The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
QUESTION: Do you think Concord and neighboring cities should have red light cameras in an effort to stop people from going through red lights?
Talk about it….
I believe these are illegal, unless the laws have changed ” I may be wrong.. throw rocks” but I think you are only allowed to be issued a citation from a badged member of law enforcement. Please correct me here.
The use of cameras to issue moving violations is legal under 21455.5 CVC; however, under appeal the Superior Court has ruled the photos are Hearsay evidence.
So the answer is “Yes” they are legal but it doesn’t matter since the evidence is inadmissible in court.
I have read somewhere that if the picture doesn’t show a clear image of the driver,
the vehicle owner can contest it in court, and it will be dismissed.
No ….. use that $$ for more LE going after home break-ins, store & car thieves, cleaning out homeless camps, etc. ….. that’s going after the “easy stuff” avoiding the real issues
Use the fine money for law enforcement.
No, government surveillance is another step towards an authoritarian
government attempting to exercise control over society through the
use of threat and manipulation. They lie and deceive us into giving
up our freedom. We all witnessed what freedoms were taken away
from us during the COVID pandemic and the hardships that fell upon
many people as a result. We mustn’t allow them to beguile us into
giving up our rights and the pursuit of happiness, life, and liberty.
Our local and state governments are not looking out for our best interest.
Their only interest is how to increase revenue.
As domo stated, I prefer efforts go toward crime. Perhaps any money slated for red light cameras could go toward programming lights to turn green, for example, when 1 car is sitting at an intersection for a minute or so with NO other traffic, waiting for that green.
YES! Get the high fines to the red light runners. Good deterrent, keeps people safe. Use them on street where people speed too.
Yes. If you run a red light, you can hit and kill someone. The lights that have a red light camera post a sign and also the fine, which is several hundred dollars. To most drivers, that’s a deterrent.
Red light cameras are not illegal in Tennessee, but they might as well be. By state law, any agency that mails you a camera ticket must also inform you that there are no consequences for not paying it.
Parking violations are a different story. Most cities have contracted parking enforcement whose operators will slap a Denver boot on a car in a heartbeat. Go figure!
Once upon a time I would have said No. But considering there is very little courtesy and you can’t just go on green W/O checking for Red Light Runners, I unfortunatly say yes.
Exactly, especially considering that getting a driver license is as easy as finding one in your cereal box these days.
Red light cameras? Catching people breaking the law? That’s contrary to the liberal democrat government and their supporters who believe that committing crimes and being a threat to the safety and security of our communities is a good thing,
Absolutely not no way no how what good would it do the attorneys don’t prosecute police don’t want to give out tickets it’s a huge waste of taxpayer funds if you constantly want to be under surveillance go to Epstein’s or dittys
No
We need security cameras throughout the mall and at every entrance and exit at the mall
Enough with the ‘effing cameras.
NO!! No more government cameras to further spy on the population in the false name of “safety,” “crime prevention,” and “crime solving.” The American public was stupid to allow our government to go down this path of cameras, surveillance, and spying.
We are not looking to spy on citizens, just looking to deter red light speedsters. No conspiracy plot here.
Karen Carter,
.
So you now speak for the government and the actions of government. If you think government doesn’t and won’t use this information for surveillance and spying on citizens then you’re being naive.
.
Also, in many cities the existence of red-light cameras have been found to have not made a difference where safety is concerned and the number of accidents at these intersections and in some cases can be more dangerous and be the cause of more collisions.
It is not always an easy call to make. If you have tailgaters, it seems you are forced to run the light. My concern is with pedestrians or bicyclists etc. They are vulnerable, and especially at night. Know your area well. Do not hesitate to be courteous and patient.
I use to have that problem with tailgaters forcing me to sometimes run the red light at my own risk. Now I just slow down, like extra slow and force the TG to go around me.
If homeboy gets impatient they usually move over to the other lane. Brakes work.
Karen Carter,
.
So, in other words, tailgaters never “forced” you to run red lights, you made the conscious decision to run those red lights, because you now claim to have changed the manner in which you drive and/or travel so that you don’t run red lights.
To hell with red light cameras, I want speeding ticket cameras. People constantly flying down 25 & 35 MPH roads at 45 & 50 MPH. It’s like Concord PD just threw in the towel on enforcing speed limits on our streets.
When someone runs a red light, 99% of the time LE isn’t in sight. Red light cameras (and a huge fine) are the only way of trying to stop them from continuing to run red lights. If you’re against cameras, you’re saying you’re okay with red light runners who can hit and kill someone, including your family and friends. Nice.
That’s a lie! A lot of people are against cameras without being okay with red light runners.
I just read that Sacramento is doing away with their red light cameras
because it’s not cost-effective. It seems the cameras worked so well
at reducing red light runners, they were losing money because they
weren’t giving out as many tickets.
Evidently, Sacramento is more concerned with revenue than they are
about saving lives. As I stated in my comment above, local and state
governments are not looking out for our best interest. Their only interest
is how to increase revenue.
100% correct. It seems to me like the drivers think getting to their destination is more important than safety or breaking laws.
Values, lol.
Karen Carter,
.
Do you mean safety, breaking laws, and the values you had when you ran red lights ,which you’ve admitted to here on this thread?
Cameras have obvious abuse potential. Look at the surveillance we deal with. Look at Edward Snowden revelations. Ponder how every word you’ve ever spoken into a telephone is recorded despite you doing nothing wrong and privacy being enshrined in our constitution.
Pratically, I’ve thought that an answer perhaps is a lower paid, lower risk level of law enforcement who just write tickets for mundane traffic violations like this. Like meter maids in that they have very reduced obligations and pay and risk, but they can write people up for running reds, running stops, etc., and can radio in the real police if necessary.
NO!
We need red light camaras and speed cameras because a majority of citizens vote for politicians who want criminals to run wild in our communities. That ties up our police services, who arrest, re arrest, re re arrest, re re re arrest ….. the criminals that just end up back on the streets.
If that wasn’t the case, police could actually focus on some enforcement of traffic laws.
Forget camera’s, install steel poles that pop up out of the pavement at the stop line, they pop up when the light turns red, 1 foot tall ought to do the trick
Yes please. Too many degenerates out there who have no concept of slowing down for red lights or being glued to their phones while driving. But I guess driving recklessly is the new fad these days, started by younger people, encouraged by their parents
Not just red lights, but what about cross walk violations? So many of those “safe” drivers in WC like to speed right through the broadway plaza crosswalks. Especially with the holidays, drivers are in a rush and pedestrians are in the way.
I am also in favor of ticketing red light violators because I want to see tattooed girl with the double nose rings get a reality check that speeding and texting while driving isn’t smart.
Karen Carter,
.
Finally, 7 comments later and you eventually decided to tell us the truth as to what your true motives are for being supportive of further government sanctioned surveillance of the population. Nothing like showing us your bigotry based on an individuals appearance.
Cameras were a mistake. Delete all cameras. Just kidding!
Have a happy thanksgiving!