They are getting ready to add some here in Roanoke, VA. I am hoping that someone will go to court and assert their Sixth Amendment right to face and cross-examine their accuser.

It would be interesting to see who the city wrangles up to sit in the chair.

There isn’t one single community (of any size) that I’ve traveled to in more than five years where you do not see people regularly running the red lights. Twenty-plus years ago the traffic lights were programmed to allow a delay between the time the light turns red and the other light turns green. This delay created a short period of time where all sides would see a red light. The hope was that, for a short period, no one would either run the red nor jump the green. Well, over the years we’ve all become used to that built-in lag time. Now everyone calculates how long the light will be red before it might be too dangerous to pass through it. This behavior has become more the norm than the exception. As a career firefighter, I have the regular misfortune of seeing the aftermath of this foolish behavior. I see these Red Light Cameras as a positive force in improving Public Safety.

Every year we all see our community officials explaining to us how we will have to pay more in property taxes while receiving fewer services for our money. Police and Fire are seeing positions being eliminated. But the general public still expects to receive the same level of services (protection). That’s just not going to happen. The Red Light Cameras are a way for communities to “Enforce By Proxy”. These lights allow a dwindling police presence to be more effective.

And don’t even go near the “Big Brother” argument. If you’re not doing anything wrong you’ll have nothing to worry or be upset about.

Red light cameras were created by a private enterprise with an office in N.C. The money fine money was sent directly to the private company and part of the fine was given to the local Law Enforcement. However, it was discovered that the money was spent by the Law Enforcement was misused and should have gone to the School system. Also each light has to have 4 (four) seconds of amber before Red. Local laws governing fine distribution should be checked.

OK, so I've read all of these comments. Now, I ask a simple question to all of those who do not want the cameras. Do you want to be crippled in the hospital or DEAD due to being T-boned? This is about safety. I am a bus driver and I see red lights run on a daily basis here in Las Vegas. I also see lots of ambulances racing to accidents caused by speeding and running red lights. We have the cameras but they are not used for ticketing. I wish they were.
If a city is tweeking the lights then they should be called on it. But that does not mean that the cameras are no good.
As for the revenue issue; maybe we should stop putting cameras in stores because it only helps capture the robbers and then we all have to pay those court costs and jail costs in our taxes.

I usually agree with most every thing you say. However, on this one, you are way off base. Here in the Phoenix area the protestors seem to be those who don't want to get caught breaking the law. Why else would they be opposed to cameras? I suspect they are the ones driving 80 miles an hour in a 65 mile an hour zone. I've got news for them. They deserve to be caught because they are a danger to everyone else on the road. Maybe one of the reasons the accident rates are so low is that the rest of us who believe in obeying the law have to watch out for the nuts that make driving difficult and sometimes dangerous. One of the protestors just killed a man when he shot numerous times into a van operating some of the cameras.

Unless that camera can positively identify the driver, the defendant can beat the charge. Just charging the owner of the vehicle doesn't hit it. The driver may be a spouse, child, relative or a friend. May even be stolen. I know in Ohio, to charge a person for a misdemeanor traffic offense, it must be a witnessed offense.

I am for red light cameras. I was caught by a camera at the intersection of Upper Riverdale Road and Tara Blvd. I did run the red light and the pictures taken by the camera did clearly show this. I will not run a red light or even a yellow light again. Other people have also learned this lesson. Look at the local governments in the Atlanta area that are discontinuing the use because the cameras have done their jobs and people have stopped running red lights. I don't understand people who oppose this. It is against the law to run red lights. It has nothing to do with people who have just lost a job or forclosed on or anything else. Running a red light is against the law.
I traveled this intersection 3 times a week and every time I have witnessed at least 3 cars run the red light.
When something is against the law don't do it and don't be surprised by getting a fine or arrested. It is as simple as that.

I agree with this comment by Savage below: "Let the police give the tickets, not the equipment companies. As a matter of fact, it should be illegal an unconstitutional for a BUSINESS to make a commission off of convicting people of a crime."

The problem is turning it all into money business. Where is the money to pay the officers? There is money problem one.

I'd rather have officers enforcing the law, where they use their best judgement about the situation rather than just maximizing fees collected. We can't have third parties making commissions from snapping photos of technical violations. There is money problem two.

