Are Traffic Cameras Rigged Against Drivers?

[doitvoluntarily]

There are some studies that have found that traffic cameras slow down traffic, increase wait times, and fuel an increase in rear-end accidents.

And critics say that they are more about trying to make money for the state than they are about trying to keep the roads safer. The intentions behind them might have been good, but in the end the cameras might be causing more harm than any good.

While some studies have found negative results from the traffic cameras, there are others, such as one that was funded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which found different results; that they allegedly reduced collisions.

However, it appears that a growing number of people are starting to question the efficiency of the cameras; considering the resources that go into maintaining and replacing them etc. As well as the billions of dollars in funding that they are helping to collect for the state.

Are they causing more harm than good?

One recent study that looked at 148 intersections that were located in at least 28 different cities in the US, found that the total number of crashes had increased roughly 10.14 percent compared to the data they had collected prior to installing traffic cameras.

There have been several attempts to ban red-light traffic cameras and to have them removed from various jurisdictions, some public officials have even including it as a campaign promise to voters. But many efforts thus far have failed. However, they did have some success recently in Arizona a few months ago, after House legislators there decided to pass a bill to get rid of traffic cameras; sending it to the Senate for further approval.

The Senate in Texas has also recently voted to ban the use of traffic cameras statewide. One Senator from Texas, Sen. Don Huffines, previously declared that he wants the state to reimburse the victims of these traffic cameras and he wants the entire program turned off; he's made multiple attempts to try and see that happen.

Regardless of the growing number of critics who are trying to make efforts to have the cameras removed, there are still a great deal of law enforcement personnel and other public officials etc, who maintain that there is a need to continue using them across the country.

One critic of the cameras, an engineer from Sweden, Mats Jarlstrom, who now resides in Oregon, decided to conduct his own investigation on the cameras and he was slapped with a fine from the state for having engaged in unlicensed practice of engineering because he isn't a licensed professional in the eyes of the state of Oregon.

Jarlstrom launched his mission several years ago and he's been looking to prove that the cameras are setting drivers up for tickets; they're rigged against the laws of nature, he says.

He's even taken his findings to the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying so that those who have the ability to, might possibly work to make the appropriate changes if there is such a problem with the cameras. That didn't happen however, instead they decided to accuse him of having practiced engineering without the appropriate permission from the state.

He's already been fined hundreds of dollars by the state and been under investigation, simply for trying to point out what he believes is a problem that they should be concerned with correcting.

It all started several years ago after Jarlstrom's wife allegedly received her own ticket and he became interested with the math behind the traffic lights, and he says that because of a flaw with its timing that it's rigged against drivers.

He fought back, and won.

Jarlstrom filed a federal lawsuit in defense, he argued that their crackdown equated to a violation of his 1st Amendment Constitutionally-protected right to free speech. After all, shouldn't free speech apply to discussions about math? It took several years but recently the attorney general in Oregon allegedly admitted that they had violated his free speech rights with their actions. Jarlstrom has partnered with the Institute for Justice and he isn't over yet because he says that he wants the law declared unconstitutional; he doesn't want to see others fall victim just like he did for what should be considered protected speech.

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Sources:
http://time.com/3643077/red-light-cams-rear-end-collisions-chicago/
https://globalnews.ca/news/2853066/turning-off-red-light-cameras-can-be-deadly-study/
http://abcnews.go.com/US/red-light-camera-backlash-cameras-causing-accidents/story?id=13925887
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-red-light-cameras-crashes-20170106-story.html
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/legislature/2017/02/21/arizona-lawmaker-travis-grantham-wants-get-rid-photo-radar/98199096/
http://tucson.com/news/local/no-more-tickets-from-tucson-s-red-light-cameras-radar/article_c4b350cf-2e9a-59ef-b644-ce83fca30896.html
https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/5gkgxn/the-shady-municipal-business-of-traffic-cams
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-debates-red-light-cameras-tools-that-save-lives-or-police-state-tactics-9114403
http://kxan.com/2017/09/11/abilene-mayor-we-did-red-light-cameras-the-right-way/
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2017-03-29/texas-senate-votes-to-ban-red-light-cameras-statewide
http://koin.com/2016/08/10/are-red-light-cameras-rigged-against-laws-of-nature/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/12/08/criticizing-red-light-cameras-is-not-a-punishable-offense-oregon-concedes/?utm_term=.49814732d3b0
https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2017/04/28/do-you-need-a-license-in-engineering-to-criticize-red-light-cameras-oregon-says-yes/

Comments

[jlufer]

