-------- 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. _______________________________________________ Politech mailing list Archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/)
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