I think this is a load of crap. I got a ticket in the mail two days ago. I was going a supposed 11 over the speed limit (which I think it questionable. I very very rarely go more than 7 over. I typically stay with in the speed limit. I'm a good citizen!).
Here in Arizona, they were trying to improve the city by putting more cops on the streets with the hopes of them helping the people, than out on the highways/freeways getting speeders. To do this, they added traffic cameras that take your picture if you're going 11 + over the speed limit. Unfortunately, if I never got this ticket (like for example, I MOVED and it didn't get forwarded...) I would have a warrant out for my arrest. It does not take into account that I had 3 people tailing me and I was going the speed of traffic. My picture is not very clear in my opinion, so it could have been anyone driving! and I feel like it's a violation of my rights. I am also disappointed that instead of it's idealistic reason--less cops on the highway more on the streets-- it has moved to less cops on the highway AND less cops on the streets. We have less police officers than we did before the cameras.
This whole camera thing has a lot of flaws (which I'll list later) but Andrew and I were listening to a Steven R Covey tape a while ago about trust. And that there's a formula for becoming a great leader. Some that "communicates your worth and potential so clearly that it profoundly influences your life". And I think this is true, and I'm just going to copy some things that are off of his blog page. "there's four imperatives of leadership.
- The first is to inspire trust. You build relationships of trust through both your character and competence and you also extend trust to others. You show others that you believe in their capacity to live up to certain expectations, to deliver on promises, and to achieve clarity on key goals. You don’t inspire trust by micromanaging and second guessing every step people make.
- The second is to clarify purpose. Great leaders involve their people in the communication process to create the goals to be achieved. If people are involved in the process, they psychologically own it and you create a situation where people are on the same page about what is really important—mission, vision, values, and goals.
- The third is to align systems. This means that you don’t allow there to be conflict between what you say is important and what you measure. For instance, many times organizations claim that people are important but in fact the structures and systems, including accounting, make them an expense or cost center rather than an asset and the most significant resource.
- The fourth is the fruit of the other three—unleashed talent. When you inspire trust and share a common purpose with aligned systems, you empower people. Their talent is unleashed so that their capacity, their intelligence, their creativity, and their resourcefulness is utilized."
I thought these traffic cameras were a joke before I got the ticket and I still do (by the way it was a $200 ticket!!! that in its self is really high for there not being proof and a lot of flaws). I feel that it's just another step towards a big government, it's like living in China all over again, I feel like I'm back in a communist government.Below are some objections to ticket cameras I found with links to why. I think that these outweigh the issues of speeding. I also just found out that pilots are complaining that the lights are bothering them while trying to land airplanes. It's just unsafe! Any way, I wish I could fight this some how! But I don't have a clue even where to start. Here's the links:
Ticket recipients are not adequately notified.
The driver of the vehicle is not positively identified.
Ticket recipients are not notified quickly.
There is no certifiable witness to the alleged violation.
Ticket camera systems are designed to inconvenience motorists.
Ticket cameras do not improve safety.
Taking dangerous drivers' pictures doesn't stop them.
Photo Radar Specific
Photo radar is still radar, and it can generate false readings.
This type of enforcement emphasizes ticket volume.
Ticket cameras are very inaccurate on certain roads.
Photo radar encourages artificially low speed limits.
Red-Light Camera Specific
Cameras do not prevent most intersection accidents.
These devices discourage the synchronization of traffic lights.
There are better alternatives to cameras.
