Who is the Traffic Safety Coalition?

It is a non-profit group that wants to save Riverside's traffic enforcement program.  "Spokesman David Goldenberg said its mission is to focus on measures that improve road safety, with a specific focus on traffic cameras.  He also acknowledged the group’s largest source of funding is Redflex Traffic Systems, the company that runs Riverside’s camera program." (emphasis added)

Oh yeah, there's that.  Why do the politicans even give these people an audience?

What he said!

Red light cameras are all about the money.  The politicans have forgotten that they work for the people and not the other way around.  Money quote:

Where are the studies and data that show the cameras increase safety? And better yet, where is the list of alternatives and the studies on those? Why weren’t these things presented to me? Don’t tell me I should have investigated these myself, that’s what I pay you for. Would you go to your boss at your private-sector job with a new idea and nothing to back it up?


OK, I have some alternatives; replace the yellow light with a strobe light to blind people, pop up spikes, swing down gates. Ridiculous? No, I have the studies to prove these will reduce accident. I’ll show them to you at some later date.

I haven’t even heard from you just exactly what you’re trying to accomplish. Who runs red lights? Lunatics and people who didn’t see the light. Cameras aren’t going to prevent that.

We're watching you anyway, SO GET OVER IT!!

That's the fair implication of The People's Republic of Farragut's photo enforcement enforcement manager's words to the "TEA Party" members at a meeting regarding the Republic's red-light camera system. According to Ben Harkins, the photo enforcement manager, "Love or hate red-light cameras, surveillance has been with us for many, many years."

Not surprisingly, he also thinks Tennessee's new law that prohibits traffic cameras for citing right turns on red is "misguided." Considering how the vast majority of these red light tickets are for "rolling" rights on red (that cause nearly no accidents anyway), I suppose Mr. Harkins sees the writing on the wall and realizes that his job could be in jeopardy. Well, BOO HOO.

Maybe he should have been a little more direct: "Dear subject, the government is watching you. We want to know your every move. We want to know where you go and who you associate with. It's in your best interest. Trust us. Nothing bad can come from this. We will take care of you. If you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. This is for your protection. We know what's best. Bwaahaaahaaahaaa."

$835 parking ticket

I hope none of the other money-grubbing municipalities hear about this. This lady received an $835 ticket for parking in the grass. Unbelievable.