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Red Light Camera Systems

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Injury

Lifer
Jul 19, 2004
13,066
2
81
Originally posted by: Linflas
Article [VI.]
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Last I checked, running a redlight isn't a felony. But nice copy/paste job.
 

Injury

Lifer
Jul 19, 2004
13,066
2
81
Originally posted by: BigB10293
Originally posted by: mugs

I believe you have the option of telling them who was driving your car if it was not you, and then they'll give that person the ticket.

Yeah! Screw that whole 5th amendment thing.

5th amendment is for usage when testifying in court to protect yourself from answering a question that may incriminate you.

How does telling them someone else was driving incriminate you?
 

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,969
1,679
126
Originally posted by: Amused
Cameras are a dangerous slippery slope. I don't like the idea of having unblinking government eyes watching me where ever I go and my every move. It's bad enough that I have privately owned cameras watching me in most stores.

If 1984 doesn't explain why government cameras are bad, you'll never understand, I guess.

They only snap your picture if you run the light...I think you are confusing this with traffic cameras that monitor traffic (I am sure those on pretty much 24/7)...that's a whole different ball game...
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,386
19,667
146
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Originally posted by: Amused
Cameras are a dangerous slippery slope. I don't like the idea of having unblinking government eyes watching me where ever I go and my every move. It's bad enough that I have privately owned cameras watching me in most stores.

If 1984 doesn't explain why government cameras are bad, you'll never understand, I guess.

They only snap your picture if you run the light...I think you are confusing this with traffic cameras that monitor traffic (I am sure those on pretty much 24/7)...that's a whole different ball game...

To me, it's all the same. I oppose any and all government cameras. It's just too dangerous a slope to risk slipping down.
 

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,969
1,679
126
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Originally posted by: Amused
Cameras are a dangerous slippery slope. I don't like the idea of having unblinking government eyes watching me where ever I go and my every move. It's bad enough that I have privately owned cameras watching me in most stores.

If 1984 doesn't explain why government cameras are bad, you'll never understand, I guess.

They only snap your picture if you run the light...I think you are confusing this with traffic cameras that monitor traffic (I am sure those on pretty much 24/7)...that's a whole different ball game...

To me, it's all the same. I oppose any and all government cameras. It's just too dangerous a slope to risk slipping down.

To me, it's not the same...we are talking about something that can prevent accidents and save lives by having drivers know they will get caught if they run a red light...

A few years ago, Red Light Running wasn't that big of an issue...you would have the occasional driver doing this...now, it is the norm for 2 or 3 drivers to run it because they know they have a few seconds before the other traffic starts to come through the green light...

This is a pet peeve of mine because I see this sh!t on a daily basis...I am for pretty much anything to get this sh!t to stop...


 

TheLonelyPhoenix

Diamond Member
Feb 15, 2004
5,594
1
0
I'm really against cameras for any kind of traffic infringement, as I'd prefer to have a human being to talk to and explain why I broke a law before I have to spend a day in court.

My father has been pulled over for running a red light one occasion because he was being tailgated, and upon explaining that to the officer (who also saw how closely he was being followed) he was let go. I've had to do the same thing on a couple occasions for the same reason - never been pulled over for it, but I prefer not having to worry about what might show up in the mail in a week because I did what I had to in order to avoid an accident.
 

AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
0
0
Originally posted by: Linflas
Article [VI.]
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Go ahead and have your trial. The government's evidence against you is pretty damn convincing. Guilty.
 

GeekDrew

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
9,099
19
81
I'm personally against the cameras just because of malfunctioning stop lights. There was one light that I used to have to go through every day... was a left turn. One day I sat there for 15 minutes, and it never cycled for my turn. I just ran the light. There was no oncoming traffic. I didn't even see one other vehicle in the entire time I sat there.

But there are cameras at that intersection, to take pictures of vehicles running red lights.
 

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
76
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Originally posted by: Amused
Cameras are a dangerous slippery slope. I don't like the idea of having unblinking government eyes watching me where ever I go and my every move. It's bad enough that I have privately owned cameras watching me in most stores.

If 1984 doesn't explain why government cameras are bad, you'll never understand, I guess.

They only snap your picture if you run the light...I think you are confusing this with traffic cameras that monitor traffic (I am sure those on pretty much 24/7)...that's a whole different ball game...

To me, it's all the same. I oppose any and all government cameras. It's just too dangerous a slope to risk slipping down.

Yeah next thing you know, the government is gonna install cameras in our TVs. Slippery slope folks, slippery slope. Pretty soom they'll jsut assign an agent to follow every citizen around. Slippery slope, real slippery :disgust:
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: AndrewR
Originally posted by: Linflas
Article [VI.]
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Go ahead and have your trial. The government's evidence against you is pretty damn convincing. Guilty.

