Opportunity to ban Red Light Cameras in Florida

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You all probably know that Destin is considering installing red light cameras. There is an opportunity to ban red light cameras in Florida, but one needs to call on Monday or early Tuesday and voice opposition. Please take a few minutes on Monday and call.

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[FONT=&quot]For Immediate Release[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Contact: [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mark Cross[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Executive Director[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Florida Campaign for Liberty [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]407-908-2749[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]LIBERTY ALERT: [/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]BAN RED LIGHT CAMERAS![/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]March 26, 2011 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dear Fellow Patriot,[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]SB 672 is the Senate bill that would ban the use of red light cameras in Florida. SB 672 is now scheduled to be heard in the Senate Transportation Committee this Tuesday March 29 at 1:00PM in room 37 Senate Office Building. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] It is extremely important to call and e-mail the members of the Transportation Committee before this Tuesday and tell them to support SB672 and ban red light cameras![/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Call and e-mail these Senate Transportation members:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*Chair Jack Latvala[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]850-487-5075 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]District 16 parts of Hillsborough, and Pinellas[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]*Co-Chair Greg Evers[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]850-487-5000 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]evers.greg.web@flsenate.gov[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]District 2 Consists of Holmes, Washington, and parts of Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa,[/FONT][FONT=&quot] and Walton counties[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]**Rene Garcia[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]850-487-5106 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]garcia.rene.web@flsenate.gov[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]District 40 part of Miami-Dade[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Senator Garcia is the Bill Sponsor[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. Ask him to stand tough![/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Ronda Storms[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]850-487-5072 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]storms.ronda.web@flsenate.gov[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]District 10 parts of Hillsborough, Pasco, and Polk[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Arthenia Joyner[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]850-487-5059 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]joyner.arthenia.web@flsenate.gov[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]District 18 parts of Hillsborough, Manatee, and Pinellas[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Lizbeth Benacquisto[/FONT][FONT=&quot] 850-487-5356[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]benacquisto.lizbeth.web@flsenate.gov[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]District 27 Consists of parts of Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Palm Beach[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Larcenia Bullard[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]850-487-5127 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]bullard.larcenia.web@flsenate.gov[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]District 39 Monroe and parts of Broward, Collier, Hendry, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] Please make an effort to [FONT=&quot]call on Monday[/FONT] and Tuesday morning. We have heard that the companies that manufacture the red light cameras are also calling to oppose the ban so your call will count.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] Monday evening we will have a special edition of our Legislative Update webinar devoted almost exclusively to the red light camera issues. We will have a special guest who will answer any questions about the red light camera issues. [FONT=&quot]Join us Monday March 28, at 8:00 PM. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]If you would like to participate in the call just register here and you will receive instructions on how to telephone in. You may also participate via computer.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] Thanks.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mark Cross[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Executive Director[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Florida Campaign for Liberty[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]407-908-2749[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]PS.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Remember, every Monday evening at 8:00 PM we will be bringing you a live Tallahassee Update with our Legislative Affairs Director and other special guests. You will learn about pending legislation and what we as activists must do to protect our rights from government encroachment. [FONT=&quot]Please register for the webinar series, The Tallahassee Update.[/FONT] [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Red Light Camera Talking Points[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]1. Red light cameras deny basic constitutional and due process protections such as the right to be presumed innocent, the right to a trial, the right to confront your accuser and proper notification.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]2. Red light cameras cause more accidents, injuries and fatalities. They increase traffic congestion and change driving behavior.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]3. Studies show that increasing amber time by 1 second can reduce violations by 60 percent or more in many cases.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]4. Red light cameras raise revenue by punishing technical foul violations such as right turn on red violations and split second entries into the red light which rarely cause an accident.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]5. Red light cameras are a menace to our constitutional rights, our pocketbooks and to public safety. They must be removed from our roads.[/FONT]
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[Douglas the Intrepid]

So they cause congestion?! lol How? By making people actually stop at red lights? Anything that helps tame idiot drivers sounds like a good idea to me...

 

[beachmouse]

Thing is, they do end up causing more accidents as the letter states as well as not generating additional levels that municipalities were promised by the companies that make the red light cameras. (and who typically get a cut of ticket revenue once they go in)

It would be nice if they actually made roads safer, but multiple studies have shown that they don't. (as for increased fee revenue, there was a kerfluffle a while back in Destin once the city council figured out just how many violators it would take to break even on the camera system, and how they weren't likely to get anywhere close to that number) Better thing to do is to go back and study how to time the lights, maybe hold all sides on red for a few more seconds to let the violators clear the intersection so that when traffic in the other direction gets green it's more likely to be safe.

 

[seal]

Thing is, they do end up causing more accidents as the letter states as well as not generating additional levels that municipalities were promised by the companies that make the red light cameras. (and who typically get a cut of ticket revenue once they go in)

It would be nice if they actually made roads safer, but multiple studies have shown that they don't. (as for increased fee revenue, there was a kerfluffle a while back in Destin once the city council figured out just how many violators it would take to break even on the camera system, and how they weren't likely to get anywhere close to that number) Better thing to do is to go back and study how to time the lights, maybe hold all sides on red for a few more seconds to let the violators clear the intersection so that when traffic in the other direction gets green it's more likely to be safe.

I believe you are on the right track here. Lengthen the amber light by 2-3 seconds if the municipalities really want to make intersections safer. Red light cameras are a revenue generator for cash strapped cities, period.

Douglas the Intreprid, it's never a "good idea" for the government to intrude into an individual's life. Is it also a good idea for the TSA to frisk children and senior citizens in the spirit of "keeping us safer"?
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[Douglas the Intrepid]

If it's to better enforce a law in public, I hardly see how it's an intrusion. Your frisking people at random as an example has absolutely no correlation with taking pictures at a public traffic light of people running red lights.

 

[LuciferSam]

The yellow lights are way to short that's for sure. The cameras make me more likely to gun it to beat the system.

 

[scooterbug44]

My issue is that it is a negative budget item. The equipment costs more than the fines will bring in.

I have no problem with them as a law enforcement technique - people REALLY need some motivation to stop for red lights and stop signs around here.

 

[seal]

"All government, of course, is against liberty"...Henry Louis Mencken. The correlation is that the state is encroaching on our individual liberties.

In the case of red light cameras, the state is encroaching on a person's money.

In the case of the TSA, it is encroaching on the person's body. I was referring to when a person chooses to not go through the X-ray machines and "opt out". The ensuing body search is not random, but mandatory.

The simple answer to red light cameras is increase the yellow light time which will allow for the intersection to clear.

Or if we have to have red light cameras, set up a separate trust fund where all fines collected would go to the education of school children of the dangers of running red lights. Let's see if the politicians would go for that! HA HA.

For further reading........Red-Light Cameras Just Don’t Work

 

[scooterbug44]

No, in the case of red light cameras, they are catching you when you break the law.

My guess is that 95% of the people who run red lights around here could easily stop.

 

[Andy A]

No, in the case of red light cameras, they are catching you when you break the law.

My guess is that 95% of the people who run red lights around here could easily stop.

Well, you've managed to ignore the 5% that couldn't easily stop because the yellow light in set too short. I always attempt to stop if I see a yellow light. I have been caught here, as has my wife, with no intent to run a red light. Cameras are not the answer and is an intrusion on an individual's freedom.