(Thanks to http://www.stpetecameras.org/home/news for the link!)

http://www.khou.com/news/local/One-Mans-Quest-to-b-112905184.html

Atascocita man on quest to ban red-light cameras

by Leigh Frillici/11 News
khou.com
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 10:54 PM

Updated yesterday at 10:58 PM

HUMBLE, Texas – An Atascocita man says he is ready to lead the charge to ban red-light cameras.

“It’s a trap,” said Dwayne Buerhing who works in Humble. “I call it a scamera - S-C-A-M-E-R-A. It’s a big scamera program.”
 
Buerhing said he is so passionately against red-light cameras that he has already collected enough signatures to submit a petition to his hometown of Port Lavaca to ban the cameras there. He said the town didn’t accept it, but he’ll try to resubmit it this week. 
 
“I don’t think they knew what to do with it,” said Buerhing. 
 
Now, he wants to spearhead a second petition drive to ban the cameras in Humble.
 
“Red-light cameras are in place strictly to raise revenue for cities,” said Buerhing. “They do not do anything, I think, to impact safety.”
 
The city of Humble said that is untrue.
 
“It's approximately decreased the amount of accidents by 60 percent,” said Sgt. Ken Thies of the Humble Police Department. He heads up the red light program.

While the program raises about $2 million a year, which Humble splits with the state, that money is put back into traffic programs, Thies said.
 
The city of Houston said red-light cameras decreased accidents too, but in November voters rejected the program. Now the red-light camera contractor has taken the city to court.
 
Experts say there's a lot riding on this fight.
 
“In every community in this country where there's been an election to repeal the red-light program, it has succeeded in repealing the program,” said Bob Stein, a political consultant for 11 News. “ATS and the other red-light camera companies fear it will hurt their business plan.”
 
But the domino effect may have already begun with people like Buerhing. Buerhing’s biggest objection is when the camera’s go off for drivers who slide past the white line when making a right-hand turn.
 
“I don’t run red lights,” said Buerhing. “I’ve never gotten a ticket. I don’t believe in running red lights. I would support the cameras if they focused on people who ran red lights, literally ran straight through them.”

---

Buerhing can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   or by visiting Humble Texas Citizens Against Red Light Cameras on Facebook.

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Title
Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Email
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (registered users only)
	Add Comment Preview