In previous post I have discussed redlight cameras and how they are only about making money. In some areas, citizens are taking their elected government officials to court to have the cameras removed. They have realized that redlight cameras are just a money making scheme. They have nothing to do about safety. A camera is never going to make driving safer, only active police involvement will. In Bradenton Florida, the city is being sued over the fact that, according to an article in the Bradenton Herald:
Critics of the cameras say numerous cities in Florida, including Bradenton, are circumventing state law by putting up the cameras to make money under the guise of public safety.
Now in a counter argument, the police chief Michael Radilowski sates that:
"It is going to make a lot of money because red-light running is an epidemic here," Radzilowski said. "The bottom line is, don't run a red light if you don't want to pay a fine."
So according to the police chief, people running redlights has become an "epidemic". To fix this vehicular epidemic that has turned the intersections of Bradenton into a demolition derby, they going to just install some cameras and issue tickets. So much for public safety. Why don't they, oh, have actual police go out to these known spots of daredevil driving.
According to Bradenton Council member Marianne Barnebey:
"We wouldn't have to do this if people were obeying the laws here," she said. "But innocent people are losing their lives."
Are the people in Bradenton that bad at driving? Do they think that some camera will stop this with just a few tickets if she is telling the truth? Or are the people in charge of the safety and well being of the citizens of Bradenton a lot more interested in making money and using a lot of extreme reasoning to scare others into not challenging them.
If you live in an area with these cameras, then fight to have them removed. If the city you live in is thinking about installing them, make sure the people who propose this never get elected to anything ever again. Until then we will continue to provide redlight camera warning systems and other countermeasures to help protect you. Keep safe!
