Speed Camera News

HOW "the camera never lies" is a LIE!   Victoria Police explain 'double doppler' effect

CameraFraud National
Australia admits there's a radar speed camera flaw that can result in bogus high speed readings. So much for "the camera never lies."

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/victoria-police-explain-double-doppler-effect/20120424-1xieh.html

Victoria Police explain 'double doppler' effect
Posted by: Ellen Feely | 24 April, 2012 - 12:11 PM 

Victoria Police have withdrawn 28 speeding infringements for drivers booked on a section of Napoleon Rd, Rowville over the past eighteen months.

However Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp from the Operations Support Department at Victoria Police said only one in only one instance are the police confident the fine was issued incorrectly due to the ‘double doppler’ http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/the-double-doppler-effect/20120424-1xi03.html effect.

"We still don't believe there is a problem with the 28 that did receive infringement notices for speeding on that section of road," Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp told Neil Mitchell.

In February, listener Con Illiotta http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/breaking-news-blog/cons-speeding-charge-dropped/20120208-1r9tj.html contacted the Neil Mitchell program after he was booked for travelling at 116km/h in his truck. He successfully fought the fine, which police explained was issued to the ‘double dobbler’ effect.

Assistant Commissioner Crisp explained that the ‘double doppler’ effect was a phenomenon only affecting mobile speed cameras, and occurred after an inappropriate camera placement.

”What we've got is the mobile speed camera vehicle travelling past, the beam picks up the vehicle,” he said.

”It can then look for another metallic reflective surface, and it could pick up that surface, bounce back to the vehicle in question and then back to the camera itself.”

Read more: HOW "the camera never lies" is a LIE! Victoria Police explain 'double doppler' effect

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/37/3772.asp

Maryland, France, Germany, Poland: Speed Cameras Burned, Felled, Painted
Vigilantes in Maryland, France, Germany and Poland knock over speed cameras, set them on fire and spraypaint them.

Vigilantes in Maryland set fire to a speed camera Friday morning at around 1am. The automated ticketing machine was located on Rolling Road in Catonsville, WBAL Radio News http://wbal.com/article/89027/2/template-story/Speed-Camera-Torched-In-Catonsville- reported. In just 30 days, the device had racked up $99,440 worth of tickets. Police have no idea who might be responsible.

In Vienne, France a speed camera on the RD347 was disabled with black spraypaint, according to La Nouvelle Republique. http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/Toute-zone/Actualite/Faits-divers-justice/n/Contenus/Articles/2012/04/20/CISSE-Les-yeux-du-radar-de-la-RD-347-tagues

In Pilawa, Poland at around 1am on Tuesday, vigilantes knocked over the speed camera on national road 17, Wirtualn Garwolin http://wirtualnygarwolin.pl/archiwum-aktualnoci/1693-kto-zniszczyl-fotoradar reported. After the device was on the ground, the camera housing was set on fire. A few days earlier a vigilante in Warsaw disabled the automated ticketing machine on Route Lazienkowska in Warsaw with a black plastic garbage bag.

A traffic camera in Zwickau, Germany was knocked over Monday, according to Television Zwickau. http://www.tv-zwickau.de/2012/04/18/starenkasten-gefallt/ The device was completely destroyed after it failed to prevent a collision between an Audi and a Daimler-Chrysler.

Why Mail is NOT notification (speed scamera related).

Thanks to the National Motorists Association Australia for the link.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mps-slip-means-police-to-make-the-trip/story-e6freoof-1226330778073
David Gibson's resignation may lead to review of State Penalties Enforcement Registry

•by: Robyn Ironside and Steven Wardill
•From: The Courier-Mail
•April 18, 2012

DAVID Gibson's downfall could see the return of Queensland police notifying people in person that their driver's licence has been suspended to avoid letters going astray.

Premier Campbell Newman promised to review how the State Penalties Enforcement Registry delivers licence suspension notices, saying there was "great community concern" about the current process.

Since January 2010, failure to pay a fine of any sort can lead to a licence suspension with SPER advising motorists by mail, after as many as four warnings.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Mr Gibson said at no time did he receive any notification http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/im-only-human-says-former-police-minister-david-gibson/story-e6freoof-1226330198842 that his licence was suspended or about to be suspended due to not paying a speeding fine issued last May.

"This lack of knowledge meant that for a period of time I was driving unaware that my licence was suspended," he said.

Mr Gibson on Wednesday indicated he could seek legal advice on SPER.

He Tweeted: ``Thnx to all for kind words & advice. Lots of ppl saying I should get legal opinion on SPER. Any suggestions on a good enQld law firm?''

Read more: Why Mail is NOT notification (speed scamera related).

Ban the Cams note:   In MD, the rules to even challange a ordinance by referendum is so short, it is essentially a prohibition against any referendum vote by the public! 

(The MD state rules are 60 days for statewide).  http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/statewide-initiative-petition-drive-begins-in-maryland/

  Quote:  Maryland rules on forcing a new law to a referendum are extremely strict, requiring a petition with signatures equal to 3% of the total number of votes cast for governor in the last election, or 53,650. Those signatures must all be collected within 60 days of the bill’s passage and must be hand-written (not electronic). )

http://www.stopbigbrothermd.org/2010/03/sykesville-residents-demand-referendum.html  Quote from a petition in Sykesville, MD: 

"Under the town charter, a newly ordinances can be forced to a referendum if 15% of the town's registered voters sign a petition within 20 days of its passage."

