Raise the Hammer

Oh my so many comments on red-lights! 1. kevlahan raises good points about taking that 15,000 and putting some perspective on it. Is it a big number - yep! Can that number be made to look miniscule compared to the amount of trips X motorists X camera operated intersections / per day? Yep. A more interesting question would be: Are Hamilton area motorists getting more aggressive or less aggressive? This 15,000 number makes no comment on that.

1. Another interesting comparison would be look at cyclist data (if there is any). They are a smaller and more vulnerable participant in our roadways but, as an intellectual exercise, can we ask if cyclists are obeying the traffic standards on par with motorists? The little data out there will probably say at least yes. Of course, cameras, ride programs and traffic enforcement is focused on (rightly) the most prevalent and dangerous users (motorists). We will just have to rely on anecdotal evidence. So, for every story of a motorist running a red light I will just say there is a story of a courier jumping lanes, splitting lanes, riding on the sidewalk and not stopping at intersections.

2. Wow, there is a lot of misinformation out there about red-light cameras. Yes, they do take automatic pictures but, there is a human that looks at that picture and makes the final decision. Yes, you will be ticketed but since it is a picture, they don't know who is driving hence why insurance and demerit points are not brought in until you fight it. Check out the City of Hamilton website for the facts.

3. That leads to my last point - what's the purpose of red light cameras? If the intent is to make our streets safer then how are we really measuring that? Sure the 15,000 number sounds like we aren't doing a good job at all. What about number of cameras? Yellow times, timing indicators, enforcement of the traffic act? If the intent is to keep our streets safer then red light cameras are a tool (a rather ineffective tool if you ask me) that MUST be used in coordination with other efforts and that's human enforcement. Public education, driver tests (re-testing if needed), spot checks, blitz etc... you can't rely on technology alone.

Let's have a better discussion about traffic safety. Do uniformed police officers HAVE to be the ones enforcing routine traffic act issues? Does the City HAVE to look at changing yellow timing and signal timing to calm the flow of traffic? Do motorists HAVE to re-take driving tests every 5 years? Do cyclists HAVE to obey the traffic act - and are enforced - with the same effort as motorists?

Anything less validates the criticism of this technology being a cash-cow.