I live in a rural area and therefore dont deal with this issue first hand. My opinion is that while I believe the less govt intrusion into our lives the better, I really dont mind the idea of Red-light cameras. I do however greatly dislike the thought of Speed-cameras. In my experience the majority of drivers choose to travel at a reasonable speed for road conditions and while there will always be the few exceptions who drive like idiots I would much rather see them detained by an actual officer and hopefully recieve more than just a speeding ticket. So, thats my $0.02 worth and I already here some of you saying we cant have it both ways, either cameras are evil or they are necessary. I think that as in life there is a balance to be found.

This is simply an easy and quick way to make money at the expense of relatively innocent taxpayers.
It should be outlawed. And local lawmakers who promote it should be voted out also.

I am amazed that you have not picked up the huge cost to you and everyone in our country from the "excess" gas used by the speeders on our highways. Do the math and report back to us, how many millions of gallons of gas a day are burned by speeding that could keep the price of gasoline at sane levels for all of us!

If it was devised by our govt. without a watch group "governing" what they are doing, then it is severely flawed and will bring in $ for the govt. If property used for its purpose and not punishing people unfairly, then okay.

It these lights were set up to catch red light runners, then that would be valid. BUT the state decreases the yellow light duration by half or more. Red light cameras are a scam. Also in these laws you are presumed guilty. You have given away your rights too easily. SHAME

I am so tired of these idiots running red lights, I hope they nail them all.

I agree with this!! Anything to reduce the number of people who run red lights.

I am all for the red light cameras and also for cameras for catching/slowing down speeders and I don't care if it is a way to increase revenue. Speeding is just plain stupid when you do the math. For a 20 mile comute, at 60 mph it takes 20 minutes,for 70 mph 17.14 minutes and for 80 mph 15 minutes and that assumes you can do the increased speed for the whole 20 miles. Now consider the momentum increase, the kinetic energy increase and the increase in stopping distances and you determine if the time "saved" is worth the risk. Bring on the cameras, let the limited IQ individuals pay for the increased revenue and save my life and the lives of those I love.

Clark, are you sure speeding doesn't play a part in all the accidents? Check out young drivers who drive too fast and end up dying--I know you've seen it on the news in ATL all the time! Speed and inexperience are lethal for young drivers. If you've ever watched the red light runners at Lenox and Peachtree and at Lenox and Cheshire Bridge I know you'd be willing to think about it a little more.

I have to agree with Clark. These cameras are really for revenue. This has been shown to be true, when some cities were aked to give them up they claimed they could not as they needed the revenue.

If everyone did the right thing we wouldn't be using them, and we wouldn't need police either. The problem I have with the cameras is most communities lease them out to a private company. Some of those companies have been caught shortening the time between the amber light and the red light. There should be a law that says the city has to run them.

well....if more people would act like mature responsible grownups and NOT run red lights and speed....this wouldn't be necessary. I live in Roswell and take my life into my hands everytime I leave my neighborhood! Come on folks-leave the house 5 minutes earlier and drive like a responsible person!!! Cars can kill! Get it?!? It's not just teenages, I see many people way too old to be driving SOOOOO irresponsibly!

Most red light cameras do not take a picture of the driver. If you get caught, all you have to do is insist that it wasn't you driving your car that day in court. Just say it could have been anyone of a number of family memebers. I got released twice using that defense. They can't convict your car.

Where I live red light running is a big problem. It costs lives and it can be prevented.

I have noticed where red light cameras are used people drive a little more carefully. That is the desired effect, isn't it?

Just another government intrusion into our way of life. Our founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they knew this would happen

Interestingly enough, you know that some brainchild would find a way to beat the system. There is an ad on this site that sells a spray for your license plate that will disallow the camera to read your plate. Tested and confirmed by a law enforcement agency!!

I can promise you that the yellow lights are shorter at the intersection near my house since the installation of the cameras! Impossibly short. Also the left turn lane only allows 3 cars through before changing. And it's not about the money?! Please.

This past Sunday I was going to the mall. My light turned green, I and the driver next to me started to go forward. The driver in front of us ran his red light cut in front of me and almost hit the driver next to me. He looked at us and laughed. We started going forward again. The driver behind the guy who ran the red light ALSO ran the red light. By that time the driver next to me was a little bit a head of me so the woman who ran the red light couldn't complete the turn. It was dangerous and very irritating. I live in Austin, Texas which is a big city but not too large. Running a red light is very common. About 3 to 4 times a work week, I would get stuck in traffic not moving because drivers run the red light and are stuck in the middle of the road. Once they installed the cameras, I was able to cross the intersection(s). I think it would be an everyday occurrence except that sometimes police officers drive thru. I am so glad they've installed these cameras and will do everything possible to fight to keep them installed. I like to live and get to work in a reasonable amount of time.