The town residents were able to do it and Banned the Speed Cameras  http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/31/3130.asp.  But many other citizens around MD can't get organize before the day limit runs out no doubt. 

A vote BY the the public is NEEDED to let the VOTERS DECIDE! 

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/04/20/new-catonsville-speed-camera-set-on-fire-by-vandals/

New Catonsville Speed Camera Set On Fire By Vandals
April 20, 2012 1:25 PM

CATONSVILLE, Md. (WJZ)– A speed camera in Baltimore County became the target of vandals.

Early Friday morning, someone set fire to a recently installed speed camera in the 400-block of S. Rolling Road.

Officers  responded to the scene at around 1:40 a.m., and firefighters extinguished the fire.

No one has been arrested.

Investigators estimate the fire did about $13,000 worth of damage.  The camera is expected to be restored in the future.

There are two other speed camera pad sites in the 500-block of S. Rolling Road.  Police say speed enforcement will continue in the area, and a camera will rotate between those two sites.

Investigators say the fire is considered a first-degree malicious burning, not an arson.  An arson applies only to the intentional burning of structures.

http://www.katc.com/news/redflex-relationship-jeopardizes-officers-testimony/

Redflex relationship jeopardizes officers' testimony
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 10:07 PM by Shawn Kline
Source: KATC
Updated: Apr 19, 2012 10:23 PM
  
Some Lafayette Councilmembers are questioning the credibility of those supporting Redflex. Last week, Lafayette Police Officer Richard Rees testified in favor of the speed cams at the state capitol but was his presentation credible?

The Advertiser reports Rees is dating a Redflex employee and opponents of the program say that relationship puts Rees' testimony in jeopardy. Officer Rees is considered the star witness for those supporting these speed cams. He was once against putting Redflex in place until he says he did his own research but is that what's influencing his report?

"Redflex has aided in the identification and arrest of a serial rapist, a carjacker, vehicle thefts and several hit and run crashes," Rees reported to City-Parish Council last month.

That was before The Advertiser discovered Rees is also dating a Redflex employee, raising some eyebrows in City-Parish Council like those of Councilman Andy Naquin.

"This does definitely bring some questions to light as to what's going on right now with the Redflex cameras." Naquin says, "and the motivation behind this drive to keep the cameras here."

Read more: Redflex relationship jeopardizes officers' testimony

Ban the Cams note:  Chicago Alderman have sold out their citizens to the Speed scamera printing press.  http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/04/chicago-speed-camera-ordinance-passes-35-14/

http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/04/chicago-speed-cameras-traffic-safety-by-the-numbers/

Chicago Speed Cameras, Traffic Safety By The Numbers

April 17, 2012 Speed Cameras

The Expired Meters Highlight Curious Numbers On Traffic Safety

Monday, the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety released data from the Chicago Department of Transportation http://theexpiredmeter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Safety-Zone-Ordinance-Hearing-Responses-Final.doc to aldermen who had requested the information during last Wednesday’s hearings on the pending speed camera ordinance.

The reports were released late Monday afternoon, giving city council members just over a single day to pour over the information before a potential vote on the speed camera ordinance when the full Chicago City Council meets Wednesday morning.

This information was “shared” with The Expired Meter, so as a public service, this site will post the entire report and share some of the more interesting numbers to gain some insight into what is shaping up to be a divisive policy.

Hide & Seek With Numbers

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics,” 19th-century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli famously said.

An apt expression to be sure when it comes to Chicago pedestrian crash data.

Many alderman at last Wednesday’s hearings asked CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein to provide more data on pedestrian fatalities and in some cases, broken down by ward, in order to allow them to make a more informed decision.

But CDOT did a truly superb job of cooking the books with their numbers.

Like a magician who uses distraction to fool his audience, nowhere in these numbers did CDOT just simply list fatalities as requested by several city council members.

Instead, the agency lumped pedestrian fatalities with what they termed “serious injury”, (versus non serious injuries).

Of course, categorizing the data this way and essentially hiding the number of pedestrian fatalities, skews the numbers to make the alleged juvenile pedestrian safety crisis look much more horrible than what it may really be.

It is impossible to know how many children were actually killed as opposed to seriously injured–however that’s defined–by reviewing these reports.

How Many Safety Zones Are In Your Ward?

When CDOT breaks down park and school safety zone by ward, on average each ward has 12 park zones and 19.5 school zones for an average total 31.5 safety zones per ward.

Which Ward Has The Most/Least Safety Zones?

Most Safety Zones By Ward

1 2nd Ward 59
2(Tie) 4th Ward 55
2(Tie) 19th Ward 55
4 21st Ward 52
5 27th Ward 49

Least Safety Zones By Ward

50th (3-way tie) 12th, 31st & 36th ward

What Kills More Children? Cars or Gun Violence?

A great question posed by Ald. Leslie Hairston during hearings.

One might think, by all the arm twisting Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration has been doing and the speed of which this law has zoomed through Springfield and now into the City Council, that children were getting mowed down by cars on an hourly basis.

