(Oh, Dear Gentle Reader(s), I feel I must apologize for the heading. I apologize, but I really like it--alliteration is the joy of the poet, and the listener.)
The topic is the use of Red Light Cameras.
The Los Angeles Times today has an interesting story about the use of red light cameras in L.A. County. It's an interesting reading experience, all the more because it validates what many have believed--those cameras are more of an ATM for quick cash than they are for safety.
California drivers have long enjoyed the oxymoronic "rolling stop." Mostly used for the right-on-red turn, it consists of reducing speed, keeping one's foot on the brake pedal, looking for pedestrians and other cars, seeing no potential collision, removing the foot from the brake pedal, and transferring said foot to the gas pedal and driving merrily along to the corner store for a bag of potato chips.
Sphere: Related ContentThe red light camera is bringing this joy to a slow demise. Here's a quote, "The city of Los Angeles issued more than 30,000 photo tickets last year at 32 camera-equipped intersections. About eight in 10 involved right turns..." Here's the kicker: in Los Angeles, the fine is "only" $159 for a right turn violation caught on camera. (Only because the left-turn or straight through violation is considerably more--$381.)
Here comes the
pissed offirritated part: The next time the city council of an L.A. county municipality using red light cameras, and the right on red option, puts a tax measure designed to support the police on a ballot, how likely is it that those 8 of ten are going to be thinking, "I've already contributed my share; I'm voting NO."It is good to made drivers more aware of the dangers associated with lax driving habits. It would be more efficacious, in the long run, if there were an educational program with less of an annoying factor to do the teaching.
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