This is part of SkyNet. Join the resistance, smash those suckers!

The problem I "ran" into with the red light cameras we have all over the place in Washington DC is that there is no recourse except going to court. A few weeks ago my husband and I needed to get to the hospital "pronto" to deliver my 6th child- it wasn't so obvious while we were still at home so I didn't call 911. Weighing the options of delivering our child on the Beltway or stopping and then going through a few red lights it was obvious which he was going to do, after all, I was screaming in pain. After I got home (our baby was born 10 minutes after we pulled up to the ER doors) I called the red light runner phone # to prevent us getting a ticket. I found out that there was nothing I could do if they caught me except go to court (with 6 children in tow) to make my case. Luckily we didn't get a citation, but we stop on every yellow light now and don't dare pull a rolling stop at any stop signs. Beware drivers behind us!

Driving to work every morning, I consistently see drivers going 15-20MPH over the speed limit. The posted signs aren't a recommendation, they are the law. Why shouldn't there be cameras, or other ways, to fine speeders? Whether it's for safety reasons or generating revenue is irrelevant.

I also think there should be a FEDERAL law banning cellphone use while driving.

Amen Clark!

Clark is dead on for this one.
Being stopped by a law enforcement officer is a MUCH bigger wake up call to reality and makes you think about being safe. Getting a photo ticket seems more like a questionable parking ticket, and can easily become a game of legal cat and mouse to get out of the seemingly unfair situation. Let the police give the tickets, not the equipment companies. As a matter of fact, it should be illegal an unconstitutional for a BUSINESS to make a commission off of convicting people of a crime. We could easily become a nation of FOR PROFIT INCARCERATION.

I agree with 99% of what you say, Clark. But as for speed camaras I have a difference of opinion. I live in Arizona, where they have been installing them. I also used to drive the 101 in Scottsdale every morning on the way to work. To say it was a harrowing experience is an understatement, and speed definitely played a large part in the multitude of accidents, injuries and death on that road which occured almost daily. Driving with your heart in your throat because someone was not only speeding, but cutting into and out of lanes at a very high rate of speed was not a great way to start and end the workday. The majority of people that are complaining are the same ones that cannot take their foot off the pedal, slow down and not think that they own the road. Accidents that occur at high rates of speed commonly cause more damage, injuries and death than those at lower speeds.
As a side note, Arizona typically allows a driver to go 11 miles OVER the posted speed limit before the camara 'flashes'. They also post a multiple of signs warning drivers that a speed camera is situation a mile, half mile, etc. before the driver actually comes upon it. If someone is still speeding after all of those warnings, and in the heavy traffic that is commonly on our roads in the Phoenix Metro area, frankly they deserve what they get.

As for red-light cameras, suffice it to say that Arizona had (and might still have) the highest number of red light runners in the nation.

This may not be the best solution, but until people take more responsibility when they are driving, it is the best we have to offer at the present time, because especially in these days of budgetary cutbacks we cannot hire nearly enough officers to patrol our roads and still be available to complete all of the other tasks and calls they need to make.

Pay attention to your driving folks. Get off the cell phones and ease up on the gas pedal. We'll all be safer and still get to our destinations on time.

Thanks for letting me express my opinion.

albert would be right at home then in north korea, cuba or the former soviet union.
only an idiot believes speed or red light cameras are about safety. If that were the case how about the states using the money collected to rebate on a pro-rata basis to all licensed drivers of the state via a reduction in licensing fees. Don't hold your breath waiting for that day to come.

If you believe in laws, then you cannot be against enforcement. Why is a citation by an officer for running a red light OK, but a citation by camera is not. There would be no revenue from traffic violations if people did not violate traffic laws. What difference does it make how the criminals are caught. For the most part. I give up. I just try to stay alive around the 90 percent of the motoring public who disobey the traffic laws.

Where do I sign up for the rebellion? I've long wished to see citizenry show up at these damned red-light cameras with torches and pitchforks, ready to do away with these tax-generation machines.

The stats are clear: these things are designed to rake in additional tax money, nothing more. Most collisions are do to right-of-way violations, followed by tailgating. Putting up a red-light camera and cutting yellow-light time isn't going to reduce intersection collision rates. Increasing yellow-light time has been shown to achieve this, but this fact goes ignored because it doesn't rake in more tax money.

I wish Government would stop playing money games and get back to the business of serving the people again. In the meantime, I say smash those damned cameras and keep on voting the SOB's who support them out of office at every opportunity.