The truth is, according to the Department of Public Health Trauma Registry, only 27 children were killed in traffic accidents between 2008 and 2010.

While 129 children under 16 were killed in homicides over the same time period.

Which Ward Is The Car Crash Capitol of Chicago?

Most Car Crashes By Ward (2005-2010)

It’s not much of a surprise that the 42nd and the 2nd ward were at the top of this list. With both wards having large expanses of their ward within the downtown Chicago area, the most congested part of the city, it makes a lot of sense.

1 42nd Ward 9,058
2 2nd Ward 8,063
3 6th Ward 5,433

Fewest Car Crashes By Ward (2005-2010)

50 49th Ward 1,824
49 46th Ward 2,007
48 22nd Ward 2,220

Where Are Students Getting Killed/Injured By Vehicles?

Between 2005 and 2010 a total of 3257 students were struck, injured or injured in traffic crashes, an average of 72 children per ward according to CDOT statistics.

But in a handful of wards, those numbers are shockingly high, with a handful coming in at over double the citywide average.

Here’s the top three wards when it comes to students being struck by vehicles.

1 28th Ward 176
2 17th Ward 174
3 24th Ward 160

How Many Students Are Getting Hit During Weekdays?

Many aldermen were interested to know how many students were being hit by cars during school days, in order to give them more insight into issue.

Unfortunately, CDOT provided two reports with contradictory reports and in at least one of the reports, some very obvious arithmetic errors.

One report that is specific to weekdays, claims 2729 students were involved in traffic crashes between 2005-2010. However, a few columns over, the total looks like it should be 3,613.

From this report though, approximately 59% of students involved in a traffic incident was 59% between the times of 7 AM to 7 PM the hours the speed cameras are planned to be operational. 41% of those incidents happened to students between 7 PM and 7 AM when cameras would theoretically be off.

However, another, similar report (ostensibly for weekdays and weekends) further in the information packet pegs the number of students involved in traffic accidents between 7 AM and 7 PM as 75%, and just over 24% occurring between 7 PM and 7 AM.

While it is hard to trust these numbers at this point, if the numbers are to be believed 75% of pedestrian students are being struck during weekdays versus weekend days. This means children are marginally safer during weekdays versus weekends as weekdays account for 71% of the total week.

Which Wards Have The Most/Least Red Light Cameras?

Chicago has the largest red light camera program in the U.S. with 384 cameras at 191 intersections–that should breakdown to an average of four per ward.

But a few wards have disproportionately more with the 30th Ward having a whopping 12, followed by the 31st Ward with 10, with the 1st, 8th, 27th, 32nd, 39th and 45th in a five way tie for third place.

What Have We Learned?

It’s difficult to say.

Because it’s hard to trust all the information due to the many obvious mathematical mistakes in these reports and, what looks like a premeditated decision to obscure useful information–specifically by not producing any pedestrian fatality numbers anywhere in these reports.

There’s also no breakdown by year to see if there are any trends of increasing or declining pedestrian traffic incidents.

Sure, we can see that children are being hit by cars but the data is so raw and prepared in such a opaque way what actually can be discerned. One could make the case that more questions are being raised than answered by the data.

Armed with this information (or lack there of), alderman now have to make the decision whether to beginning at 10 AM.

Multiple calls and emails to CDOT seeking comment were not returned.

Here’s the full report, “Safety Zone Ordinance Deliverables.”  http://theexpiredmeter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Safety-Zone-Ordinance-Hearing-Responses-Final.doc
 

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Number-accidents-dropped-Bristol-speed-cameras/story-15828136-detail/story.html

Number of accidents has dropped since Bristol speed cameras switched off

Monday, April 16, 2012

Bristol Evening Post

THE number of speeding tickets issued in Bristol since roadside cameras were switched off has dropped by more than two-thirds.

However, accidents have not gone up. In fact, the number of collisions on Avon and Somerset's roads has continued to fall.

​
Figures revealed by a Freedom of Information request to Avon and Somerset Police show that between 2010 and 2011 the number of tickets being handed out went down from 130,000 to 38,000 – a staggering 71 per cent drop.

In 2010, nearly 61,000 of the tickets were paid by fixed penalty – £60 and three penalty points. The figure in 2011 was nearly 25,000.

The cameras were trumpeted as vital for making our roads safer in the face of critics claiming they were nothing more than cash-generators.

And yet, despite being switched off, the accident rate has fallen. Police confirmed there has been a 25 per cent decrease in collisions in the past three years.

And the head of Avon and Somerset police's road policing unit now admits that education – rather than prosecution via speed cameras – is the way to make our roads safer.

Hugh Bladon, spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, told the Post it proved that speed cameras had done nothing to make our roads safer.

He said: "The simple fact is that speed cameras have been a total distraction for the authorities and for drivers.

"They have distracted the authorities from looking at and taking action against the real causes of accidents, and they distract motorists into putting so much emphasis on speed, rather than looking at the way they are driving.

"The whole business of having speed cameras has been a complete and utter failure as far as road safety is concerned."

The Avon and Somerset safety camera partnership, which ran the cameras, was disbanded last year and the fixed cameras were turned off in March.

