1) See the NMA site (
http://www.motorists.org/red-light-cameras/) for the real info on Ticket Cameras of all kinds. These are the same people who fought and won against the national 55mph limit. For example, on red-light cameras :
- They used short yellow light times to generate more tickets even though the drivers were not doing anything unsafe. If a yellow light is too short for the flow of traffic through an intersection, it will create more split-second violations because people won't be able to stop in time. These are not dangerous violations, but they are extremely profitable. Several cities have been caught shortening the yellow light times after installing cameras, but an equally devious trick is when they simply pick an intersection that already has a yellow light time that's too short and put a camera there instead of fixing the actual problem with the intersection. They want your money and don't give a damn about unfair hits to your record or insurance rates.
- Going the other way and lengthening the yellow slightly yields the same or greater improvement in safety and compliance
- The ticket camera companies have been caught numerous times wining and dining local officials to get them to install ticket cameras. These corporate executives have given local government officials and police free vacations and even flat-out bribed them to install cameras.
- They have started sending out tickets for running a red light to vehicles that have simply crossed the stop bar line. These drivers are getting tickets even though they never entered the intersection! Imagine having a ticket for running a red light on your driving record when you actually stopped at the intersection safely. This is particularly deceitful in colder climates where there may be snow and ice covering the road. Drivers are expected to stop behind a line that they can't even see.
- And more...
