Students Using Speed Cameras To Frame Other Kids
from the guilty-until-proven-innocent dept
In general, we have trouble with things like speed cameras and red light cameras -- both of which don't tend to do much of anything to make the roads safer (rather, there's evidence that they lead to more accidents). The reality is that they are really about boosting revenue for local governments, not about safety -- which explains why plenty of places have been found illegally changing parameters to make them bring in more revenue.But the biggest problem of all is just that these cameras aren't reliable at all, and without any human witness it seems unfair to charge someone with a crime -- especially when they do things like charge a stationary brick wall with going 58mph or accuse a woman of driving a car at a stunning 480 mph. And, of course, when you have an automated system sending out violation notices, you just know it's going to get gamed. That's exactly what appears to be happening. Slashdot points out a story of students in Maryland making fake license plates matching other students' plates, slapping them on their cars and speeding by speed cameras in order to get other students slapped with fines. And, of course, others have seen similar attempts for more nefarious reasons. At what point did we decide it was okay for automated systems to issue fines without any human review?
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Filed Under: scam, speed cameras
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Demolition Man
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Electronic tickets ARE an infinite good
The problem is the government wants to give them to people who don't want one.
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Re: Electronic tickets ARE an infinite good
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Not crimes
Traffic violations are not generally "crimes", this gives the state alot of leeway (this is why traffic court was invented). Certainly there is no question that these cameras and most traffic enforcement is about revenue generation though, I dont even think anyone bothers to argue otherwise anymore.
Maryland was the last state I saw actually using a strategy to make roads safer. They would put cardboard cop car cutouts on the road side and everyone would slow to the speedlimit (works like magic). The police know all they have to do to get drivers to comply with the law, is be visible. They hide of course, because its about revenue generation, not safety.
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Re:
Looks like my rant script has malfunctioned! It's not even properly filling in the "name" field.
Plus, that's one pretty lame rant. *sigh*
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Re: Re:
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it was never okay
There are no witnesses. Speed all you want, get it dismissed, hope the supreme court of each state notices.
It's all a cashgrab for the idiots not smart enough to fight it in court (fight in court + success = no fee).
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Re: Not crimes
Sincerely,
Local government official.
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Re: Not crimes
I imagine they do that in all states. I know it's been done in Pa. But it only works if people don't know about it. They can't just leave the car on the street, people figure it out.
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I just have to live with the hope that the increased revenue is paying for officers to police high crime areas INSTEAD of laying up for traffic violations.
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When the officer is parked on the corner, of course speeders slow down when they pass the patrol car. Once they are around the corner, though, it is the same unsafe behaviour. If they get two tickets in the same week, however, surprise, surprise, they drive slower and safer for a while.
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Re:
Properly designed roads and driver training will make roads safer.
it is the same unsafe behaviour
You assume that the speed at which the vehicle is travelling at is unsafe. The posted speed limit does not necessarily represent the safe AND efficient speed. Many speed limits, especially in residential areas, are politically motivated not based on engineering.
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Good way to go to jail
And if you go to court to challenge the ticket when it't not for your car, you can show that the car/color on the photo is not your car. A reasonable judge would dismiss the charges. If you could identify the car that's faking yours, the cops would be interested.
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Re: Re: Not crimes
I can promise you this is not and has never been done by the state of virginia. Traffic enforcement in Virginia at least is about revenue generation first. Once again if the goal was to slow people down, then simply having the police drive up and down the highway would work far far better, but thats not the goal, so they hide.
In a small town were my parents had a summer home, the shariff would often park his car at the main intersection of town and simply put his hat on the seat headrest. This was the best of all possible speeding deterents, becuase it worked 100% on tourists. Since locals wouldnt speed through that intersection anyway, it was a nearly perfect (and cheap) solution.
Visibility prevents speeding, hiding generates revenue. Its really just that simple.
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Fantastic....
I'd encourage all teenagers all over the world to do this. It would make this type of automated enforcement absurd.
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They also do this in Bulgaria.
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Texas litigation
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Hmm...
Does anyone else think it would be quite amusing if someone were to game the system in exactly this way, but using the license plates of the city officials who had the cameras installed?
I, for one, would LMAO if I heard a story like that on the news.
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Re: it was never okay
A speeding ticket is not a criminal prosecution. Do not expect this defense to work.
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Re:
Where is your evidence for this counter intuitive statement?
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Re: Re:
http://www.theagitator.com/2008/03/13/study-says-red-light-cameras-cause-death-mayhem-acne/
http://hscweb3.hsc.usf.edu/health/now/?p=404
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genius...
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Re:
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No but it does make the plate considerably more expensive for the state to buy . . . so thats something?
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thank you...
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Re: Good way to go to jail
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hint hint
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Re: thank you...
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Re:
Idiot, stop making Mike's argument for him if you dislike it so much. The fact that these are automated, extremely cheap to put in place, and have nearly zero maintenance and operational costs... means the tickets they hand out should be extremely low value for basic offenses.
Its clear they are used for generating massive amounts of revenue without the overhead costs of funding adequate numbers of law enforcement officers... which could be a major problem when it gets eventually taken to extremes and we lack the law enforcement to properly protect and serve.
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Re: Re: it was never okay
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Sometimes they do care.
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Santa Will Help
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TEACHING KIDS DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
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