Read more: Number of accidents has dropped since Bristol speed cameras switched off

http://blog.motorists.org/the-chicago-criminal-enterprise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-chicago-criminal-enterprise

The Chicago Criminal Enterprise
Posted on April 17th, 2012

By James J. Baxter

The City of Chicago has the well-deserved reputation of being a corrupt and ethically deficient enterprise. This reality is being reinforced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s campaign to drown the city in ticket cameras.

The Wall Street Journal, in a limp-wristed article published April 14th, mentions that the city is already knocking down $68 million a year in fines from 380 red-light ticket cameras. The article didn’t mention that most of this money is generated by short yellow lights and failure to come to a complete stop before making a right-turn-on-red—a non safety issue. (Of the six million traffic accidents that occur in the United States, approximately 2,000 involve “right-turn on red.”)

With all the cleverness of a turtle crossing the Interstate, Emanuel trots out the ubiquitous “it’s for the children” excuse and certainly has nothing to do with cranking out income for the financially strapped city government. Just to add insult to injury, he follows up with the tried and true “if you follow the law you have nothing to worry about,” leaving out the fact that the city operatives wouldn’t know a legitimate speed limit or properly operated traffic signal if they saw one.

The plan is to place 500 ticket cameras for speed enforcement within one-eighth of a mile from schools and parks, (remember, this IS for the children) which just so happens to carpet bomb half the city with cameras. They didn’t mention that the red-light ticket cameras can also be used to issue speeding tickets, and they will probably cover most of the rest of the city. To dampen citizen opposition, the mayor’s team and corporate allies are using the tried and proven tactics of low fines and no points to give the whole scam the feel of a parking ticket. Once the public has been sufficiently acclimated to being systematically ripped off, the city can incrementally jack up the fines.

In the category of “just how dumb do you think we are,” the mayor’s spokeswoman Sarah Hamilton comes up with, “…in an ideal world we wouldn’t collect a dime because it means everyone is following the law and all our kids are safe.” I just hope those kids that are being “saved” by ticket cameras are a cut above the dimwits who pretend these devices have something to do with public safety. Sarah forgot to mention that in any jurisdiction where ticket cameras failed to generate a profit they were soon history. Somehow the “children” ceased to become so important when the money stopped coming in.

Godfather Rahm Chicago’s Speed Camera Follies.

http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/04/chicagos-speed-camera-follies/

Chicago’s Speed Camera Follies.
April 13, 2012

This past Wednesday’s hearings http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/04/speed-camera-ordinance-passes-out-of-committee/ in front of the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety on the speed camera ordinance (or should we call it by it’s new and improved name the “Children’s Safety Zone Ordinance”) produced a lot of news for the local media.

As far as TV news, the always dependable Chicago Tonight had a nice discussion and explanation on the issue (see video above:  Go to link:  http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/04/chicagos-speed-camera-follies/).

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) was all over the television and radio the past few days. As one of the few voices against the speed cam bill, he’s become the go to guy on trying to push the city to have a more comprehensive view of improving traffic safety instead of just putting up more cameras.

The alderman was interviewed on WLS TV http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8616482 and WGN TV News, as well at the center of a Sun-Times story http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/11825339-418/speed-cams-questioned-amid-installation-of-10000-speed-humps.html that reported that since 2005, over 10,000 speed humps (6000 on streets and 4000 in alleys) have been installed city wide. The alderman’s contention is that speed bumps work to slow traffic around schools and therefore blanketing the city with speed cameras is unnecessary.

Then Thursday morning, Waguespack was on with WLS 890 AM’s Don Wade & Roma http://citadelcc.vo.llnwd.net/o29/stations/CHICAGO/WLS_AM/Don_Roma/041212AldScottWaguespack.mp3 to discuss the issue.

Local pedestrian and bicycle transportation group, Active Transportation Alliance, to no one’s surprise came out strongly in favor of speed cameras  http://www.activetrans.org/media/pressrelease/active-transportation-alliance-supports-chicagos-proposal-speed-cameras and actually provided some of the information slides for CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein’s hearing presentation.

But, just to balance things out, Chicago Current publisher Geoff Dougherty did a story about a UK study that showed that speed cameras had no or little impact on reducing serious crashes.

Here’s Chicago Current’s piece, “Study: Speed cameras fail to curb serious crashes.”  http://www.chicagocurrent.com/news/33861-Study-Speed-cameras-fail-to-curb-serious-crashes

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/37/3766.asp

New Mexico, France, UK: Speed Cameras Shot, Spraypainted, Swiped
Vigilantes take out speed cameras in New Mexico, England and France.

frgold

A vigilante in Santa Fe, New Mexico shot a mobile speed camera van early Wednesday. The unattended Redflex van was parked on the side of Bishop's Lodge Road, KOB-TV reported. http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2579980.shtml?cat=504  Two rounds were fired into the windshield and another into the flash on the roof.

Vigilantes in Merzer, France used gold spraypaint to disable a speed camera on Easter Sunday. The device in Croaz-Hent on the road between Guingamp and Lanvollon has been attacked on four previous occasions, according to Le Telegramme http://www.letelegramme.com/local/cotes-d-armor/guingamp/ville/le-merzer-22-le-radar-a-nouveau-neutralise-09-04-2012-1663199.php. On previous occasions it has been painted green and pink. Last April it was "decorated" with flowers.

