http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/dec/26/campfield-blogs-on-red-light-cameras/

Michael Silence: Campfield blogs on red-light cameras
 
By Michael Silence
Knoxville News Sentinel
Posted December 26, 2010 at midnight

When elected officials are active online, everyone benefits.

And while he gets heat for what some consider controversial positions, one has to applaud state Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, for being one of the highest profile elected officials in the state on the Internet.

At his blog "Camp4u," Campfield gives a heads up that next year's Legislature may get more involved in the issue of red-light cameras, or traffic cameras.

"A true hard look at revenue cameras may get some play this year," he predicts.
He also lays out some issues he thinks may come up in the next Legislature, which convenes next month.
"Limiting where they can be used (No speed traps on highways). Limiting right on red tickets to only be issued by officers. Making it so revenue from cameras be used to study traffic calming options in the area or for drivers education in schools. Requiring traffic study for a light to see if other options could limit the problem previous to camera installation. Limiting how short or how long a yellow light can be or should be made. An outright ban is also on the table."
Campfield is not alone in working the Internet on the issue.

"Kill Tennessee Traffic Cameras" is active on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/killtncams 

Among those who follow the site is Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. More than 10,000 people have clicked on "like" at the site.
One can find daily updates of news and information related to the cameras at the site.
Last week the site called attention to a piece at the Web page of the Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties organization focusing on constitutional, human rights, religious and free speech legal cases.
Institute founder John Whitehead wrote, "Regrettably, a close examination of the history of traffic monitoring devices reveals that, on a larger scale, the profit motive figures prominently into the increased use of red light cameras."
And he goes on to capture the sentiment shared by many, which could be the same sentiment that proves Campfield's prediction to be true.
"The bottom line is this: red light cameras are not safety devices - they're revenue-raising devices for corporations, states and municipalities."
Campfield must be on to something in his legislative prediction, because recently the Traffic Safety Coalition, a pro-cameras group, entered the state to promote the devices.
"In recent weeks, cities and towns across Tennessee have reported significant reductions in red-light running violations and right-angle crashes at local intersections monitored by traffic safety cameras," it said in a recent press release.  (Ban the cams note:  trusting "stats" from a scamera company astro turf is no different than trusting gambling advice from a crooked NYC card game!)

I post regularly about revenue cameras, and if you're interested in my take and my online finds on the topic, tune in at http://blogs.knoxnews.com/silence/.

Michael Silence writes about Tennessee's social media. He blogs at No Silence Here, Twitters at MichaelSilence and is on Facebook.

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