March 23, 2005

Even More Big Brother

In the comments section of the last post, SayUncle posted a link to an excellent piece over at The Agitator regarding traffic cameras (as discussed here for Nashville).

I'll repost several sections from the piece and make comments as it would relate to Nashville (I still suggest you read it in it's entirety though):

A recent BBC study of mobile speed cameras revealed significant accuracy problems. One researcher was able to clock a stationary wall at 58 mph. The Australian government has begun paying $26 million back to motorists who were issued tickets by faulty cameras. A Canadian town recently recalled 6,800 tickets issued by cameras. The Washington Times has reported several incidents in which D.C. motorists were ticketed for cars they no longer own or drive, or that are inoperable.

I wonder if the studies that Metro police will get from the company that it was in talks with will get this type of independent information or the information that's only filtered through the company itself (which I already hit upon)?

Clearly, speed cameras err. But motorists issued tickets might be surprised to learn that they're generally considered guilty until proved innocent. It's up to a car's owner to prove he wasn't driving when the ticket was issued, that the camera misread his plates, or that the camera itself is faulty. In many cases, the private companies who run the cameras get a cut of each ticket issued, and appeals of tickets are settled by the company itself, not a judge or traffic court. Camera manufacturers have also been known to train cops on how to testify against appeals, and in some cases have paid officials to advocate the cameras to other cities. That's an unsettling kind of justice.

Most traffic camera companies (both for speeding and running red lights) end up getting kick-backs from each ticket issued. I'm not sure, but this just might be a conflict of interest. Add that to the fact that some of those companies give kickbacks to current customers to promote it in other cities. When Metro officials ask for data from other cities on traffic camera use, is this what the company will be sending?

Cameras are ripe for abuse, too. One city in Florida now uses traffic cameras to snap the plates of every motorist entering the city, and checks them against various law enforcement databases. In Southern California, a photo taken by a red-light camera was used to prove adultery in a divorce case. San Diego shut down all of its cameras after a judge ruled that the company in charge was tampering with the machines to increase ticket output.

Encroachment upon civil liberties may lead to abuse? Really?

But the most troubling thing about traffic cameras is the way city governments grow dependent on the revenue they generate. Bethesda, Md., was caught shortening a yellow light at the city's most lucrative red-light camera, in an effort to squeeze more cash out of its motorists. When tickets dropped off from existing speed cameras in Washington, the City Council simply installed more, and raised the fines. Sacramento now charges motorists $351 for a single red-light violation.

Ah yes...good old 'dependence on revenue.' When not as many people are running red lights, there will be a hole in the budget somewhere. Where will that money come from? Do you think that the government would think about cutting the excesses out of the budget? (insert hysterical laughter here) Nope. That money will come by adding more cameras and higher fines...(or higher property taxes).

When I get responses from Nashville's elected officials and hear things like, "that couldn't happen here," or "if it can lower crime, then we should try it," etc, I know that they haven't done any real research.

Of course, I'm sure that their counterparts in the cities cited above had the same attitude. How'd that end up for them?

Email addresses for the city council (including the Mayor, and now Chief Serpas) can be found here.

Comments:

Please Note! Failure to abide by the following may result in your comments being edited or deleted: Remain on topic. Foul language and/or personal attacks are not permitted. Excessive links (more than three per thread) must be approved first. If you do include a link in your comment, make sure it is a short link (go to tinyurl.com if it is too long). Try to keep comments to 125 words or less. Thank you.

Welcome to the fight against abuse of political power and for civil liberties. Better late than never. Go to aclu.org to sign up. We celebrate your escape from the dark side of the force. I guess you had your "Damascus Intersection Experience," huh?

By the way, Big Brother is, by definition, the fedrul gubmnt. You know, the people who'll read this before you will, thanks to those delicious Patriot Acts?

Posted by: ChristianLibrul at March 24, 2005 08:10 AM

Would that be the same ACLU that is aiding illegal immigrants in their quest to sneak into this country by warning them away from where the Minuteman Project undocumented border patrol agents are?

Posted by: Rick C at April 19, 2005 02:29 PM

I'm actually surprised to be on the same side of an issue with them (with the cameras).

At least they are getting one thing right.

Posted by: Blake at April 19, 2005 02:32 PM