Orange County, Fl Red Light Cameras

With the news that Mississippi has passed a law banning traffic light cameras because it's an invasion of privacy, it's worth looking a bit to the east, where some cities in Georgia are taking down their red light cameras not because of privacy issues, but because a new law required them to increase the length of time that a light is yellow by one second -- and that's decreased red light violations so significantly, that red light cameras have become "too expensive"

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2009...

im so sick of this kind of news.. who are thses people that vote for these things to be installed? they obviously are not the common working man..

god bless Georgia

This is a source of revenue. I wonder if camera manufactures aren't paying them bribes under the table. It is my understanding the camera manfacture/installers get to keep a percentage of the fines. Obviously there is a financial incentive to install more.

That is a very strong accusation to make on a public forum. I'm no way connected with either the manufacturers or users of the cameras, but will state if you are going to make that kind of accusation, you had better be ready to offer proof of wrongdoing.

When a locality decides to "get something for nothing" as in the revenue collected from these cameras, they quickly learn there is a price to pay as well. Some of the contracts require the city to pay the camera operator if revenue collection falls below a certain level. And every camera will reach a point were the amount of revenue decreases as drivers change their habits.

Reports are available showing some of the contracts between the camera companies and cities are written in favor of the camera company. They keep the majority of the revenue based on the amount of "service" provided. The key part is that each camera is expected to bring in above a minimum amount of revenue and if the revenue falls below the city has to make up the difference. And then, like cell phones, there is an "early cancellation fee" to get out of the contract.

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/12/1295.asp

Also this article is interesting for those people who are commenting on the increase in Arizona cameras. Maybe time to make a phone call to your local representative?

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/27/2712.asp

I read in the news not long ago, San Francisco is planning to install cameras on city buses, so they in effect, become mobile traffic enforcement devices. Of course, it is being done for the "safety" of citizens.