KMOX Visits the Red Light District
I greatly enjoyed the discussion a short time ago on KMOX’s Mark Reardon Show about red light cameras. The host had Senator Jim Lembke on to talk about his bill before the legislature to outlaw red light cameras in Missouri. I attended a rally a few months back protesting these cameras that was sponsored by a new group dedicated to outlawing them in Missouri. (Intern Phil recently posted a nice summary of our writings on this subject.)
Red light cameras are a violation of our constitutional rights. They violate the 4th, 6th, and — most importantly — the 9th amendments. The 9th amendment involves your right not to be videotaped by a camera every moment of your life. They are nothing more than a scam to get more money for municipalities. I hope Sen. Lembke’s bill passes unanimously as part of a statement by Missouri legislators that they’re willing to defend liberty. (I know, however, that will not actually happen.)
Liberty is the ability to walk our streets without being constantly concerned and threatened by irresponsible auto drivers. When a society becomes overly dependent on motorized vehicles, red light cameras become a necessity as law enforcement is inadequate in addressing the myriad of daily violations, most unreported. In walking to school, my sons witness cars running red lights virtually everyday and have learned that walk signs are unreliable for safe crossing. It’s too bad that this has become necessary but the streets and our neighborhoods are now dominated by speeding and irresponsible auto drivers. Pedestrians are becoming an endangered species and our most fundamental rights have been debauched by this over reliance on cars in the urban core.
Comment by john — February 19, 2009 @ 9:22 a.m.
I recently paid a high ticket after the camera caught me making a right turn. It seemed so bogus to me, and, when I called the County’s department, the clerc told me that I did not stop and look, even when it was a right turn, and the camera caught it. I really don’t think those cameras are placed there for these types of ridiculous “violations”(if it was one…)I just feel like I was simply ripped off. And FYI, at a traffic light that has a camera, remember to pause before turning,if turning right, specially when the light is red. The ticket could be regrettable…
Can someone ban those lights please? Go ahead Lembke.
Comment by Clovis Ouangraoua — February 19, 2009 @ 1:01 p.m.
John- I walked/took the bus for years and can count on one hand the number of times I saw someone run a red light. Perhaps instead of advocating red light cameras you should tip the police off to the Fast and Furious drag strip route your children take to school?
Comment by Sarah Anne — February 25, 2009 @ 6:45 a.m.
Sarah, Clayton Rd is what you call a drag strip? Lucky you but videos/pictures and additional comments from even crossing guards to the police gets a “I’m busy” response or “contact the County”. At least many of the problems have been solved at Clayton-Hanley with the cameras.
Comment by john — February 25, 2009 @ 7:21 a.m.
I’m sorry but now I just flat out don’t believe you. I’ll accept the possibility that Clayton may have changed in how badly the drivers behave (although between 1996-1998 and between 2001-2002 I walked Clayton road daily and had no problems. Clayton high school has(had?) open campus and we didn’t even have issues when we’d skip a class on a nice morning and wander around at rush hour. However what I will NOT accept is that the Clayton police don’t care. If they feel that you’re overblowing an occasional situation- eg saying your children witness red light runners VIRTUALLY EVERYDAY they may be less interested but any intersection w/ a real issue that had several people complain about they’re on. These guys staked out an alley for 3 weeks because of some complaints of teenagers smoking there when the smoking lounge was torn down at CHS. They sent two squad cars to break up a fight between 2 middle school aged boys. They pulled me over for questioning because my temporary tags were not from MO when I bought a car from MI and brought it down here. They care a LOT about what is going on in the community, enough to waste time and resources on things like that- and you’re telling me if someone said to them hey Free Money @ Clayton-Hanley they’d say Eh, not today??
btw red light cameras mean people slam on the brakes now, so instead of going off into the intersection where they’d potentially hit another car, they now slam stopped in the crosswalks- where they potentially hit your children.
Comment by Sarah Anne — February 25, 2009 @ 5:04 p.m.
[...] Stokes at Show-Me Daily summarizes the argument against these cameras well: Red light cameras are a violation of our [...]
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