Hope for getting rid of Redlight Cameras in TN?

[aquaman67]

Found this on another board. It's Cali but maybe there's hope it can somehow make it's way to Tennessee. The same company, RedFlex is in Clarksville....

California: Appellate Decision Strikes Down Red Light Camera Evidence

[TNRobocop]

What's sad is that the red light cameras were a somewhat good idea on for use at dangerous intersections.

Then the stupid things started to have a life of their own, the companies were manipulating the times for triggering the cameras, etc. The red light cameras I can kind of see. Cameras for speed enforcement are stupid all the way around.

Either way an individual should have the right to face their accuser. Kinda hard to take a camera to court.

[res308]

I didn't think you wanted to get rid of the red-light districts in Tennessee.?!? Oh, wait, cameras, dang-it, cameras. I'll read closer next time, promise I will!

[aquaman67]

What's sad is that the red light cameras were a somewhat good idea on for use at dangerous intersections.

Then the stupid things started to have a life of their own, the companies were manipulating the times for triggering the cameras, etc. The red light cameras I can kind of see. Cameras for speed enforcement are stupid all the way around.

Either way an individual should have the right to face their accuser. Kinda hard to take a camera to court.

IMO they were/are always about one thing...M O N E Y. Never about safety.

You can run the same redlight everyday - 3 times a day if you want to pay the $50. No points, no record, no insurance increase.

I forget how many million Chattanooga has made so far and Clarksville is not far behind. A study showed that while side impact crashed went down, rear end crashes doubled at one intersection in Clarksville.

[strickj]

IMO they were/are always about one thing...M O N E Y. Never about safety.

You can run the same redlight everyday - 3 times a day if you want to pay the $50. No points, no record, no insurance increase.

I forget how many million Chattanooga has made so far and Clarksville is not far behind. A study showed that while side impact crashed went down, rear end crashes doubled at one intersection in Clarksville.

Rear end collisions are caused by following to closely. Not from cameras.

Besides, a rear end collision is much safer then two cars hitting head on at full speed because one ran a light...

[Guest TargetShooter84]

Fat chance on getting those outta of TN....

[vontar]

I looked in the Law and I could find no legal time that the light has to remain Yellow.

The intersections where the cameras are often have very short yellow lights to trap drivers crossing the light right as they go red.

They leave no Margin for error on the part of the driver.

Studies and not I can't site them now, have show more rear end accidents at intersections with cameras because people want to avoid the ticket.

I will bolt up and stop on a dime myself, I almost got rear ended by Oak Ridge PD a couple weeks back, I guess he was almost going to 2 fast to control his cruiser but he did stop it. I did not cross the line. It was at the number 6 light.

THat would have been an event, rear ended by Oak Ridge PD, My only statement would have been, "I was able to stop in time for the red light." no more questions, but I am glad he didn't

[Parrothead]

Kingsport cameras click on 2,047 red light violations in two weeks - Kingsport Times-News Online

2000 tickets in 2 weeks. $10,000 in a two week period. I dont know what percentage goes to the operating company but it seems to be a money making thing to me.

According to the local new, there was problems with the cameras in Johnson City last week. Not sure of the details. Cant find the report on the web

[tnhawk]

As much money as they're taking in, expect to see more of them soon.

[PackinMama]

I got one of these photo tickets in the mail last week. I have been driving in Morristown for 16 years now, and the speed limit on Morris Blvd. has always been 40 mph. Well, they put up cameras at the intersection of Morris and Cumberland and dropped the speed limit down to 30 mph on Morris Blvd.....JUST THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION! The speed limit now drops right before the intersection and then goes back up as soon as you pass it. (I drove into town to check it out after I got the ticket.) What a freakin' scam!!! The ticket is for going 41 mph in a 30. I'm really upset about this, but I don't suppose there's a darn thing I can do about it....besides send in the $50!

[vontar]

That is the other part of the scam, they reduce the speed limit around the camera's.

Here in Oak Ridge, being a local I drive other routes and avoid them at all cost.

If I end up driving though one of the cameras, I slow down way under the posted speed. At least 5 under the posted speed limit, you should see the traffic build up in just a few seconds when you drop to 25 mph in a 30 mph zone.

They can go around if they want, some do. I get away from the cameras and back to normal.

[Guest bkelm18]

Studies and not I can't site them now, have show more rear end accidents at intersections with cameras because people want to avoid the ticket.

