).
Just don’t pay the ticket. It’s no points on your license and they really can’t enforce a civil penalty
Yeah, they can’t enforce it because they can’t prove who’s driving the car. Therefore, it’s unconstitutional.
This needs to be taken to the Supreme Court.
“FORMER GREENSBORO CITY MANAGER “KEITH HOLIDAY” ALREADY HAS ENDED THIS IDEA. He said NO MORE. THEY AREr BANNED from their use in Greensboro. KEITH HOLIDAY HAS A STATUE ON UPTOWN Greensboros Round-about on Mcgee Street, FOR HIS GREAT DECISIONS !!! WE WON THEN & SINCE.
Dale you seem a bit confused about a few things here about Greensboro
Seems too simple but looked it up and you seem to be right. No real impact other than at most a hit on your credit report. Big deal. Will keep that in mind if I get hit with one of this stupid things.
The red light cameras are illegal which is the reason they had to remove them the first time. They infringe on the rights of American citizens. If they bring them back, they can’t do anything with them except spy on people. It is illegal for them to ticket anyone using those cameras. It is just the way for Big brother to take control. I have no doubt Skippy boy is behind all of this.
The cameras are legal, but the entire amount of the fine collected had to go to the school system (by law). Greensboro had to pay the company administering the camera program a set fee for every transaction, so the more tickets mailed out, the more it cost the city. And just like that, we learned what we already knew. It wasn’t about safety– it was about revenue.
Yup.
Whenever you hear someone say “It’s not about the money”…. it’s about the money.
They are not illegal. The reason why they were removed was simple. The city council thought they could keep all the revenue but had to give over 50% to the school system and did not like that.
Now as far as the rest, from an ex officer side, it did reduce accidents but!!!!!!
It did have its flaws which were unconstitutional. It was a $50 fine. Don’t pay it they would revoke your license. Try to appeal it? Have to pay a non refundable $50 fee. So it was a scam to begin with.
Had the school system not put their grubby hands in, there would still be cameras
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Thanks for your professional insight. Were you a Greensboro Police Dept. officer?
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Honest question : Did the cameras REALLY reduce accidents or just reduce the number of “T-Bone” accidents, while increasing the number of rear end collisions? The rear end collisions will generally not be seen by the cameras, and so not counted, whereas the T-Bones are in the middle of the intersection and so will always be seen by the cameras.
The National Motorists Association (NMA) has data that demonstrate these CASH/CRASH MACHINES almost always increase the number of accidents after installation.
Eric explain how your license could be revoked over a civil penalty. I had 3 of them in the early days, my attorney said don’t pay them that there was no way to enforce the penalty. I didn’t and have never heard anything. Screw them.
Good for you, Rebel ! We need a little more civil disobedience by the good guys in this country.
They can only subjugate us if we submit.
F&%@ Greensboro and everyone running it
Get out of the County if you can. Try Randolph. It’s only gonna get (much) worse. I’d call it the confiscation of property (Communism).
Based on your comments, you folks must be the IDIOTS that I encounter every time I go out in my vehicle.
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There are a lot of bad drivers out there, but installing these CASH/CRASH MACHINES ain’t gonna help.
If I remember correctly, the red-light fines are a civil penalty. The cameras program ended when it became known that the money collected for the fines were to be transferred to the school budget cost. Greensboro had to turnover money it collected for the fine AND the money (fine) kept by the camera vendor to the school fund.
Maybe Skippy is thinking he can add to the school funds by reinstalling the cameras. Someone needs to remind the commissioners that this is not a money making program.
Scott may be able to find the original article in the Rhino archives.
John. It’s not skip and the county commissioners who are considering the cameras, it’s the City of Greensboro. They are set to vote on the measure next month. I don’t care for skip or the free spending board but this time we can’t blame them.
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The Left resents and despises the private automobile. It is the embodiment of individual physical freedom.
They will do everything they can to make driving as aggravating, slow and time consuming, expensive, and difficult as they can.
So the red light cameras fit their agenda perfectly.
We have a speeding problem in GSO not stoplight problem.
We need speed enforcement on streets and visibility of policeman.
‘Speed” is not the problem. Stupid drivers are.
I drive 30,000 miles a year and never obey speed limits – because I know how to drive.
Zero accidents in 40 years. So – if as they claim – “speeding” is dangerous, how come I’ve never had a wreck?
It’s not breaking the Speed Limit by 10 or 20mph that’s the problem.
The morons are the problem.
GREAT IDEA – Red light cameras.
The fat cats that inhabit county and city government can increase the revenue so they can vote themselves in more income/salary/benefits
We have lots of useful idiots that will support them and their legalized theft. Safety- they could care less. This is about the Benjamins.
Many states squashed the Red light camera programs because (1) the camera companies changed the timing for the yellow light to less time on the yellow light to catch more drivers. (2) Then town found they were getting a tiny piece of the fines where the compant got the bulk of the fines. People who retained lawyers to fight the ticket their lawyers went out and timed the lights. This was a fight. (3) These cameras caused people stopping on a yellow light causing many rear-end collisions. Let’s hope the “powers that be” do their homework before making this dumb move. Once a town signs that contract, their stuck with this bad decision until the contract ends.
My wife put a red light out front. It will take your picture and show it to your mother. The parrot told me.
TO do what does make drivers uncomfortable and force their attention to the non distracted driving and speed limits is OKAY IN MY SIGHTLINE. The more people here which is a way of life and will be increasing exponentially very sooner than later needs to be on the agenda!
— What ???
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If we re-elect the Left in this country, it will get a lot worse. In the EU they’ve passed General Safety Regulations 2 – GSR2 – which mandates that all new vehicles must incorporate a passive breathalyser device in the car.
And you thought you’d still be able to have a couple of beers on the way home from work.
Say goodbye to your freedom.