Vigilantes with access to powerful tools cut down and removed a speed camera in Hampshire, England BBC News reported. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17674921 The automated ticketing machine made by Truvelo had been operating on the A36 near Whinwhistle Road. Officials have no idea who might be responsible.
 

Lynnwood, WA wants to "gauge" public "opinion" on traffic scameras.  WHY NOT LET THE VOTERS VOTE??????

http://heraldnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120411/NEWS01/704119844&omniture=0

Lynnwood to ask residents about traffic cameras
 
By Rikki King, Herald Writer

LYNNWOOD -- City officials say they don't want to make a decision about the future of traffic-enforcement cameras in Lynnwood until they find a way to gauge public opinion on the program.

They are considering community outreach meetings, mailers and comment cards. They haven't set a timeline.

First, they must determine what exactly they need to discuss with the community, Mayor Don Gough said. Traffic-enforcement cameras raise many issues, and city leaders need to know what information to present and what kinds of questions to ask.

City Council members spent about 30 minutes Monday night talking about cameras and how to gather reliable public input.

Lynnwood uses enforcement cameras to ticket and fine people who allegedly run red lights or speed in school zones. The city long has struggled with the controversy surrounding its reliance on the devices.

City officials have admitted that Lynnwood is now dependent http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120120/NEWS01/701209928#Former-Lynnwood-official-critical-of-city%26%23146s-reliance-on-traffic-camera-revenue%0A on the millions of dollars http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110512/BLOG48/705159999 the cameras bring in. What remains cloudy is whether the cameras actually prevent injuries or save lives.

Lynnwood officials in late 2011 were supposed to decide whether to renew the contract with Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions, Inc., for another five years. At the time, the police department was under a city investigation http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20111228/NEWS01/712289821 for its dealings with the company.

The council instead approved several extensions http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120130/NEWS01/701309866, the last through Nov. 13.

Council members on Monday said they have to consider the potential financial impact.

"If we get rid of these, we do have a revenue hole to fill," councilwoman Kerri Lonergan-Dreke said.

City leaders haven't decided how to gather community sentiment. On Monday night, the council and mayor floated ideas such as informal meetings, putting information in the city newsletter or doing some kind of poll.

"It's absolutely necessary to have some public input," new councilman Van AuBuchon said.

Council president Loren Simmonds also stressed the importance of providing balanced information with pros and cons. He suggested some kind of video or electronic presentation as well.

Absent from the discussion was any talk of a vote.

Cities around Snohomish County and elsewhere in Washington have held what turned out to be nonbinding advisory votes on traffic-enforcement cameras, including Mukilteo, Monroe and Bellingham. Voters in every community have lined up solidly against the devices

Anti-camera activist Tim Eyman on Tuesday said he doesn't see any reason to expect a different result if voters in Lynnwood had the chance.

He said he'd be concerned that any other ways the city would gather input could be designed to create a desired outcome.

"The only way to find out what the voters think is to ask them at an election with a ballot measure," he said. "Anything short of that is bound to be manipulated and skewed."

The state Supreme Court last month ruled http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120308/NEWS01/703089885 that local initiatives can't be used to force changes in camera programs. The court's ruling did not bar advisory votes.
 

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/37/3764.asp

Chicago, Illinois Politicians Get An Earful On Speed Camera Plan
Aldermen in Chicago, Illinois report no widespread support for new speed camera program.

By The Expired Meter http://theexpiredmeter.com/

Based on constituent input, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's speed camera ordinance is not very popular with Chicago, Illinois drivers. The Expired Meter spent the last few days calling all fifty ward community offices to get a feel for what Chicagoans were telling their city council members about the speed camera plan adopted in committee yesterday.

Overall, different city wards seemed to be experiencing varied levels of response from their communities. According to many ward offices, they had not received any calls or emails on the controversial traffic enforcement plan. At two ward offices, staff members were completely unfamiliar with the issue. Other offices said they had received calls, but they would not divulge which way the sentiment was leaning. Several never returned our calls.

However, of the fourteen wards seeing significant constituent response and willing to reveal citizen sentiment, the majority reported overwhelming opposition to the speed camera plan.

City council member offices receiving a majority of phone calls and emails asking their alderman to vote no on the ordinance include Aldermen Joe Moreno, Pat Dowell, John Arena, Scott Waguespack, Nicholas Sposato, Richard Mell, James Cappleman, Mary O'Connor and Tom Tunney.

"While we have not been flooded with response like some other wards, I have received approximately 35 emails, five calls, and two-drop-ins," said 44th Ward spokesman Max Bever. "Only one was in favor."

The 1st ward was seeing overwhelming negative response according to spokesman Matt Bailey.

"Of the email correspondence we've received, ninety-five percent is against," related Bailey.

The other five wards who shared info with this site said they were hearing mixed feelings from the constituents who were calling or emailing. This group included Aldermen Margaret Laurino, Sandi Jackson, Tim Cullerton, Howard Brookins, Michael Zalewski and Marty Quinn.

No wards reported a scenario where the majority of constituents supported the speed cameras, but will constituent opposition sway elected representatives?