I really don't understand why people keep bringing this up. Rear end accidents are caused by following too close, not red light cameras. If you are driving behind someone and are close enough to hit them if they slam on the brakes, you are too close. I was taught that the first day I started driving. People just need to learn how to drive. Period. Then we wouldn't have to worry about all this nonsense. Drive the speed limit. Stop at red lights. I drive through a dozen of these intersections everyday, and I have yet to get a ticket.

[jughead]

got mine a couple of months ago. chatt. raining hard. jeep has good tires. under speed limit. but decided real quick 50 bucks cheaper than loosing control and a wreck.

[tnhawk]

I really don't understand why people keep bringing this up. . . I drive through a dozen of these intersections everyday, and I have yet to get a ticket.

How many times you been rear-ended lately? When I stop to prevent paying to run light, someone behind pays because they didn't. Back injuries aint much fun!

[PackinMama]

Drive the speed limit. Stop at red lights. I drive through a dozen of these intersections everyday, and I have yet to get a ticket.

I do drive the speed limit. The SCAM part of these lights is when they reduce the speed limit just where the cameras are - right before or when they put them in. When I got my ticket, I was going 41 in a 30......on a road that was posted 40 mph for over 16 years! I THOUGHT I was going the speed limit and the city of Morristown scammed me by changing it right before the lights went up. They literally put up a 30 mph sign right before the lights, and then right after you go through the intersection it changes back to 40 mph. To be fair, they should/could have made everyone's first ticket a warning.....which is exactly what they did when they put up cameras at the intersection by the mall and Walmart. I guess Morristown needed a way to make some fast cash.....

[bubbiesdad]

That is the other part of the scam, they reduce the speed limit around the camera's.

Here in Oak Ridge, being a local I drive other routes and avoid them at all cost.

If I end up driving though one of the cameras, I slow down way under the posted speed. At least 5 under the posted speed limit, you should see the traffic build up in just a few seconds when you drop to 25 mph in a 30 mph zone.

They can go around if they want, some do. I get away from the cameras and back to normal.

In Oak Ridge? I think not. School zones don't count.

Location of 30 mph zone in OR?

[vontar]

I may have been a bit off on the speeds, I think it is 35 around some of the cameras, 40 around others. 25 when in school zones during posted times. There are very few I actually have to drive though, I mainly have to drive by the number 6 Red Light any more. I have never had a traffic camera ticket either.

Like a bad bad politician, you do have me back peddling. I would like to say while I am more awake I do try to be a bit under the posted speed when I am around the cameras, no more then 5 under though but never on the speed limit or above.

However a few months back the Oak Ridge Observer did a story on a person getting tickets in unposted zone. The zone has since been posted. However it did make me shy of the cameras.

At least read the Article on page 3.

Speed camera nails resident

twice in un-posted zone

http://oakridgeobserver.com/images/stories/archives/October%2029%202009.pdf

[Luckyforward]

From Nashville Public

Radio:

Red Light Camera Regulation Dies

Thursday, June 10th, 2010, by Joe White

On its last day, the state legislature buried a bill that would have regulated unmanned cameras that issue red light and speeding tickets in many counties.

State Senator Bill Ketron killed any chance of regulating the traffic cameras when he sent a bill back to committee. His home town of Murfreesboro happens to use such cameras.

The House has championed regulation after studying red light cameras for two years. Last month, House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower complained that cities are convinced to put up systems by far-off firms.

“It’s a company that’s based in Phoenix, Arizona, that’s partially owned by an Australian company, that handles the processing of tickets in Bluff City, Tennessee, a town of about 1,000 people in East Tennessee.”

Mumpower says Bluff City gets a $250,000 a month for speeding tickets issued on a straight, undeveloped road with a sharply lower speed limit in the middle.

The bill, which is now dead, would have kept cities from agreeing to install systems that allowed the company to make more money if it issued more tickets.

[aquaman67]

I'm really upset about this, but I don't suppose there's a darn thing I can do about it....besides send in the $50!

Those cameras didnt just pop up. Elected officials voted to put them up. We can vote those people out of office and vote for people who will remove them. But we wont. We will just complain and take it.

[monkeylizard]

It's speed-camera, rather than red-light, but it's still funny.

Tennessee Man Buys Police Department Website After Speeding Ticket - ABC News

[Chucktshoes]

That's awesome.