Tuesday, December 23, 2008

New sources of revenue?

I heard mention of this in some circles early last year. The idea that red light cameras might be coming to our town. I dismissed the idea because they don't really work and are mostly a form of revenue enhancement.

Channel 4 website has an article about local red light systems and it ends with this ominous line.
Several other middle Tennessee cities are also looking at installing red-light cameras, including Smyrna and Shelbyville.
I'll hold back on this subject for now, but as the ordinances held my attention so much last year with the recodification, and lack of availibility of them...this would easily become my new whipping horse.

I might attend the town workshop this month and find out if this is a rumor or something that is in the works.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't run the red lights and you will not have to worry about your hard earned money being a source of revenue for our town.

David The Good said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
David The Good said...

The cameras are just another fleece, definitely. I follow the traffic rules, however, I certainly don't think that red lights are inviolable in certain situations. Or that an automated system is going to take into account things like tailgaters. I've had to run a light before just because I was being tailed by a truck. I certainly shouldn't be ticketed for protecting my family.

Perhaps Anonymous should simply give his/her wallet to the state. Obviously the old American spirit doesn't run too deep in some folks.

david said...

Strange angle you have on that Mr. Goodman. No, I dont want to give my wallet to the state. But in your tailgating daydream what if when you ran the red light you were t-boned in the intersection by a motorist who had the legal right of way. Now you are the cause of a possible fatal accident. This has nothing to do with the old American spirit. Which runs very deep with me. Don't get all personal with your comments. This aint internet karate. Furthermore, an employee for the company that I work for ran a red light in Dalton, GA. He and the four other vehicles that were videoed in the intersection will probably remember that seventy bucks the next time the light turnd yellow. I oersonally viewed the video and the offense was blatant. Third party admin of these devices is disageeable but the saftey aspect is indisputable.

David The Good said...

No offense intended - glad you're no longer anonymous. Heck, you even have a good name.

But the fact is, that state is constantly growing. And so many of the "good ideas" for safety turn into other things.

First, cameras at red lights. Then in public places. Then GPS trackers in cars, etc., etc. There's usually a "good" reason. And you will catch a bunch of folks being naughty. But it can be argued that the growth of the state is a larger evil than the occasional red light being run.