Re: Photo Radar...

[MSV96 <MSV96@aol.com>]

Another datapoint to add about photo radar and red light cameras...

Campbell, CA. (near San Jose) was one of the first to do photo radar in CA and
it failed...I heard it has been removed now.

Just last night on the local news there was a report on the Red Light Cameras
in San Francisco, CA. To preface this, San Francisco has a HUGE problem with
red light runners...many fatality accidents and pedestrian deaths. They cited
numbers regarding the number of attempted phots vs. mailed citations and the
difference was huge (something like over 25,000 attempted photos to 5,000
mailed citations). The spokeswoman said this was because many of the pictures
were impaired (couldn't make out the front plate <or none present which BTW
*is* illegal in CA, I have gotten a ticket for that many years ago>, or
couldn't make out the driver's identity). Because of this, again according to
this spokeswoman on the news for SF, San Francisco is considering citing the
registered owner rather than attempting to identify the driver. It wasn't
said...but I'll bet there will be stepped up enforcement of no front plates in
SF also as a result of this study.

We'll see how all this holds up and pans out...it will be a state by state
thing here in the US. While I don't like the idea of big brother watching over
me...especially for speeding, I have mixed feeling about the red light cameras
as it (red light running) has become a huge problem in places like San
Francisco and the accidents that result are grim. The thing is, it doesn't
seem to really help much. Maybe we need gates at intersections instead of
simple lights? Oh, I guess April 1 was yesterday...

Mike Veglia
5kcstq