"Alderman Cappleman is concerned he hasn't seen solid numbers on the issue," said 46th ward Chief of Staff Tressa Feher who's office is seeing seventy percent of constituents in opposition to the ordinance. "Is it worth the money? We haven't seen the actual stats."

"Our constituent response is always important," says Bever. "At this time, Alderman Tunney still has many concerns about the facts and data surrounding the need for the speed cameras, as well as their placement and installation in the city (especially, who has say over where the cameras get installed). Expect a vigorous debate at the committee meeting."

Detailed coverage of Chicago motoring issues can be found at The Expired Meter. http://theexpiredmeter.com/

Speed Scameras shut off, Deaths go down!

(thanks to www.abd.org.uk for the link!)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-17599294

Northamptonshire road deaths fall to 'all-time low'

The number of road deaths in Northamptonshire fell to an all time low in 2011, the same year the county's fixed speed cameras were switched off.

A total of 19 people were killed on the roads last year, down from 24 in 2010 and 34 in 2009.

None of the fatal accidents happened within 50m of a camera site.

It is the lowest figure since 1960, when the annual death rates were first recorded in the county.

Keith Peat, of the Association of British Drivers, said it proved that cameras were unnecessary.

"These cameras clock thousands of speeders... it's quite mercenary," he said.

Cameras 'wrongly placed'
 
Mr Peat said the cameras simply mean thousands of "perfectly safe" drivers have been prosecuted for no reason.

Read more: Speed Scameras shut off, Deaths go down!

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/37/3757.asp

Germany, Latvia: Speed Cameras Disabled
Vigilantes use trash bags and paint to temporarily disable speed cameras in Germany and Latvia.

In Riga, Latvia a mobile photo radar van was parked on Daugavgrivas Street last Sunday. According to Delfi http://aculiecinieks.delfi.lv/news/auto/pret-fotoradaru-auto-veikts-kefira-atentats.d?id=42254016#, a passing pedestrian dumped white yogurt across the back of the van, preventing it from issuing tickets until the van's driver cleaned the windows.

In Wiesbaden, Germany vigilantes covered a speed camera on Mainzer Street with a black plastic garbage bag and secured it with duct tape, Wiesbadener Tagblatt reported. http://www.wiesbadener-tagblatt.de/nachrichten/polizei/11832330.htm

Scamera owner Goldman Sachs, indirectly connected w/ "biggest forum for sex trafficking of under-age girls in the United States.”

(Goldman Sachs owns a substancial part of ATS http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/25/2550.asp)

The post below comes from Kyle Sadler: 

Why is it not surprising that the majority stake holder in American Traffic Solutions is/was the majority owner in "largest Sex Trafficking website in the United States"? I guess this was all about public safety also.

http://business.time.com/2012/04/02/goldman-sachs-sells-village-voice-stake-after-sex-trafficking-furor/

Goldman Sachs Sells Village Voice Stake After Sex Trafficking Furor
By Sam Gustin | @samgustin | April 2, 2012 |

It’s been a rough couple of weeks http://business.time.com/2012/03/22/with-muppet-hunt-will-goldman-sachs-end-email-smack-talk/ for Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs. Still, it’s hard to imagine a more embarrassing public relations fiasco than being connected with child sex trafficking — even indirectly. But that’s exactly what happened over the weekend after New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof revealed http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/opinion/sunday/kristof-financers-and-sex-trafficking.html Goldman’s $30 million stake in Village Voice Media, which has come under fire for its Backpage.com website, which Kristof labels the “biggest forum for sex trafficking of under-age girls in the United States.”

Realizing that a connection to any company associated with the words “child,” “sex,” and “trafficking,” is probably the last thing Goldman needs, the bank struck a deal to sell its stake back to the media company on Friday. A Goldman spokesperson told http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/01/us-goldmansachs-backpage-idUSBRE8300FH20120401 Reuters that the bank lost the “vast majority” of its investment. But clearly, it was worth it for Goldman to sever ties. As Kristof wrote:

Goldman Sachs was mortified when I began inquiring last week about its stake in America’s leading Web site for prostitution ads. It began working frantically to unload its shares, and on Friday afternoon it called to say that it had just signed an agreement to sell its stake to management.

Goldman had originally paid $30 million for the stake in the Village Voice in 2000 through a private equity subsidiary, GS Capital Partners III. In 2006, after Village Voice Media merged with New Times, Goldman’s investment converted into a 16% stake in the company.

(More: With ‘Muppet’ Hunt, Will Goldman Sachs End E-mail Smack Talk? http://business.time.com/2012/03/22/with-muppet-hunt-will-goldman-sachs-end-email-smack-talk/#ixzz1qtmHvx7U)

The Village Voice, of course, is the legendary downtown New York newspaper that pioneered the alternative daily format. For much of its history, the paper made money by selling “adult services” ads in the back of the paper.

Village Voice Media also owns Backpage.com, which accounts for an estimated 70% of prostitution ads, according http://aimgroup.com/blog/2012/02/24/sites-set-combined-record-for-online-prostitution-ad-revenue/to AIM Group, a publishing industry research firm. AIM Group said that Backpage.com generated $2.6 million in revenue from prostitution ads in January, and over $25 million over the last year. Kristof has been waging a “name ‘em and shame ‘em” campaign against child sex-trafficking for some time.

