FYI: Dallas TX drivers

The city-wide red light camera system went online today, so watch those intersections from now on! Just saw it on the news.

We now return you to your pre-existing state of confusion.

No live cops, no appeals, statistically proven NOT to be an effective collision-stopper- you're given over to a piece of machinery and you can't do a single damned thing about it. About a month after you've gone through the intersection you get a letter with an address to send the money to. If you don't pay it you simply get your license revoked and the fine is jacked up.

Besides that it's an excellent if completely impersonal tracker- you can be damned sure that if the NSA taps your phones they're gonna have live feeds off every single camera there is.

You can have it if you want it.

and violates the traffic laws in front of a camera...?

who gets the ticket?

and there goes your insurance rate. Again, no appeal.

Is it getting fun yet?

what if you were in the hospital, in a coma, at the time...?

what if your car is stolen?

what if a republican congressman's son gets a ticket in Dad's car?

Have at it. They have a picture of a vehicle and license plate. Remember, it's a machine, not a cop.

and all i need is a receipt from the hospital...?
you bet i can...but if there aren't any appeals- where would i take the receipt to show that i was in a hospital bed?
or the police report to show that the car was reported stolen before the photo was taken?

there HAS to be some recourse to appeal it- otherwise it's gotta be unconstitutional in some way.

it continues to boggle my mind why ANYBODY would CHOOSE to live in texas- that is one fucked-up state.

Are you going to get a ticket for the reckless driving for a freakin' thief?

Last Sat. I was running late for a luncheon, and the "change provided" booth was closed, so I had to use the exact change ($.25) booth. I didn't have any, and neither did my wife. A line started to form behind us, and I pulled through, and to the side and found a quarter under the seat, and walked back and tossed it into the basket.

I wanna see if I get a ticket.

Mass Ave and Marlborough St in Back Bay is one of them.

Include Arlington/Ft. Worth?

I know Dallas, Garland, Rowlett, Plano, Mesquite, Richardson, Allen, and others within the Metroplex are all hooked up or hooking up, but Ft. Worth is too far for me to conveniently drive to so I honestly can't tell you. Just look up when you reach the intersection and see if there's a camera looking back at you. I've even seen cameras in Fourney and as far north as Pottsboro (at the northern state line).

I've been seeing them for months wondering what the deal was. Good thing I usually don't run lights!

http://phantomplate.com/
-Next!

with a VERY large phone number on it... :shrug:

Ever watch mythbusters? LOL

secure video monitors from prying eyes.

offices. It's a DART bus photoed going through a red light in Garland. Lucky for the driver you can't make out the tags or other bus info.

the opinion that anything that might help someone from not attempting to drive through my car door at 40 MPH, i.e., actually stop for a red light or stop sign, is OK...

How, exactly. While I agree there is a light jumping problem in Dallas, they would do better to address all of their problems with traffic, including the road rage attitudes of the drivers. Red light cameras are just a band aid, and there are still going to be massive headaches for people out on the road.

While tempting though, it isn't a practical answer. First off, I think that there is a need to get guns out of cars, CCW and such makes it too easy for a lethal weapon to be in reach of a person who is violently angry. Not a good idea.

Second, I think it is going to have to take a cultural shift, starting with teaching beginning drivers and working up through the general public to inform people that driving isn't a game or contact sport. Third, I think we need to make our roads and highways less frustrating. I reference Dallas as a road rage hot spot, but I can see why, at least in part. Driving in Dallas, and Texas in general, is a goddamn nightmare. Their systems of exits off and onto their highways is highly stressful, requiring people to cross three lanes of traffic within one hundred feet just to catch their turn. Also, they need to slow down their speeds throughout their speeds throughout the metro areas, and give some ongoing advance warning of exits. Also, perhaps some enforcement and passage of safe driving laws. Too many people cut others off at dangerous distance and speeds.

These could be applied to other areas also, Texas isn't alone in their share of bad drivers.

way to reduce red-light running.

BUT, lengthening yellow lights don't bring in the payola $$$ like red light cameras do. So guess what gets done...

Speeding cameras are another one...intentionally set the speed limit too low, and fine everybody going 5 over big bucks...grrr...