Speed Cameras Take Everyone's Photo
These speed cameras were taking photos of every car that passed by. Unless you can confront the person who maintains the camera that took your photo, how can a court be assured that you were actually speeding? Insist on the right to confront your accuser. Insist on having whoever maintains the camera present and available to testify. The government needs to be able to prove that the camera is operational and not just snapping photos.
Labels: speed cameras
posted by John Danneskjöld @ 9:47 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I am against the idea of these cameras, but these things are not constantly recording. Looking into the mechanics of these cameras, they are only activated when either A.) an object such as a vehicle is moving by the radar sensor at a certain speed or greater, or B.) an object passes the sensor while the light that the camera is mounted at is red. The fact that "Someone needs to say" a false statement that has not been researched prior stating such accusations, should be completely disregarded because your argument is invalid.
These cameras were not put up entirely because the government wants your money, but also to help enforce the laws that are/have been set in place a lot longer than you have probably been alive, which are here so that every driver, including you, will be a little safer on the road. Just face it, it is the simple psycological theory of behavior and dicipline... $100 fine for running the red light? I bet you're not gonna do it again, are you?
Also, out of personal experience, I happen to make note that I was doing 12 mph over the speed limit one day, when I saw this flash appear in my rear-view mirror. When the ticket came in the mail a week and a half later, the paper told me that I was going 67.5 mph in a 55 mph zone. If that's not accurate enough to be considered proof, and the fact that ever since then I made sure not to go in excess of 64 mph past that particular spot, I have not gotten another ticket... So I highly doubt there's just some guy sitting at a desk saying "I think this guy will get a ticket and these 32 can go past".
I must ask, anonymous, - did you even bother to follow the link before posting? I have made no false statement at all.
As for further research, I would suggest the same to you (such as reading the referenced article that show the speed cameras in question taking everyone's photo). Additionally, it is worth noting that many of these enforcement cameras, especially red light cameras, take constant video regardless of whether they are flashing. Here's an example from youtube from a camera in KINGSPORT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O04llGpdV7Y&feature=related
My point in the post is that the government must prove its case. A camera is hearsay, plain and simple. You have to realize that between the ticket companies and the cities that use them, they stack the deck in every way possible to avoid a challenge. Photos can be easily faked. The judge should be able to evaluate someone's credibility besides the "word" of an inanimate object that may or may not be accurate.
As for lecturing me on whether these cameras were put up "entirely" to take our money, there is a signficant body of evidence that these cameras either have no positive impact on safety or in fact have an adverse impact on safety. If it's not revenue and it's not safety, then what is it? Deterrence, as you suggest? Making a rolling right on red (which is probably 95% of the redlight camera tickets) is not dangerous if done safely and prudently. The camera might deter someone from that particular intersection, but likely not anywhere else. Sure, there might be some slight deterrence effect on the speed cameras - for about 500 feet. Go near one of them and you'll see people slow down before they get there and speed up when they get past them.
More importantly, I suggest looking at the benefits versus the costs. Joe Blow might be more diligent about coming to a complete stop at that intersection, but at what cost? Should we give up our rights to confront our accusers because of a very minor technicality of a traffic violation? Where does it stop? Maybe we ought to just let the government put cameras in our homes and bedrooms. After all, if we aren't doing anything illegal, why should we care, right? Let's give them the keys to our computers as well, so they can keep us in line. [/sarcasm]
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