Goldman said that it had no influence of Backpage.com’s operations, and there’s no suggestion that Goldman aimed to profit off child sex trafficking. In fact, by 2010, Goldman had already become “uncomfortable with the direction of the company,” a Goldman Sachs spokeswoman told http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/01/us-goldmansachs-backpage-idUSBRE8300FH20120401 Reuters. Still, it’s worth noting that one of the bank’s executives sat on Village Voice Media’s board for four years. “There’s no indication that Goldman or anyone else ever used its ownership to urge Village Voice Media to drop escort ads or verify ages,” Kristof wrote.

Of course, now that Goldman has exited its investment, it’s lost whatever influence it might have been able to deploy to get Village Voice out of the prostitution business, as Kristof points out. But given the negative publicity that has been swirling around Goldman of late, it’s not surprising that the bank decided to cut its losses and put as much distance between it and Village Voice/Backpage.com as possible.
 

CHICAGO ALERT:  Speed scamera hearing NEXT WEEK!  INFO BELOW!

Ban the Cams note:  PER THE EXPIRED METER IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND, here is the INFO.  Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety
 
312-744-6813

Speed Cameras Get A Hearing Date Next Week

Chicago’s controversial speed camera ordinance, which was introduced at last month’s City Council meeting http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/03/speed-camera-ordinance-to-be-introduced-at-wednesdays-city-council-meeting/, will have its first hearing Wednesday, April 11th http://media.legistar.com/chic/meetings/ECAF1831-C3B2-4DEA-98C9-77D73B0EBADB/Traffic%20Notice%204-11-2012.pdf.
 
The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, will convene at 1 PM in City Council Chambers at City Hall next Wednesday to discuss the divisive law Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been pushing, which could have as many as 360 city intersections issuing $50 and $100 tickets for exceeding the speed limit.
 
The originally scheduled meeting was postponed http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/03/chicago-speed-camera-hearing-postponed/#more-12011 to allow committee members to gauge constituent sentiment before meeting on the issue according to a Tribune story.
 
Proponents of the ordinance say they want speed cameras to reduce juvenile pedestrian crashes and deaths, while opponents feel its just another way for the city to generate much needed revenue on the backs of motorists.
 
But according to Manuel Galvan, spokesperson for Alderman Margaret Laurino (39th), Chair of the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, is committed to making sure all points of view get heard.
 
“Alderman Laurino has said she wants to be fair and impartial on this and doesn’t want to rush it through,” said Galvan. “Nobody wants another parking meter thing. At the end of the day, maybe not everyone will be in agreement but at least everyone will have had their say.”
 
But, according to Galvan, it is quite possible that hearings on speed cameras may take more than one hearing date to complete. Because the committee meeting doesn’t begin until 1 PM, there’s a potential hearings could go long and warrant another meeting to allow everyone’s input.
 
“I question whether they’ll be able to finish,” explains Galvan. “Alderman Laurino doesn’t want to take it to the full City council unless everyone has had their say and the aldermen on the committee have all weighed in. Let’s just say I would not be surprised if it does (call for another committee meeting on the subject).”
 
But a followup hearing may come sooner than later as Ald. Laurino has already scheduled another meeting of the committee she chairs for Friday, April 13th at 10 AM http://media.legistar.com/chic/meetings/48D06DF6-27A4-4F6E-A668-D43E57558E6C/Ped%20&%20Traffic%20Notice%204-18-2012.pdf in City Council chambers according to the City Clerk’s website.
 
“The primary reason (for the April 13th meeting) is to handle regular business,” says Galvan. “In case of spillover (from the Wednesday meeting) they can continue it then.”
 
Galvan says any individuals or groups hoping to voice their opinion on the speed camera ordinance can sign up to speak before the committee before the hearings begin at City Hall.
 
The ordinance, if passed would allow the city to install speed camera enforcement within 1/8 of a mile of schools or parks from 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Friday, and mail fines of $50 to drivers exceeding the speed limit by 6 miles per hour or $100 fines for exceeding the speed limit by 11 mph or more.

IOWA STATE HOUSE suspends debate on scamera ban due to white powder in Reps letter.

Ban the Cams note:  We hope NO ONE WAS HURT. 

WE condemn physical attacks on people!  IT IS NEVER A SOLUTION!

http://www.kcci.com/r/30827372/detail.html  (update on this:  http://www.kcci.com/politics/30827372/detail.html)

Hazmat Tests White Powder Inside Statehouse
POSTED: 3:54 pm CDT April 3, 2012
UPDATED: 6:47 pm CDT April 3, 2012

 DES MOINES, Iowa -- Debate over a ban on automated traffic cameras was interrupted Tuesday when a lawmaker found white powder inside a letter.
 Lawmaker holds up his hands covered in white powder.

The letter was sent to Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad.

KCCI's Todd Magel said the powder was covering Abdul-Samad's hands. A witness said it smelled like laundry detergent, but was accompanied by a letter threatening his life.

A postal inspector was called to the statehouse to investigate. He in turn called for hazmat crews to come conduct tests.

