The Muckraker: STAR TELEGRAM: Automatic tickets, another cash cow, come to Texas, and encroach on motorists' privacy rights (Electronic tolls will usher more).

1/30/2006

Sal Costello said...: FROM BOBBY:

But wait... I thought the only people who were upset about cameras were the ones who want to run reds with impunity. I don't run reds, so I shouldn't have anything to worry about.... like this guy who got a ticket from a camera that was 80 miles away or this guy who was ticketed for "a split-second offense invisible to the human eye."

That whole newspaper.com site should be off limits to those with high blood pressure. Mine's pretty low to begin with, but just a few minutes browsing there brings on stress headaches from these kinds of stories that will now have a byline of FRISCO, TX.... like

MARIETTA, GA: Accidents up 51% at camera intersection

PORTLAND, OR: 140% increase in rear-end collisions, city officials still call program a "success," as it generates approximately $4.3 million in annual revenue

FT. COLLINS, CO: Accidents up 83% at camera intersection.

PHILADELPHIA, PA: Accidents up 10-20% at camera intersection.

WASHINGTON, DC: Accidents up 107% since cameras installed. Fatality accidents up 81%

DAVENPORT, IA: Accidents up 12-15% overall. Rear-end collisions up 220%.

OCEANSIDE, CA: Rear-end accidents up 800%. City calls program "successful."

ETA: But remember... the cameras are all about "safety." Not "revenue."; 4:33 PM, February 02, 2006