cameras at stop lights...is Big Brother watching you
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Long Island
Posts: 24,820
just courious, how many of you and what state are you in that have cameras at the stop lights. Here on Long Island, NY we have them at the main roads, if even the front of your car goes over the line, the photo is taken and you're sent a ticket.
i guess it frees the cops up for bigger things, but still, if only the front crosses the line, the photo light goes off and you're billed, (and i heard it's impossible to fight).
i guess it frees the cops up for bigger things, but still, if only the front crosses the line, the photo light goes off and you're billed, (and i heard it's impossible to fight).
#3
we have them in Minneapolis. the cameras, themselves, have been fought in court. i'm not certain if they are still there as i don't drive in the big city. my brother got a camera ticket in the mail from one of the carolinas, but he deserves to get caught he-he-he. if they work properly, i'm in favor of them. MN's argument is that it punishes the car's owner and not the driver of the car, who could be a different person.
#4
Discussing this with someone recently - the subject of the Amber Alert was brought up - in combination of the requirement to have 2 license plates on a car here in Massachusetts.
The cameras may one day help apprehend a subject and save a victim. I'm afraid this is how the world is -
The cameras may one day help apprehend a subject and save a victim. I'm afraid this is how the world is -
#5
We have them. I'm not too concerned about them. I don't know...it is kind of like radar detectors. Who needs a radar detector if you are going to drive the speed limit? Or do you need it because you want to speed & know where the cops are so you can slow down? (Like my husband) Same with the cameras. If you don't run lights then nothing to worry about. Speeding & running lights are against the law. Guess it is all about each persons perspective on right & wrong.
#8
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
I haven't seen them up here, I do know they are on the Thruway though for the EZPass lanes. The EZPass ones we have had to fight because the camara doesn't always get a clear shot of the plate so they use a computer and send the ticket to every plate number that may resemble what the camara could capture! We had a relative that worked for the NYS Thruway authority at the tiem that told us that! She said you would also be surprised how many people who get those notices just pay the fine because they think you can't fight it if you can't absolutely prove you weren't in the area on that particular date/time. With us it was easy because it was a week day and the exit lane was down near the city.
To go just a little over the stop line is not right though. What if the light suddenly turns yellow on you? I know there are plenty of times I have gone just a little over the painted line on the ground when stopping for a light. And a light changing to yellow I have definitely gone over the stop line. If you stop you stop and should not be ticketed, only if you run it.
Heck you can easily go over that line when you have plenty of time to stop, it is hard to tell where it is when it gets out of your field of vision which is still about 5 ft in front of your car. I think it is another ploy to generate revenue. I read a recent news story on Florida jurisdictions and the official in Florida (sorry can't remember the town) one of his cheif complaints was that revenue from speeding tickets was down due to the economy because when someone is out of work they can't pay the fines! Since when is it about revenues? I thought it was about safety! I am not defending speeders, but please how many of us have been traveling along and were speeding without realizing it? Especially when you enter an area where the speed limit changes and you either didn't notice the sign or just plain didn't realize you were going a little fast.
To go just a little over the stop line is not right though. What if the light suddenly turns yellow on you? I know there are plenty of times I have gone just a little over the painted line on the ground when stopping for a light. And a light changing to yellow I have definitely gone over the stop line. If you stop you stop and should not be ticketed, only if you run it.
Heck you can easily go over that line when you have plenty of time to stop, it is hard to tell where it is when it gets out of your field of vision which is still about 5 ft in front of your car. I think it is another ploy to generate revenue. I read a recent news story on Florida jurisdictions and the official in Florida (sorry can't remember the town) one of his cheif complaints was that revenue from speeding tickets was down due to the economy because when someone is out of work they can't pay the fines! Since when is it about revenues? I thought it was about safety! I am not defending speeders, but please how many of us have been traveling along and were speeding without realizing it? Especially when you enter an area where the speed limit changes and you either didn't notice the sign or just plain didn't realize you were going a little fast.
#10
We have them here in Kingsport, TN. Not a big fan of them but they are here to stay. I am not sure just how sensitive the ones here are. We only have them on a handful of traffic lights. And not one on intersections with the most accidents. :thumbdown: :hunf:
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