People inside the Capitol at the time were told to stay in the building while the tests were conducted.

KCCI's Patrick Bell reported from inside the statehouse that the hazmat crew arrived in full protection suits with oxygen tanks to examine the area inside the house chambers as lawmakers watched.

Initial field tests indicated there was no threat from the powder, but further more testing was planned.

Look for updates on this developing story here at KCCI.com and on KCCI-TV.
 

France, Latvia: Speed Cameras Protested
French motorcyclists protest speed cameras while photo radar van hypocrisy is captured on video in Latvia.

Last week on Saturday a group of 160 members of the French Federation of Angry Motorcyclists (FFMC) protested the government's anti-motorcyclist and anti-motorist policies by covering speed cameras between Argentan and Alencon with a garbage bags and fluorescent vests, Ouest France reported. The vests, which prevented the devices from issuing tickets, bore slogans explaining that motorcyclists were no longer willing to be milked for cash by the government.

In Latvia, a motorist caught a speed camera van belonging to the private company Vitronic Baltica violating the freeway speed limit and posted the evidence online.

Thanks to the National Motorists Association Australia for the link!  http://www.aussiemotorists.com

(Ban the Cams see:  http://www.banthecams.org/Speed-Camera-News/way-to-create-qviolationsq-in-scamera-school-zones-run-the-zone-24-hours-a-day.html or  http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/report-calls-for-24-7-school-zone-fines/story-e6freuy9-1226309140505 for the earlier report on this.)

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/barry-ofarrells-in-the-danger-zone/story-e6freuy9-1226315391349

Barry OFarrell's in the danger zone

by: Barclay Crawford

From: The Sunday Telegraph

April 01, 2012 12:00AM

(insert 411959-barry-o-amp-039-farrell-splash)

Accused: Premier Barry O'Farrell has been accused of lying about the report into school speed zones. Source: The Sunday Telegraph

PREMIER Barry O'Farrell is being accused of lying about a state government report into school speed zones as well as violating parliamentary rules and his own ministerial code of conduct.

Editorial: He's the premier who speaks BS  http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/barry-ofarrell-hes-the-premier-who-speaks-bs/story-e6frezz0-1226315410071

The Sunday Telegraph last week revealed the Staysafe committee had recommended the government consider enforcing 40km/h zones outside schools up to 24 hours a day.

But the Premier, who has also been accused of trying to influence the report by improperly contacting the committee's chairman before it was tabled in parliament, wrongly claimed the recommendation did not exist.

Opposition leader John Robertson said Mr O'Farrell's "deceptive" response last Sunday was unacceptable.

"Barry O'Farrell has been caught out violating parliamentary rules, breaching his own code of conduct and lying to the media and the public," he said. "How can the people of NSW trust anything this man says?"

Mr Robertson also accused Roads Minister Duncan Gay, who commissioned the report, of misleading parliament by repeating the Premier's lies in the NSW upper house.

"Duncan Gay is skating on thin ice," he said.

"He tried to use a speech in parliament to cover up the Premier's deceit but in doing so he appears to have misled the house himself.

"What sort of roads minister thinks it is OK to lie about the safety of school children? I'm sure parents of school-aged children want to know what action the government will take in response to the Staysafe committee's recommendations but, with the Premier and minister denying they even exist, parents could be waiting a very long time."

Mr O'Farrell admitted last Sunday he had contacted the commission's chairman, who he claimed had told him the recommendation to consider extending school zones was not in his report.

"I've talked to the chairman of the committee [Albury MP Greg Aplin] this morning ... and there is no recommendation in his report to extend the hours of speed zones outside schools," he said.

Mr O'Farrell accused The Sunday Telegraph of not having checked the content of the report with Mr Aplin.

Both claims were incorrect.

Mr Aplin had confirmed the Staysafe report recommended the government consider widening the hours of operation of school zones before the story was published.

And when the Staysafe report was published last Tuesday, it recommended the Roads and Maritime Services conduct an "evaluation of alternative school zone hours of operations" with a view to "assessing the effectiveness of altering the operation of school zone hours in NSW".
 

http://theexpiredmeter.com/2012/03/chicago-speed-camera-hearing-postponed/

Chicago Speed Camera Hearing Postponed
March 28, 2012  
Hmmmm.

There was supposed to be a hearing on Chicago’s proposed speed camera law at the next meeting of the City Council Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety on Monday.

Despite the meeting not appearing on the City Clerk’s website, and Committee Chair Margaret Laurino’s (39th) staff telling this writer multiple times no meeting had been scheduled, the Chicago Tribune is reporting http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-03-27/news/ct-met-speed-camera-council-hearing-0328-20120328_1_speed-camera-plan-aldermen-city-council-committee a meeting was scheduled and then postponed to allow committee members to gauge constituent sentiment on the issue.
 

It sounds like aldermen are hearing from constituents and perhaps it’s not very positive. And just maybe, aldermen don’t want to go through another parking meter lease deal where city council members are still hearing from angry constituents nearly four years after the fact.

Here’s the Tribune’s full story, “Speed-camera hearing stalled.” http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-03-27/news/ct-met-speed-camera-council-hearing-0328-20120328_1_speed-camera-plan-aldermen-city-council-committee