[fortwayne]

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) has installed the first-ever automated camera in the US designed to ticket drivers who make "boulevard stops" or slow to a crawl at a stop sign without fully ceasing forward motion. The little-known agency will begin issuing $100 fines next Monday, July 9, at Franklin Canyon in the heart of Los Angeles.

The cameras are being installed as a prelude to the agency's expected installation of speed cameras on popular canyon roads, as first reported by TheNewspaper in April. Australian camera vendor Redflex will operate every aspect of the program in return for a $20 cut from every ticket the company is able to issue (view contract). California law explicitly prohibits both speed cameras and per-ticket photo enforcement contract provisions, but the MRCA believes the law does not apply to them.

"Our Park Rangers are California peace officers and will always have traffic enforcement as part of their duty," MRCA Director of Public Affairs Dash Stolarz said in a June statement.

In 2000, the California legislature banned photo radar with a statute clarifying that although it authorized the use of photo ticketing at traffic signals, the legislature, "does not authorize the use of photo radar for speed enforcement purposes by any jurisdiction." (CVC 21455.6) Another provision specifies that, "A contract between a governmental agency and a manufacturer or supplier of automated enforcement equipment may not include provision for the payment or compensation to the manufacturer or supplier based on the number of citations generated." (CVC 21455.5)

SOURCE OF INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE: http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1846.asp

**Posters comment:
I wonder how many cities and states will follow up on this one!

Fort Wayne
Guided By God

[Moot]

Minneapolis tried this a few years ago at intersections controlled by signal lights. The idea was to ticket cars going through on red lights. Lawsuits followed because the cameras captured the license plate number. The ticket was issued to the registered owner and not the driver of the vehicle who committed the offense. Also some city owned cars were cited.

The camera operation was shut down and as far as I know it still is.

[OntarioVanMan]

Moot..all red light cameras ticket the owner...so people just have to really beware who they lend thier cars to...

Just too bad these cameras couldn't target aggressive drivers...

[scm99]

They have had cameras up at intersections in Toledo for a while now.
My mother-in-law got a ticket in the mail and the picture showed my brother in law driving. I'm all for public safety, but it seems like an excuse to have fewer cars on patrol.



Quality - The race for Quality has no finish line - so technically it's more like a death march.

[FireGears]

scm99 said..
I'm all for public safety, but it seems like an excuse to have fewer cars on patrol.
*******************

First, and foremost, it's an attempt to provide
public safety via law enforcement.

We all know how dangerous a newly changed green light can be
with meatheads running the red ... or running the stop sign
by just barely slowing down.

Now, with that said, let's look at some other issues
considered by the City installing these Camera Cops...

Cameras are much less expensive than law enforcement officers.
A City can install 100's of these for the price of one officer
and they are generally on duty 24/7... this is a PLUS

It's much safer to take a picture
than to make a traffic stop...
This is good for the City...
Wounded/murdered officers are expensive..
this is a PLUS

This method is 100% effective in Traffic Court..
The proof is there with all the facts.
AND, there is no overtime for
the Officer to come to Court.
This is a PLUS

The more traffic tickets issued,
the more income for the city...
Tickets produces BIG BUCKS for the City Budget
This is a DOUBLE PLUS


Now, do you think it will change the
driving habits of the scofflaws on the road..???

Hardly, BUT it will lead to the production of
new lawbreaking gadgets like the radar detector...

So with all these new candid camera locations
springing up around the nation all we can do is...

SMILE...!!!! :+

plus

[freightchaser]

90% of the traffic fines were supposed to go to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; however, $35 of each $50 fine was going to the
company that ran the system(Peek Traffic). The courts have ruled that the city now owes the school system $4.6 million!!

The end result has been that we no longer have red light cameras, or
roaming vans that use cameras to catch you speeding.

What has puzzled me is what happened to "our" right to face your
accuser? Kinda hard to cross-examine a camera, don't you think?:+

[FireGears]

F/Chaser said...
What has puzzled me is what happened to "our" right to face your
accuser? Kinda hard to cross-examine a camera, don't you think?
************

Well, duh.... :o

The lawbreaker's "accuser" is the City...
The accusation is based upon the picture.
They have sent the lawbreaker a copy of said picture.

The scofflaw can go to court and dispute
the picture of them BREAKING THE LAW...

Additionally, the scofflaw can bring their
experts and legal-begals into court.
They can present their case why they
broke the law and GOT CAUGHT.

I just love the those who BREAK THE LAW
demanding their "rights"....

"Rights" are for law abiding citizens ...
which begins with the right to behave...

SMILE..!!! You're on candid camera..!!! :+

plus

[scm99]

You're right on about it being a cost save for the cities.
I haven't noticed driving habits improve any, but I have seen more cars with tinted covers over the license plate.

[FireGears]

I haven't noticed driving habits improve any, but I have seen more cars with tinted covers over the license plate.
*********************

Thanks for the conformation, scm99 :7

My prediction is that as Camera Cops become more widespread
more law breaking gadgets will become available...

Let's present some here on EO..

How about face masks..??
Scofflaws can get full-face masks.

(In Court.. "As you can see Your Honor, the
picture clearly shows that the driver was not me.)

SMILE... you're on candid camera..!!!

plus

[freightchaser]

Gee whiz, Firegears! Take a chill pill! I was referencing the
constitutional question in a broader sense: Could this just be one more way that our "rights" are gradually being eroded? BTW, I haven't had a ticket, of any kind, since 1980.

[bamamule]

need to put a camera in his cmv and see how many laws he abides to

[FireGears]

Gee whiz, Firegears! Take a chill pill! I was referencing the
constitutional question in a broader sense: Could this just be one more way that our "rights" are gradually being eroded? BTW, I haven't had a ticket, of any kind, since 1980.
***************

F/Chaser, dude... touchy... touchy

:7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7

The reply to your post was a defense of our
Constitutional right to live in a society where
scofflaws are dealt with... :D

That reply in no way mentioned/accused you.
(HINT... read carefully)

BTW...
Your driving record is admirable...

BBTW...
I have not had a ticket, of any kind, since 1968. :D
(last 36 years as a career driver...)

Keep up your good driving record and you'll catch up
to mine in not time at all... :+

Keep Smiling

plus

[FireGears]

Bring it on B/Mule..!!!

:7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7

Let's take it up a notch and
place a camera in ALL of my vehicles.

In fact, let's take it up another notch and
place a breath-alizer ignition control
set at .02 in ALL of my vehicles

BUT, only if we place the same in ALL of YOUR vehicles.

Come on.. let's do it..!!! :+
We can post the results after a year right here on EO...
We can also send the results to our insurance companies..
(by the way, it's your idea so you pay ALL expenses..)


B/Mule..
choose wisely or you may be proven wrong, yet again :+

Keep Smiling.. (Camera Cop may be watching...)

plus

[terryandrene]

OK boys and girls, play nice

[FireGears]

Keep Smiling... :7

The Mod Squad IS watching.. :+

And well they should be as they
are the "thin blue line" keeping
the peace here on EO...

(which they generally do very well
and very professionally, except for one dude
who sometimes seems a little "badge-heavy" ..) :+