(Redflex) Traffic Enforcement Cameras: Frequently Asked Questions Part 1: Who

That cover to the left is how this pamphlet of lies begins, and we’ll be dissecting it.

Now for the benefit of all drivers, Canton natives, taxpayers, and visitors, I will shed some light on the problems with these systems, point by point, as outlined in this pamphlet.  With plenty of references to links of actual occurrences of these problems, lest you think I’m making it all up.

I had to rush to get these posts up, and some links and proof will have to be added at a later date, because I wanted to get this out there before the vote and before the hubbub died down, especially if the Red Light and Speeding Camera issue is reversed and defeated in the City of Canton, Ohio.

I was really spoiling for a fight.  I stole the ballot initiative language from The Cincinnati Campaign (relax, I was gonna ask permission).  I had already talked to the Stark County Board of Elections about petition signatures and how many would be needed (10% of voters that voted in the last gubernatorial election, which was 2006).  I was almost set to ruin a vile and despicable company’s day by outlawing traffic enforcement in Canton, Ohio, then City Council had to go and research the issue (instead of blindly chugging the Redflex Kool-Aid), and found out what we’ve known all along.

Safety is the first casualty in the crosshairs of these camera systems.  Next is your civil liberty, and finally, your hard earned money.  But without further ado, let’s get THE TRUTH started…

Section 1:  Who

I don’t believe these statistics.  You have 16,000 accidents each year, working out to more than 40 accidents a day in the City of Canton.  Pad those figures much?  You know, all those accidents that are just fender benders, or are on private property and not public roads, are those numbers being involved?

Then out of that 16,000 you have less than 10% injury rate, and with ONLY 7 fatalities, a 0.0004375% fatality rate.  That should make Canton one of the safest cities in the nation!

Plus, the way the figures are stated, apparently every single accident is attributed to running red lights and speeding in school zones.

I’d say that installing camera systems that cause increases in the number of accidents would divert police forces to deal with traffic accidents from other, more important duties such as arresting drug dealers and patrolling high crime areas, but that’s just me, I must be stupid to think that way.

Wow, so y’know, they cost a lot.  But that’s okay, because we’ll make all the drivers we catch or wrongfully accuse pay big fines so that we can send half of your taxpayer money (since you got caught) that isn’t spent on taxes, that money now has to be spent on the violation you were issued.  Yeah, it’s going out of state, and out of country, to Redflex.  Did you know that many of the contracts have TICKET QUOTAS!!!  The City pays a penalty for every month they don’t exceed “X” number of violations.

Sure, they will game the light timings and shorten them so that they catch as many “violations” as they can trick people into committing, and while plenty of “out-of-towners” will be getting tickets, so will MANY city residents.

And there you have it, the last sentence is the most telling.  The money will be used to prop up city operations, will not be earmarked for ANY safety programs, or be funneled ENTIRELY to the police department (which could be arguably be justified for “safety”), but will shore up an increasingly shaky city budget.  That is, until revenues decrease, then we’ll add more cameras!  Or reduce yellow light timing even further to create more violations!  This is the most damning evidence so far.  These systems are completely about the money, nothing else.

(Oh, and I hope they won’t pull an “Ohio Lottery” and promise to give the city police all the funds from the red light cameras, but yank an equal amount of dollars away from them out of the police budget from the general fund)

We must keep on.

Y’know, the camera company doesn’t issue violations, except when they do.  They have been caught a bunch of times  Proof here.

Sometimes no one.  Sure, we’ll claim that “police officers” will be reviewing the violations, and approving each ticket we (Redflex) sends out, but we’ve been caught issuing tickets with no review before (proven by court testimony and other evidence in Arizona, California, Ohio, and Canada), what makes you think we won’t get away with doing so here in Canton as well?

Rhetorical question.

Well, at times it won’t be the vehicle owner.  It will be a completely different make, model, and year vehicle from the one you own.  The license plates won’t even be a match yours, though they may be similar.  There is next to no due diligence done on photos to make certain they have the proper license plate number and model of vehicle before the violations are sent out.

Also you should check out The Official Canton Red Light Camera and Speed Camera Blog

The writing is probably better, and he attacks the issue much more thoroughly and scientifically than I do.

on to part two

Tags: Canton, Lies, Pamphlet, Red Light Cameras, Redflex, Safety, Who