Red Light Cameras Pose More Danger?

First, I’ve not been able to verify any of this – although I did do a few searches on Google. I was speaking with my brother earlier this evening, and he mentioned listening to a talk show or something on AM 740 today. Apparently, the were discussing the possibility of cameras at traffic intersections and that the Liberal Government is about to give the go ahead to municipalities here in Ontario to install these cameras.

Of course, if the camera takes a picture of your car passing through an intersection, regardless of who was driving the car, you’ll get a notice in the mail with a fine attached to it. The Province is going to let the municipilaties keep the theft .. err.. proceeds of the fines.

According to my brother, and I didn’t quite get all the details, the Police Chief from Saskatoon was either on the program, or was quoted during the program. Saskatoon has implemented these intersection spycashgrabcams already. It would seem that most certainly, there are fewer cars going through red lights, according to the chief. But there’s been another unexpected hazard: There have been greater accidents at intersections since the spycam program came into effect!

And if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. You’re travelling along a road, the light turns yellow, you’re sure you have enough time and can’t really stop safely, but then your mind flashes “Fine! $100.00 Fine! What If I Don’t Make It?” and you slam on the brakes.

The guy behind you wasn’t expecting you to do that. And as he slams on his brakes, and maybe swerves a bit, but you’ve got better brakes then he does, all of a sudden, you’ve now got a case of whiplash and a smucked up car.

Interestingly enough, Saskatoon calls their spycashgrabcams, “Safety Cameras.” But it’s quite obvious they’re not safety cameras at all. In fact, it would seem that you have far less safety now around intersections that before the spycashgrabcams (let’s call them SCGC’s) for short.

Another thing that I was told. In American jurisdictions where these SCGC’s have been installed, what happens is at first, there are quite a few fines mailed out. But as time goes on, and drivers become more used to them, less and less fines get sent out in the mail.

The solution to this? Why, simple for Cash Grabbing governments: Shorten the length of time the amber (yeah, people call that yellow) light stays on before the red light turns on. Cool huh? These government monopolists can come up with all sorts of evil and ingenious ways to make sure their hand is in your pockets. And they’re not playing pocket pool, either.

Anyhow, I haven’t been able to verify any of this yet – perhaps Jay Jardine might have some more info on this? Over to you, Jay!