Red Light Cameras will cause wrecks

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Statesman
COMMENTS BY READERS
Friday, August 04, 2006

Cameras will cause wrecks

Regarding the proposed cameras at traffic lights, I expect officials to use the ever-reliable safety angle to justify their new toy for revenue-raising. But in this case, the fix likely will cause more accidents than it will prevent. Since the duration of the yellow light varies, a driver will too often slam on the brakes at first glimpse to avoid a fine. This will cause the trailing vehicle to reduce the braking vehicle's trunk to roughly an eighth of its original size.

MARK DYE
Austin

---

A toll for intersections

Stand up, Austin. Our beloved City Council is hard at work attempting to force traffic enforcement cameras upon the hardworking citizens of our fair city. Under the guise of "public safety," they will quote statistics, from unknown sources, extolling the virtues of traffic cameras.

Think of it. Private companies will be bidding for a low cost/high gain contract with a municipality — one in which cameras click away 24/7, 365 days a year at every major intersection in the city.

Need more revenue? Add more cameras — at first, just for running red lights. Later, after the appropriate campaign contributions, equipment will be added to catch speeders. Why not?

Much like toll roads, the cameras will never go away. Call and write your council members and suggest they put traffic cameras in their own neighborhoods. I will be glad to bid for the contract and mail them their fines.

ERIC FISHER
Austin