I hate politicians and the ACLU
How is running a red light and endangering everyone around you some sort of inalienable right? Right now there is a bill going to the Texas House of Representatives that would prohibit cities from using cameras to cite people who run red-lights. The bill is expected to pass easily.
It appears to be a battle between the state and city governments as much as anything else. The cities already can't do anything criminally because state law says running a red light should be regulated only by the state, but this bill would close the loophole that allowed cities to issue civil citations (i.e. fines) to offenders. So rather than working something out, the state is just going to ban them altogether.
We have them here in Plano and I'm damn glad for it, I know a lot fewer people run the lights around here then they do at my other stops on my way to work. I personally have stopped myself from running lights just because I knew they were in place, isn't that exactly what they're for? Not to find ways to increase revenue and hand out more tickets, but discourage people from running a red light in the first place.
Just because a few privacy nuts out there complain, we shouldn't use technology to ensure public safety? That's idiotic. You know they have cameras at on the toll way, at the bank, in your school, and at the convenience store, maybe you should boycott all of those too?
I understand some of the things the ACLU and the EFF are fighting for. Eventhough I disagree with them on the matter, they have valid arguments against RFID tags. But how do you maintain you have any right to privacy while breaking a law driving your car in public? I just don't get it.
Red-light cameras save lives, there's no doubt in my mind about that. Isn't that more important than a power struggle or a little privacy? I think it is.
Posted in Current Affairs | 5 Comments | Add yours
Comments
2 Matt said...
They already film you going in and out of every building, gas station, ATM and public utility, why not film those idiots who run red lights?? The problem is police officers do not even enforce the law (or they are the ones breaking it). What are you doing in the middle of the street that is so private anyways???
Posted on February 16, 2005 at 09:54 PM
3 Lawrence said...
According to the Virginia Transport Research Council traffic cameras resulted in an increase in traffic accidents. Traffic cameras do not result in an increase in safety so much as an increase in revenue for the ticket issuers.
There are other reasons to dislike the cameras as well. The fact is there are always going to be idiots and assholes, but I don't know if I fear them or a draconian government more.
Posted on February 21, 2005 at 11:55 PM
4 Wade said...
This is easy. All those other cameras in your examples are on private property. These are in public property. Fundamentally, it is goverment monitoring of public places, which is very different from private companies monitoring their private property. Secondly, there is no way to verify that these cameras are only used for catching people that run redlights and not general surveillance. I think this is one of the things that the ACLU is around for. I don't necessarily think the cameras are a bad idea, but I think it is something that should be considered and discussed by the public.
Posted on March 08, 2005 at 02:24 PM
5 Will said...
First, I can only imagine what is next for the American Communist Lawyers Union to stir up next. Look, the cameras are on a road paid by federal tax dollars, therefore, not covered under any privacy act. By the way, who cares if you get caught running a red light while picking your nose? You should not have been running a red light anyways right?
The real issue is not safety or if the cop is or isn't doing their job. The real issue is someone broke the law and needs to be held responsible. Period. There are too many accidents caused by people running red lights. Ask youself, would you like it people were being ticketed for running red lights and eventually stopping for them later?
Posted on June 22, 2006 at 05:59 PM
1 christina said...
First red-lights cameras, next hidden cameras everywhere. They're just trying to prevent Big Brother from happening.
Posted on February 16, 2005 at 10:01 AM