And when I or my attorney want to question the witness regarding the emergency vehicle behind me that I was clearing the intersection for how well will that go?
 

SSP

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
17,727
0
0
Originally posted by: cjgallen
I dunno, they talked about it on Top Gear. The conclusion was "they suck."

Those were speed cameras.

The red light cameras take a pic when someone runs a red light, which is a good system IMO.
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
17
81
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Originally posted by: Amused
Cameras are a dangerous slippery slope. I don't like the idea of having unblinking government eyes watching me where ever I go and my every move. It's bad enough that I have privately owned cameras watching me in most stores.

If 1984 doesn't explain why government cameras are bad, you'll never understand, I guess.

They only snap your picture if you run the light...I think you are confusing this with traffic cameras that monitor traffic (I am sure those on pretty much 24/7)...that's a whole different ball game...

To me, it's all the same. I oppose any and all government cameras. It's just too dangerous a slope to risk slipping down.

Yeah next thing you know, the government is gonna install cameras in our TVs. Slippery slope folks, slippery slope. Pretty soom they'll jsut assign an agent to follow every citizen around. Slippery slope, real slippery :disgust:

I could actually see this happening.
 

AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
0
0
Originally posted by: Linflas
Originally posted by: AndrewR
Originally posted by: Linflas
Article [VI.]
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Go ahead and have your trial. The government's evidence against you is pretty damn convincing. Guilty.

And when I or my attorney want to question the witness regarding the emergency vehicle behind me that I was clearing the intersection for how well will that go?

If the emergency vehicle were speeding to the sight of an accident, then there would be a picture of it. In the alternative, a record of the emergency call in the vicinity would be available to bolster your claim.

I'm sure your theoretical situation is the norm...
 

klah

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2002
7,070
1
0
Originally posted by: Actaeon
My biggest problem is what if I let a family member drive my car?

http://www.iihs.org/safety_facts/qanda/rlc.htm
If, as in New York, red light camera violations are treated like parking citations, the law can make registered vehicle owners responsible without regard to who was driving at the time of the offense. Virginia makes red light camera violations a civil offense like New York, but unlike New York the state allows registered owners to avoid citations by filing affidavits swearing they weren't driving when the violations occurred.
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: AndrewR
Originally posted by: Linflas
Originally posted by: AndrewR
Originally posted by: Linflas
Article [VI.]
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Go ahead and have your trial. The government's evidence against you is pretty damn convincing. Guilty.

And when I or my attorney want to question the witness regarding the emergency vehicle behind me that I was clearing the intersection for how well will that go?

If the emergency vehicle were speeding to the sight of an accident, then there would be a picture of it. In the alternative, a record of the emergency call in the vicinity would be available to bolster your claim.

I'm sure your theoretical situation is the norm...

Whatever fortunately the people in this state were heard and the cameras go away July 1.
 

EMPshockwave82

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2003
3,012
2
0
Originally posted by: Linflas
Originally posted by: AndrewR
Originally posted by: Linflas
Article [VI.]
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Go ahead and have your trial. The government's evidence against you is pretty damn convincing. Guilty.

And when I or my attorney want to question the witness regarding the emergency vehicle behind me that I was clearing the intersection for how well will that go?

not very well seeing as that's the job of the lights and siren's on the emergency vehicle.... you should only be pushed into the intersection by such an event if there is NO way that the ambulance can make it to / thru the intersection.... i.e. heavy traffic and you are the only out, in which case the picture should be able to show the emergency vehicle behind you
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
I oppose any and all government cameras.

I LOVE the cameras in patrol cars. They've bagged bad cops, as well as criminals and other assorted idiots. I'd LOVE to see red light cameras as well. Helluva lot cheaper than posting a cop at every intersection, and more effective to boot!
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,386
19,667
146
Originally posted by: Ornery
I oppose any and all government cameras.

I LOVE the cameras in patrol cars. They've bagged bad cops, as well as criminals and other assorted idiots. I'd LOVE to see red light cameras as well. Helluva lot cheaper than posting a cop at every intersection, and more effective to boot!

Cop car cameras are a different matter. Cameras used to detail govrenment worker actions are fine. I oppose government cameras used to watch citizens.

Honestly, was the message of 1984 lost on everyone?
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Ornery
I oppose any and all government cameras.

I LOVE the cameras in patrol cars. They've bagged bad cops, as well as criminals and other assorted idiots. I'd LOVE to see red light cameras as well. Helluva lot cheaper than posting a cop at every intersection, and more effective to boot!

Cop car cameras are a different matter. Cameras used to detail govrenment worker actions are fine. I oppose government cameras used to watch citizens.

Honestly, was the message of 1984 lost on everyone?

