Speeding Cameras Rejected

[slacker]

Irregular News for 11.09.06

 

Steubenville, Ohio -- An overwhelming majority of voters in Steubenville, Ohio rejected the city's speed camera program yesterday in a referendum on whether the city ordinance authorizing the program should stand. With all precincts reporting, 76.2 percent of voters said "no."

 

The program began last year issuing nearly 7000 tickets worth $85 each to motorists driving as little as 5 MPH over the speed limit. It would have generated nearly $600,000 in revenue until Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas Judge David E. Henderson struck down the city ordinance as illegal in March. Because the city is bound by contract to continue the services of German camera operator Traffipax, regardless of the program's legality, it defied the judge's order and reinstated an essentially identical ordinance to continue issuing citations.

 

Tuesday's vote puts an end to the traffic cameras and serves as a victory for attorney Gary Stern who won a class action lawsuit to return the money that had been illegally collected from motorists. He also gathered enough signatures to put the speed camera question to a vote of the people. The public has never voted in favor of photo enforcement. Between 1991 and 1997, voters turned out in Batavia, Illinois; Peoria, Arizona and Anchorage, Alaska to reject photo radar.

 

source

[rawhide]

I once had to rent a vehicle in Colorado. Yeah what a nightmare trip. Anyway, about 6 months after the trip and sitting at home in sunny SoCal I received a ticket in the mail. Included with the ticket was a picture of a female driver running a red light in some Mtn. town in Mule Piss land. It was taken approximately 3 months after I had rented the vehicle. The defense rests.

[slacker]

For those of you that know me note the similarity between this towns name and my last name... Was founded by one of my ancestors a very very long time ago. B)

[rawhide]

I had thought you lived in the KC area. who'd a thunk it. In the same category there is a town in Zululand South Africa with my last name.

[slacker]

I do live in Kansas City, I guess my ancestors moved.

[Hawkeyehusker]

Cameras are used by cities for no other reason than to generate revenue. City Councils know the public hates them, and they enact legislation that allows them to be used anyway. Money corrupts politicians, what a surprise.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

In one of the suburbs here in Des Moines called Clive they put in some Traffic Light Enforcement cameras in and you should see people slamming their breaks on when the lights turn yellow and they are already through the light!!! I think they are dangerous in a way.......