St. Petersburg lawmaker files bill to ban red light cameras

[Freddie Stubbs]

TALLAHASSEE — It's bill filing season again, so that can mean only one thing for red light cameras: another attempt to remove them from public streets.

The Senate's Transportation Committee chairman, Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, filed SB 144 on Wednesday. It would ban the use of red light cameras, which are now used in at least 76 jurisdictions in Florida.

"This program was originally sold as being about safety," Brandes said. "I have come to believe that it's now about revenue."

Of the $158 collected from every citation, the state takes $83. The remaining $75 is split between the municipality and the camera vendor.

more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/st-petersburg-lawmaker-files-bill-to-ban-red-light-cameras/2139995

[d_r]

1. The thing that always bugs me

is that we are assuming the technology is 100% accurate and reliable. Frankly I don't have that kind of faith in electronics.
They get around the constitutional requirement that you have the right to face your accuser by categorizing these as civil fines.
But a thought hit me on the interstate this past weekend.
There are always people passing me speeding. I can go 80 in the 70, and there are people passing me. So I was thinking. If I can get the government to agree to it, I'll drive around going 79. Every time somebody passes me, I'll snap a photo of their license plate. If they'll give me access to the dmv, I'll look up the license plate and send them a copy of the photo and a ticket. Then I'll split the ticket 50/50 with the state. Then we will be helping to deter speeders, the state gets their money, and I will actually come to court and testify that I was there and witnessed it, unlike the stupid cameras.

[darkangel218]

2. I doubt is going to pass.

They make too much money off those cameras. Have you noticed how the DO NOT TURN ON RED signs are not even visible? But rather hidden on the side of the street?