Buffalo NY to get red light cameras???

vschuel · #1 (**permalink**) IP: 65.220.92.140 2009-04-01

Despite my pleading with my District councilman Joe Golombek (who was a sponsor of this bill), along with the information I sent him, the Common Council approved a measure to ask the state permission to install red light cameras in Buffalo:

Council gives go-ahead to pursue red-light cameras : Latest Local News : The Buffalo News

Veronica · #2 (**permalink**) IP: 180.151.3.141 2011-11-24

We don�t have the space to get into the fleecing of the cities by the companies that sell and operate the cameras, but suffice to say, the politicians who claim it isn�t about the money may be right in one sense: preliminary data suggests the money flows out of the pocket of the average citizen, into the coffers of the city, and right back out, to pay the camera companies. Regardless of who gets the money, one thing is for sure: every red light infraction takes $50 out of the bank accounts of citizens who no longer have that money to put back into the local economy."

"If it is truly about safety, here�s a crazy idea � increase the time of the yellow light. In the interest of full disclosure, this isn�t an original idea, but doesn�t it make sense? If the concern is that people are racing the yellow, why not tack a few extra seconds onto the light, allowing the intersection to clear before the light changes?
It�s been done elsewhere in the country with a reported decrease in intersection crashes by as much as 30 percent. No cost for expensive cameras and monitoring. No cost to have every incident reviewed, something they call the �human element,� before a ticket is issued. No cost for the appeal of tickets and the potential to clog the courts. Just added safety to the citizens. That�s what it�s all about isn�t it Mayor Brown?"

Curls · #3 (**permalink**) IP: 98.233.61.41 2012-01-11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veronica

We don�t have the space to get into the fleecing of the cities by the companies that sell and operate the cameras, but suffice to say, the politicians who claim it isn�t about the money may be right in one sense: preliminary data suggests the money flows out of the pocket of the average citizen, into the coffers of the city, and right back out, to pay the camera companies. Regardless of who gets the money, one thing is for sure: every red light infraction takes $50 out of the bank accounts of citizens who no longer have that money to put back into the local economy."

"If it is truly about safety, here�s a crazy idea � increase the time of the yellow light. In the interest of full disclosure, this isn�t an original idea, but doesn�t it make sense? If the concern is that people are racing the yellow, why not tack a few extra seconds onto the light, allowing the intersection to clear before the light changes?
It�s been done elsewhere in the country with a reported decrease in intersection crashes by as much as 30 percent. No cost for expensive cameras and monitoring. No cost to have every incident reviewed, something they call the �human element,� before a ticket is issued. No cost for the appeal of tickets and the potential to clog the courts. Just added safety to the citizens. That�s what it�s all about isn�t it Mayor Brown?"

There are a few spots where people keep going after the light changes, just to get through because they're tired of waiting in traffic. For those, some solid after it's turned completely red enforcement, is helpful. However, once camera's come they wind up on nearly every corner -- not just hot spots. Where it's about accidents, increasing yellow is definitely the way to go.

I've seen cameras set up so to catch people... I got one while waiting AT the light having NOT gone through the yellow. It wasn't until I hassled the courts on dates for months (not intentionally, they weren't offering many dates) that someone decided to dismiss it without bringing it to court.

I was caught going 2mpg in the 2nd photo. Guess I took my foot off the brakes for a moment. The line on the road was painted so you were over it, while waiting at the light -- making it technically illegal because my rear tires were over the line (I hadn't even spotted.)