In my country Argentina the cameras are an abuse, there are fines made by the photocells of cars that are being towed by a crane, it is so much the abuzo that some companies make fun of their news
look at this page as they make fun of these custiones
Excelte information as all the jobs that you present daily.
I wish you a wonderful weekend dear friend / @ doitvoluntarily
http://insolitonoticias.com/multan-por-exceso-de-velocidad-a-un-auto-remolcado-por-una-grua/

[dunworx]

Why not have speed limiter fitted to the cars

[pretzelgirlsandy]

Turns out their illegal in my state. Jokes on the state for putting them up! They can no longer issue tickets. In most states, these tickets don’t go on a persons driving record. Generally, most of the money goes to.... the camera ticket company 😒. Check your state laws and think twice before paying those tickets!

[cryptokeepr]

And our dumb city renewed the camera company contract for 25 years right before it was declared unconstitutional in the state. So city funds are still being paid to the camera companies and the city is getting no revenue. What a racket. Good job city officials. DOUBLE FACEPALM!

[mikenevitt]

Speed cameras or what I like to call them piggy banks probably are rigged. Cheers

[kate-m]

Ha! I had heard this before but I thought it was one of those urban myths nowhere near founded in reality. Thanks! Kate

[shariarahammad]

I think your post is very important because you talk about traffic security cameras. I really do not know anything about your traffic camera.

[turksays]

Wow, never knew that someone can rig traffic cameras

[stevearticlepro]

You are making point dude

[chelsea88]

The biggest problem is these things issueing citations to people who weren't avtually speeding (4 over is not speeding) or recording you ran a red light when you didn't. Most people end up just paying it bc going through court is such a pain in the ass

[tonnykhan]

Great post.... thanks..

[alhmali]

Doitvoluntarily
you write many articles and you get back hope i follow you and you do follow me wish you all the besit

[marius19]

Great post @doitvoluntarily

[ehabakhdar]

Thanks for sharing such important topic, i believe these studies should take longer reading on time scale to have more understanding.

[happyhousewife]

Great post. I believe it waste time, causes accidents and of course it's a way of them grabbing more money from people.

[yahyaoa]

such a good point

[dajohns1420]

"Hate speech isn't free spe- I mean, math speech isn't free speech!"

[jenara]

It's great information and full explaination. I think you are right. on the big table they are made the great approval mostly such as private commitment. And the politician, they use their mouth just to big benefit to vote them.
Thanks for share, good luck.

[rjmohsin]

nice

[cecirod1218]

There are many here also I got a ticket from them and it shows pictures of me passing a yellow light which turned red halfway there

[marxrab]

It's cool he won. You don't hear stories about people winning. Where I live we have speed cameras which are definitely rigged. These are placed on the highway and catch people going over the speed limit. They are placed after curves and in spots you don't see them coming. Lots of lawsuits and fights to get them removed...so far not ones won.

[dwolfe]

They tried the Camera experiment here in New Jersey. After multiple complaints a State Senator fought to get them removed. Since it was under a pilot program they eventually got rid of them in most towns & cities. However Newark and a few others still have them in place. They would not remove them because of the income they generate !

Not 100 % sure this is true, but many cameras were at least a 1/2 of second shorter they were suppose to be. In other words they took pictures and fined people even when they should not have been.

[slimlim]

The fixed position Gatso camera's in the UK have always caused a constant stream of panic braking, many drivers do it when travelling much lower than the speed limit as an instinctual reaction to the camera.
They're just another hazard on the road.

[maruharraca]

Excellent post @doitvoluntary! I am happy he won! Thanks for sharing!

[mother2chicks]

Interesting facts about traffic cameras that I had not heard before. Thanks for a good post.

[karenmckersie]

These cameras are totally rigged to police the city where I live here in Kelowna B.C @doitvoluntarily !! There's even signs warning you on some streets that the lights will stay green or not turn red if you obey the speed limits !! LOL! They turn red anyways !! And you don't always know , all the time here the lights turn red just before you get there so the town can do its own Policing by trying to keep the traffic at the speed limit ! Its total B.S !! There's also a ton of gas bars because we are constantly stopping and starting burning up fuel and my wallet at the same time , not to mention all the road rage ! Thanks for sharing , I feel better now that I've vented about it !! Keep up the great work !upped an resteemed👌👍✌😂

[abasinkanga]

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[medicbtom]

There is one near my house... need to come to a complete stop when making a right turn on red. The signs are purposefully placed 200 feet back and covered by trees so it doesn't say it when coming up to the light. $550 USD dollar fine. There are people petitioning this one to get rid of it.