Predictions come true

I'm not sure what you mean by "Those who slow down and fail to make the light will be mailed a red light camera ticket." Since you are saying that those Cameras are being replaced by "speed on green" Cameras
The way it works for us here in B.C. Canada,if you are in the intersection when the light is yellow or turns yellow you are ok. Of course if the nose of your car enters at yellow your dead cause the camera is set for the middle of the intersection and it will be red by the time you get there. I got one of those a while back and took a good look at the pics they sent me. Have to laugh tho, we have an intersection that has one of those redlight camera boxes, but they can't keep a Camera in it. Seems some one takes offense to it.

There is NO doubt that they are being used to fill local gaps in budgets. Safety is just a cover for a politician to say to the dumber among us that he's protecting us.

The more places they are deployed & the angrier people get with them, the more likely that they will be stolen/destroyed in acts of violence. Another path to correcting this abuse might be a lobby which makes an issue of an incumbent politician for his support of them being elevated to a significant issue in a local election. Of course, the populace shows rather repeatedly that they are willing to put up with almost anything.

Fred

"I'm not sure what you mean by "Those who slow down and fail to make the light will be mailed a red light camera ticket."
We have at least one of these dual purpose cameras. I figured this out by watching cars go through it (while green) and got the flash and also running a red light. Some states/ciites are already using these cameras.

I wonder how long an awning over the rear plate would have to be to block the tax camera, yet allow the police to see it so you are not ticketed for blocking it.

That does it. When they come to Maryland/D.C. I'm just going to flood them with govt. tag numbers I see everyday in vehicle violations like speeding, no use of turn signals, following too close.

If I gotta be on pins & needles over literal technicalities while just trying to drive safely, then dang it, they will be too. They won't even know WHO is watching them, or WHERE.

Maybe they should just send everyone a fine for $500--I mean we've ALL done something bad at some point and gotten away with it, right?

NP

I ve'red many stupid ideas, but this one is a cherry on the cake !

Combination Redlight/Speed cameras have been in use here in AZ for quite sometime now. Think twice about "jumping" on the gas to make the yellow light. You won't get a redlight ticket but you will get a speeding ticket....photos and all.

Correct on the cameras being a revenue generator. The Auto Insurance industry supports the cameras as well because they can increase your insurance rates based on the added points for speeding and running redlights based on the cameras. MONEY GRAB. More states are implementing these cameras to boost their money intake to offset their budget shortfalls. The news articles and the politicians themselves have said so.

From January 19, 2008, thenewspaper.com:
Arizona Speed Cameras Expect $165 Million Annual Revenue
One-tenth of the Arizona state budget deficit will be covered by photo radar profit by 2010. Governor calls for HOV lane cameras.

Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano announced on Friday her expectation that the state's new freeway speed cameras would generate $90 million in net profit for fiscal year 2009, plus $34 million for the private companies selected to operate the program. In the following year, what the state labels "non tax increase revenue generation" will jump to $120 million, plus $45 million more for the ticket vendors, for a total of $165 million. After 2010 revenue is expected to exceed this amount significantly as the program grows beyond 100 fixed and mobile speed cameras and high occupancy vehicle lane (HOV) ticketing cameras are brought online. The state currently faces a $1.3 billion deficit.

"This budget shortfall is an opportunity to make government more efficient and effective," Napolitano said in a statement touting a budget that "does not raise taxes."

Napolitano had ordered a state takeover of Scottsdale's automated ticketing pilot project after noting that six cameras there generated 110,962 tickets worth $17 million in 2006. Australian vendor Redflex was chosen to operate the state's photo radar van pilot project while ATS beat its down-under rival for the right to issue tickets with fixed cameras in Scottsdale. A study documented a 54 percent increase in rear-end collisions and a 9 percent increase in injuries from rear-end collisions as a result of the cameras' use.

Although Napolitano has been consistent in maintaining the primary motivation for the program has been traffic safety, her budget called for an expansion of camera ticketing into traffic offenses that do not endanger other motorists. The document released Friday asked the legislature to modify state law to "allow for the possible use of photo enforcement systems to detect violations of high-occupancy vehicle lane restrictions." This new technology would use infrared cameras to peer into motorist vehicles and mail a ticket to the owner of any vehicle not thought to be carrying the number of passengers required for travel in a carpool lane.

"Prompt enactment and implementation of the new highway photo enforcement legislation would provide revenue needed for responding to growing needs," the FY09 budget summary explained.

Insurance companies such as the American Automobile Association (AAA) have backed Arizona's speed camera program. Each photo ticket in the state carries license points allowing insurance companies to raise rates on ticket recipients, generating hundreds of millions in additional revenue. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has also called for expansion of photo ticketing programs nationwide.