In modern America expediency trumps the Constitution and common sense every time.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,386
19,667
146
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Originally posted by: Amused
Cameras are a dangerous slippery slope. I don't like the idea of having unblinking government eyes watching me where ever I go and my every move. It's bad enough that I have privately owned cameras watching me in most stores.

If 1984 doesn't explain why government cameras are bad, you'll never understand, I guess.

They only snap your picture if you run the light...I think you are confusing this with traffic cameras that monitor traffic (I am sure those on pretty much 24/7)...that's a whole different ball game...

To me, it's all the same. I oppose any and all government cameras. It's just too dangerous a slope to risk slipping down.

To me, it's not the same...we are talking about something that can prevent accidents and save lives by having drivers know they will get caught if they run a red light...

A few years ago, Red Light Running wasn't that big of an issue...you would have the occasional driver doing this...now, it is the norm for 2 or 3 drivers to run it because they know they have a few seconds before the other traffic starts to come through the green light...

This is a pet peeve of mine because I see this sh!t on a daily basis...I am for pretty much anything to get this sh!t to stop...

I am not willing to risk losing my rights and privacy in feeble attempts to make my life safer.

Red light running is nothing new. It's not epidemic, and numbers aren't rising or falling in any steady pattern.

Want to stop red light runners? Pay for more cops. But keep the fscking cameras off the roads. I NEVER want government cameras watching me.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,386
19,667
146
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Originally posted by: Amused
Cameras are a dangerous slippery slope. I don't like the idea of having unblinking government eyes watching me where ever I go and my every move. It's bad enough that I have privately owned cameras watching me in most stores.

If 1984 doesn't explain why government cameras are bad, you'll never understand, I guess.

They only snap your picture if you run the light...I think you are confusing this with traffic cameras that monitor traffic (I am sure those on pretty much 24/7)...that's a whole different ball game...

To me, it's all the same. I oppose any and all government cameras. It's just too dangerous a slope to risk slipping down.

Yeah next thing you know, the government is gonna install cameras in our TVs. Slippery slope folks, slippery slope. Pretty soom they'll jsut assign an agent to follow every citizen around. Slippery slope, real slippery :disgust:

Why use an agent when they can monitor all of us with unblinking eyes?

And if you think the slope isn't slippery, you don't know history.

1984 was far more prophetic than people are willing to admit.

It doesn't happen suddenly. It happens so slowly, people don't notice it until it's too late. In fact, it happens when the people are baited into demanding it.
 

markgm

Diamond Member
Aug 23, 2001
3,291
2
81
I'm against them because as mentioned above, they are cut and dry. Life isn't cut and dry. Their might be a circumstance for why a light was run, for example if you are following someone in an unfamiliar area. Not that it's right, but it's life.

Three cars go through a red light because they can. If you want to prevent it, time lights better and don't allow all sides to be staring at a red light for 3 seconds. I personally don't run lights, but I oppose cameras monitoring us for breaking the law. I don't see how they prevent accidents any more than I can see how they would cause them. If there is an accident at an intersection, it is not hard to guess who is at fault. Now instead of watching the lights, people who will break the law will be looking for cameras.

I'd rather someone speeds past me paying attention to the road rather than speeding past me looking side to side for cops.

We all break the law, and the law doesn't seem like it will change any time soon. Just because you don't break *this* law doesn't mean that you don't break others.
 

CptObvious

Platinum Member
Mar 5, 2004
2,501
7
81
I'm guessing 10 years from now they will be on every red light. The Supreme Court ruled on many occasions that a person's expectation of privacy in public is very low, so public surveillance cameras have almost always been upheld.
 

flamingelephant

Golden Member
Jun 22, 2001
1,182
0
76
some moron blew a red light and t-boned my families car with my 2 year old in it and my 8 month pregnant wife. Luckily no one was hurt, but my car was written off so we were very lucky. My city is rampant with red light runners its hazardous. Red light cameras are a very good way to control extremely dangerous driving habits. There is no reason to run a red light. The ones I see in town are not even close, like 3 seconds after the other direction gets a green. The only way to stop this is by ticketing people because otherwise they will never learn. Red light cameras are the most cost effective way of doing this. Sure, every once-in-a-while the registered owner wont be driving the car, but let the exceptions to the rule work it out themselves, its such a non-issue to people (like myself) almost dying because people think its ok to do, or are just not paying attention.
 

markgm

Diamond Member
Aug 23, 2001
3,291
2
81
Originally posted by: CptObvious
I'm guessing 10 years from now they will be on every red light. The Supreme Court ruled on many occasions that a person's expectation of privacy in public is very low, so public surveillance cameras have almost always been upheld.

We need higher expectations :). I can't wait until I'm a Supreme Court justice.