[Politech] Some responses to evil traffic cams in DC [priv]

From: Declan McCullagh (declan@private)
Date: Tue May 18 2004 - 19:59:30 PDT

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    -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: Re: [Politech] Privacy villain of the week: DC's traffic cams 
    [priv]
    Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 15:11:11 -0500
    From: Jim Davidson <davidson@private>
    To: Declan McCullagh <declan@private>
    CC: jplummer@private
    
    Dear Declan,
    
    > In fact, placing traffic cameras on pedestrian-free highways
    > like New York Ave. and Anacostia Parkway may increase danger
    > on the roads by mixing drivers going at 'highway speed' and
    > other drivers slowing preciptiously to below the too-low
    > speed limit, anxious that a camera will snap them. This is
    > a recipe for disaster that compromises both safety and privacy.
    
    No doubt safety and privacy are not at stake, where as
    gaining more money for the city government is the only
    yardstick by which such camera placements are measured.
    
    It is interesting to me that red light cameras are just
    now being proposed for the first time, half-heartedly,
    here in Houston.  Interesting because we have a vibrant
    gun culture and numerous expert marksmen with paintball
    guns who would be eager to treat these vile specimens of
    Orwellian statism with proper disrespect.
    
    Of course, before ramping up the intrusiveness of speed
    trap and red light cameras there in DC, first the people
    were disarmed.  I wonder whether there are three paintball
    guns in all of the district, or the youth with sufficient
    enthusiasm to paint some targets.
    
    Regards,
    
    Jim
      http://www.indomitus.net/
    
    
    
    
    -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: Re: [Politech] Privacy villain of the week: DC's traffic cams 
    [priv]
    Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 08:12:26 -0500
    From: Matthew Platte <plattem@private>
    To: Declan McCullagh <declan@private>
    References: <40A98A49.90607@private>
    
    Yes it is a stretch.
    
     > It's not a stretch -- studies of red-light cameras have shown that
     > panicky drivers are more likely to slam on the brakes when they see a
     > yellow light for fear of the redlight cameras, causing rear-end
     > collisions.
    
    Rear-end collisions are caused by following too closely or driving too
    fast or inattentive operation of the _following_ car.  Your privacy
    argument is polluted by this lame appeal to the outrage of Fox TV's
    C.O.P.S. audience.
    
    --
    -------^.^--
    Matthew Platte
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    
    
    
    
    -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: Re: [Politech] Privacy villain of the week: DC's traffic cams 
    [priv]
    Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 20:24:27 -0400
    From: Ben <bmw@private>
    To: Declan McCullagh <declan@private>
    References: <40A98A49.90607@private>
    
    I wish someone would hand a villain award over to the Charlotte, NC
    program. The industry behind the cameras here has absolutely no
    counterbalance and no basis in reality. The local news is as inept as
    any at getting to the bottom of anything more than it's ratings
    statistics. The only voice anyone hears on the subject is in a
    commercial running around the clock where a young man sits at a cemetery
    telling his dead friend about his school day.
    
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