Originally posted by

Jason Class 2004

While it is true that data about Red Light Camera intersections suggest that the number of collisions does increase the biggest issue with these cameras is constitutional. How are you allowed to face your accuser? They aren't going to wheel the camera into a court room. Plus doesn't conviction for an offense require proof beyond a reasonable doubt? These cameras take pictures of your license plate and grainy pictures of the driver. If the driver is wearing a hat or sunglasses there is no way to 100% prove that you are the driver just because it is your vehicle.

Remember that by allowing cameras at intersections you are opening the door to allowing them everywhere. Safety is a noble goal but not at the expense of liberty.

You obviously have never gotten a ticket from a red light camera before and you have no idea what you are talking about because every single thing you said was wrong.

They don't send you a "grainy" photo, they send you several pictures and even a video of your offense. A police officer must review the evidence to see if it warrants a ticket. Also this law is setup to assume the driver of the car is its owner. If someone else is driving the car, it can be assumed that they are "renting" it, therefore the owner is still liable. They don't have to have proof even 1% that you are the driver. And then you suggest that safety on the roads hurts your liberty? You don't have the right to drive and you especially don't have the right to run red lights. By your logic, why do we have speed limits, seat belt laws, or safety standards on our cars?

Originally posted by

David Wells '98

The camera's already are everywhere. ATM's, banks, security cameras on businesses. But you do make a point.

Yes David, private citizens and private companies put cameras on private property to protect their private assets.

These cameras are a private company putting cameras on PUBLIC streets to take picture of private citizens so that the company can make money. Its not safety its money. With 3 times as much money to support their cause the people supporting the cameras are barraging us with mail. I don't like it that a private company was given my address for this mailing in the first place but lets look past that invasion. NOT ONE SINGLE donation came from anyone living in the Brazos county. Not one.... So these are completely outsiders using the power of government to take money away from us at the point of criminal prosecution with no real ability to have due process and NO RIGHT OF APPEAL...

This makes you feel good about your government?

Oh one more thing. Most violations are NOT people running reds. They are people failing to come to a 100% stop when they are turning right on a red. They slow down to 2 miles and hour see its safe and go one. SNAP = That'll be $75. A police officer would look at you and ignore it. He'd recognize you've not endangered anyone. The camera is looking for anything to get you on and they snap lots more pictures than they ticket which means the system is buggy. It also mean that drivers are blasted with high intensity flashes when driving and doing nothign wrong. I am waiting for the "I was blinded by the flash when I hit the other car" lawsuit that will drain all the earnings of these cameras in one fail swoop.

Originally posted by

Dustin Foley

Most people against red light cameras are people who speed through a yellow and got a ticket. Hide it as infringments on the constitution or legallity of this and that, but at the end of the day, if you dont run a light you wont get a ticket.

All tapes are reviewed by police officers, if you wish to take it to court the officers who said the tape was evidence meriting a ticket will be there. At the same time if you don't come to a complete stop it shows on the tape and they wont write you a ticket.

Personally I wish they wouldn't target students as an income source, and if it was truly about safety it would be on the intersections where there were high crash rates. That's my only complaint.

Everything else mentioned was correct, you get a video, multiple pictures, and as far as I know they cannot take a picture of the driver, which is why the LP is taken and liability assumed onto the registered owner of the vehicle.

Morale of the story? Don't run red lights or lend your car to people who do and the cameras have 0 effect on you.

I must agree fully with you. I have been a Transportation Services bus driver for over 2 and a half years and have seen several accidents because foolish drivers do NOT stop completely at red lights and stop signs (aka rolling stops). These cameras force people to come to that complete stop at an intersection and in turn look before sticking the front end of their cars into traffic.