Austin’s first red light camera will be online for the Memorial Day weekend. Meanwhile, other cities and places who’ve used the red light cameras aren’t so warm on them. The Austin American-Statesman reports,
Red-light cameras at some of the city’s busiest intersections will begin helping enforce traffic laws beginning May 23, when more motorists are on the road for Memorial Day weekend, Austin officials said Monday.
The first camera will be at the intersection of 11th Street and the northbound frontage road of Interstate 35, but crews will continue installing the cameras at eight other intersections across Austin during the next several weeks.
One of the stories linked above talks about Dallas shutting off one-fourth of their cameras (pdf file) because the revenue isn’t enough to justify operating them. To Dallas’s credit, they’ve lengthened the yellow on many of those lights, as opposed to shortening them, as some red light camera operating cities have done.
I guess multiple stories of red light cameras being linked to increased accidents isn’t enough for the City of Austin’s Council to not go forth with these things. The city of Lubbock canceled its red light camera program because of an increase in rear-endings at intersections with the cameras. Psst, Austin, the Flatlanders are on to something, and the way Austinites drive around here, I don’t feel so good about this camera idea.
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1 Sal "The Muckraker" Costello // May 15, 2008 at
Red Light Cameras are a SCAM.
How does the red light camera scam work?
1) Slippery politicos say that Red Light Cameras create safer roads while numerous studies across the country prove they cause MORE accidents.
2) Once the camera’s are installed, and council members get campaign contributions from the Red Light Camera company profiteers, they shorten the timing of the yellow light to make more money.
3) The Contractor and Politicos gets paid first. Taxpayers pay for the machines and maintenance. Taxpayers also pay via tickets and more accidents after the timing of the yellow lights are reduced.
So, is there a real way to reduce accidents and red light runners?
YES, It’s simple, but NOT profitable. Lengthening yellow lights to 5-6 second does more to reduce accidents than Red Light Camera’s.
READ ABOUT TEXAS TOLL, RLC AND OTHER CORRUPTION:
http://salcostello.blogspot.com/
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