In case you haven't heard already, the Virginia House Militia, Police, and Public Safety Comission defeated not one, but 5 seperate bills that would have re-authorized the legislation allowing the use of red light cameras in Virginia when the current authorization ends July 1.

The committe is dominated by Representatives from parts of the state that don't use the cameras. Citing privacy concerns and "liberty" concerns as opposed to any safety benefit from the cameras the committe struck down the bills put before it.

So after July 1 the cameras will be turned off. But they may not go away... Supporters are planning to re-intruduce the legislation again next year.

Of course this doesn't affect DC's red light and speeding cameras...

Please Note, this thread is for information only and not intended to start a debate about the politics of these cameras, which is why no political parties are mentioned in this post. Political discussions have been banned on NAM.

 

Finally!! It's unbeliveable that they allowed camers in a 'red light district' from day one!!!

 

Red light district! I wish that Cali would lose the photo-enforced traffic control. Then maybe I wouldn't get tickets for no front plate attached to my front bumper! GRRRR!


Clover

 

El Cajon, CA uses them and they stop a lot of people from running the red lights. The police did not write a citation for someone who entered .3 seconds after the light changed, however, have seen where people have run the light up to 35 + seconds after it was red.

I don't want to be creamed by some jerk running a red light. I don't run red lights and I hope no one else here does. You can't tell who's coming the other way.

I think red light cameras are a good thing when used properly.

Now for speeding cameras, I speed but I watch myself and the other guy when I do. I don't speed in school zones, where kids might be (around homes), etc. Some highways here are 65 and some are 70 and if your travel on Hwy 15 and you go 70 you are going to be passed by most other vehicles on the road as people drive 80+ (+ about 30/40) as I have been going 80 with the flow of traffic (I may have been doing 85) when I have been passed by Hondas, BMWs, Lexus, and all other makes like I was going 25.

Earl

 

Ah, this is the same state government that has banned visible thongs (a tragedy!), but won't lower our real estate tax rate when property values are soaring or eliminate the ridiculous car tax. (Car taxes are completely unfair, why should the least polluting, safest and shiniest car pay more in taxes than an old junker that shouldn't even be on the road?)

I have no problem with traffic cams as long as the info is used purely for revenue generation and not to contact insurance companies about our alleged driving habits!