Jay Miller: What's wrong with traffic cameras?

Looking forward to new leadership!

Sooooooo.......

Why does this thread default to the story of Wanda Spencer's retirement?

It's supposed to be regarding traffic cameras.

And BTW...Thanks Wanda! I loved working with you in the program. Welcome to our new volunteer co-chairs! Good luck!

because the local paper people are not the sharpest tacks in the box

There are many issues with the traffic cameras... but my beef with them is quite simple. In general, municipalities outsource their installation, use, and maintenance to a private company. This then essentially makes law-enforcement a profit-driven activity.

Now sure, we could say, "we're already there" when it comes to such things, like our revolving door prisons... in which many are already being run privately (and for profit), but that's somewhat apples vs oranges. In the prison example, the crime has already been determined and prosecuted, and the "execution of the punishment" (for lack of a better term) has been handed off to private companies. In the red-light camera system, the shift is from "execution of punishment" to "enforcement of law"...and that's something that should never be in a for-profit entity.

That's really funny there jake-co!You know why?Because those cameras are not red light cameras there Gilligan!You know whats really funny? I actually have a dumb son that obeys all traffic laws because "they're watching Pops" ha

Congratulations!

squidlyman wrote:

There are many issues with the traffic cameras... but my beef with them is quite simple. In general, municipalities outsource their installation, use, and maintenance to a private company. This then essentially makes law-enforcement a profit-driven activity.
Now sure, we could say, "we're already there" when it comes to such things, like our revolving door prisons... in which many are already being run privately (and for profit), but that's somewhat apples vs oranges. In the prison example, the crime has already been determined and prosecuted, and the "execution of the punishment" (for lack of a better term) has been handed off to private companies. In the red-light camera system, the shift is from "execution of punishment" to "enforcement of law"...and that's something that should never be in a for-profit entity.

I will have to agree with you this time Squid, traffic cams are owned and maintained by private Corps, and the 'tickets' are no longer controlled by the local courts, they become civil cases between citizens and the Corporate entity.

Jake-Co wrote:

Once I traveling through the intersection at mesa/mermod.Halfway through,the traffic inexplicably came to a stop,with me caught in the middle.From what I understand about traffic camera's,I would have soon received a citation in the mail from automated machine that is incapable of applying sound judgement to individual circumstance,s.In my humble opinion,these camera's are nothing more than a government teat attached to citizen's wallet's.

In this case you deserve a ticket for not paying attention to the flow of traffic and creating road block !