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Cameras At Intersections - Readers Weigh In

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2008

Updated: 02/07/2008 06:44 pm

Hillsborough County is considering a proposal to install cameras at intersections, a move that police say would save lives and cut down on the number of motorists running red lights.

Last month, Hillsborough County commissioners gave the sheriff's office a green light to further investigate installing the cameras at 10 of the county's most dangerous intersections. U.S. 41 South and Gibsonton Drive is one of the intersections.

The cost of installing and maintaining the lights would be funded through fines, said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Cpl. Rob Rodriguez.

"There will never be an expense to the taxpayers," Rodriguez said.

In 2006, Hillsborough deputies wrote 4,800 red light violations, with three fatalities attributed to red-light runners. In 2007, the sheriff's office caught 3,784 violators. One fatality was directly attributable to a red-light violation that year.

Want to add your voice to the debate? Go to Southshore.tbo.com, keyword "traffic cameras" and add your thoughts.

It's about time.

Posted by Tballinger

It is definitely an epidemic that needs curing. Even law enforcement ignores the blatant red-light running. I saw three red-light runners blow through the intersection this morning in front of a motorcycle officer who did nothing. Wake up officers. It isn't just speed that kills!

Posted by Renelopezwa

I think it's a great idea, especially for those that don't run red lights; anything for safer driving.

Posted by Roberto

If you want to get everyone's attention then start enforcing the existing traffic laws. Get involved in their pockets and money and it will slow down. For repeat offenders an effective county work farm is the way to go. We were on Interstate 4 this week, in the right lane doing 65 to 70 mph and we were the slowest with just a few exceptions. Not a trooper or county patrol car the entire trip over to Orlando and back. And yet we have fiscal problems in Florida. Come on now, this looks like an easy solution with a win-win result. Please lower my taxes and let the speeders pay for it.

Posted by RRR

Cameras work well in Europe and will be warmly welcomed by me. I'd rather get a ticket in the mail than a body bag in the morgue.

Posted by 91stormvet

Great idea. Cameras don't need retirement benefits - another way of saving taxpayers money. Thank you.

Posted by Jac

If they send me a picture of me running a red light, then I send them a picture of my check to pay the fine.

Posted by Doofy

What a great idea. Every morning I see people continue to keep turning in those left-hand turning lanes long after the light has turned red. It is about time they are held accountable!

Posted by Allyally

I am normally super critical of anything having to do with cameras and ticketing. However, this red-light-running thing is dangerous and totally out of control. If the cops can't physically get themselves to patrol these intersections and ticket people, then cameras need to be installed. One of these idiots could kill me, a loved one or any of you. They have no respect for anyone out there. I'd rather not die because of someone else's lack of respect.

Posted by Natas

These cameras are not 100 percent accurate.

Another money-making scheme.

Posted by Third_leg

If the lights were timed properly not only in Hillsborough, but Pinellas and Pasco, running red lights would be cut down. People get very impatient with the way the lights are set up. You cannot go more than one block without getting stopped by the next light. I have seen lights on Dale Mabry Highway turn green and the very next one turns red at the same time. What kind of setup is that? The traffic lights are to help improve the flow of traffic, not impede it.

Posted by JamesD

I would normally say that this sounds like a good idea. But does anybody remember how much money was spent on "cameras" in Ybor City to catch wanted criminals? Hopefully, this doesn't turn out to be as big of a waste of our money as those were.

Posted by Sergeantnic

Another scam for quick money. Maybe they should first look at the scrambled mess of signals, bad timing, knots of start-and-stop traffic struggling from signal to signal and choke-point engineering, which is what you get when you only design roads with computer programs.

Posted by Magic8101

Let's see what happens when they are installed. I work in downtown Tampa and I've yet to see someone run a red light, at least not while I'm out there during lunch.

Posted by Yankee

It's about time! The blatant disregard for traffic rules is an epidemic in this town! I've never seen so many people completely disregard traffic signals. It is surprising that there are not more accidents! I've sat at an intersection and watched sometimes two to three cars just blow on through a red light. People just don't seem to think that the rules apply to them. Well I hope this makes a difference!

Posted by Lovetorun62

This method is used throughout Australia and it works. They also use them for speeders. Because of this, police can spend more time in higher crime activity areas and less time trying to get speeders and red light runners. I think it's a great idea.

Posted by DahVeed

Downtown Lakeland has cameras already installed and have been for several years. Really, I'm not sure how much money the state makes off of the tickets, due to the fact that people refute that it was them driving the car in court. There are ups and downs to every situation. However, I'm for it. They could potentially save a life, which makes them worth whatever price that has to be paid.

Posted by Lauriem

Another example of intrusive government. More and more they need to know what the average Joe is doing. This isn't about safety, it's about controlling us and our actions!

Posted by Lloyd

Having been hit by someone running a red light (about 25 seconds after it turned red). I am all for these. It will certainly help with insurance claims for when the same person said his light was green. Yes, some cities have abused these to "make money." And in this day and age it is hard not to be too cynical about hidden agendas. But drive around the U.K. and pretty near every city and town have them and they work well. It's a lot safer for law enforcement too as they don't have to run the same red light that the (red-light runner) just ran. Yes, the timing should be tweaked to make them more effective, but we keep hearing they don't have the technology in place to do this.

Posted by Elsiefire

Can't wait to see this implemented! There are several intersections in Brandon where red-light running happens on a daily basis.

Posted by Rn01

I think this is a wonderful idea and long overdue. A few years ago, a man blew through a red light and T-boned my husband who also had a baby in the car. The car was totaled. Thankfully, no one was hurt because we owned a heavy Buick. I'm also sick of paying high insurance premiums because of these idiots. The next law they should enact is no cell phones while driving. Period. Some states already have this law, and it is badly needed here. I can't tell you how many near-misses I've seen because of some fool on a cell phone. Pull off the road if you want to gab. I refuse to answer my cell phone if I am driving. I pull off when I can and look to see who called.

Posted by Abuela1942

It's about time. In Germany, the boxes are mounted at every big intersection and they rotate the cameras. You never knew where the cameras are until you got your ticket in the mail with a nice picture of yourself and a hefty fine.

Posted by Jimkroll

Too many treat driving as a right, not the privilege it is. Road manners in Hillsborough County are atrocious. There is more competition than cooperation on the roads and it seems to be getting worse all the time. Courtesy is contagious, but so is lack of courtesy, and that is clearly what has the upper hand here. Yes to cameras.

Posted by Chipshot

This is going to save lives in the long run. It should be implemented ASAP!

Posted by Reality

Delays in the changing of the light to green from the time the other light turns red prevents accident.

The only thing cameras do is collect money for the government. This is about collecting money not about reducing accidents. Do not buy into this farce!

Posted by Ron

How much money are we spending on the study? The cameras are needed - just do it and quit wasting time and money on studies!

Posted by Keira

I have seen this work in Europe for stop lights and speeders. It seems to be a very logical and effective way to enforce traffic laws, leaving time to work on real crime to policemen. Here, you can go to traffic court to argue a ticket given by a cop, but a photo with the driver in it is a bit more difficult to dispute. It may put a few lawyers out of a job - but, wait -- there are still openings as ambulance chasers.

Posted by Subaqueous

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