Dallas may change 'Red Light' cams as revenue drops

[jinjuku]

Too funny: Link

 

[Halon451]

That is funny. Translation: "I guess the public ain't as dumb as we thunk they would be!"

 

[Audioholics]

This PERFECTLY illustrates the conundrum of bloated goverment:

1 - establish new revenue source under the guise of "public safety"
2 - integrate said revenue source into general budget such that it is quickly depended upon
3 - quickly realize decrease in revenues due to compliance with the laws
4 - scratch head and wonder why revenues are going down and how adjustments might be made to "increase revenues"

Of course, as anyone with half a brain can see, the only way - in this scenario - that revenues will go up is if people violate the law and "public safety" is compromised.

This happened during a monthly council meeting one time near Myrtle Beach where I lived. They found that traffic citations were going down and had no idea why, but figured they had to "do something" to regain the revenue. Basically, they were UPSET and perplexed that crime was down because it resulted in a loss of revenues.

This represented a "problem" that needed to be "fixed".

 

[stratman]

Bureaucratic logic at work. Once they institue a revenue generating mandate (such as cameras), they never go away, even if proven to be useless at it's original intent, in this case public safety. What really irks me is when police departments say there's no such thing as a "ticket quotas." Really? How do you monitor a traffic cop's efficiency if not by the number of tickets he writes?

 

[jinjuku]

Remember, it went from 'Peace Officers' to 'Law Enforcement'. That is a distinction that needs to be made.

I am all for reducing traffic accidents and violations. That is why I like sites like www.njection.com. I hate all the revenue generating schemes however that have nothing to do w/ public safety.

I also am not in that much of a hurry when I drive. I don't need the $150-250 it will cost, points on license, and higher insurance.