Shot In The Dark: Adios Cameras

March 15, 2006

Adios Cameras - For Now

Minneapolis' "Stop on Red" program - which used robot radar cameras to catch drivers running red lights - has been tossed in court:

The ruling Tuesday to shut off the cameras doesn't necessarily mean the thousands of people who have paid the $142 fine will be getting a refund, and further legal action may be needed to sort out that issue. The "Stop on Red" program, started in July, generated about $1 million in the first six months. Nearly half of that was paid to the camera company.

More than 26,000 people have received tickets under the city's Stop on Red ordinance, which presumes the owner was the driver during the offense. The owner must prove that someone else was driving to avoid a conviction.

The law violated due process afforded drivers in other Minnesota laws.\

Good riddance.

Posted by Mitch at March 15, 2006 06:12 AM | TrackBack

Comments

It also violated the right to confront and cross examine your accuser. Big Brother big time.

Posted by: Kermit at March 15, 2006 08:54 AM

In the British spy spoof "Johnny English" starring Rowan Atkinson, the lead character is photographed going through a red light while chasing bad guys across London. He uses his rear view mirror to take aim at the radar camera and fires a small missle from his spy car, instantly obliterating the intrusive device.

I stood up and applauded that scene when I first saw it. In my living room, of course.

Not that anyone in Mpls would do such a thing. I think that missle equipped cars are banned up there, right?

Posted by: Dave in Pgh. at March 15, 2006 11:01 AM

The MAN was infringing on our rights! The Bushitlers were taking away our civil liberties! They have to be fought, man, they're trying to control everything we do. Impeach the Establishment! Speak Truth to Power!

Oh, it was the Leftist DFL and Greens doing this?

Never mind.

Posted by: nerdbert at March 15, 2006 11:55 AM

Anyone have a list of cities that have these cameras? The lists I've seen have been things like "including cities such as New York, San Francisco, San Diego..." and the like. I haven't seen any cities with "red" administrations in them, but I've seen lots of "blue" city governments involved. Does anyone have a breakdown of how these things play out?

Posted by: nerdbert at March 15, 2006 12:17 PM

Washington, D.C. has them. Surprise!

Posted by: Kermit at March 15, 2006 12:38 PM

Well, one red state, but blue city, Columbus Ohiiiio (better known as "Cowtown" to you folks), just bought a passel of 'em.

And the revenue generated (but not the rights violated) has now gone down from an estimated 1.4 mil to a yearly take of only 4-hundo.

That doesn't mean that the kickback that was paid (undoubtably) to the demo city council was in anyway affected by the revised revenue outlook.

Funny, though the dominoes just keep tumbling, the libs AND the neocons all say the theory is just a theory.

Strange how the party that platforms "civil liberty" is the party continually violating it, especially at a local level.

'Course, the neocons are doin' their part too....

Posted by: jackscrow at March 15, 2006 09:12 PM

Sioux Falls, South Dakota has these red light cameras. Sioux Falls is definitely a red city, though it aspires to be Minneapolis.

Posted by: LubNutz at March 16, 2006 11:30 AM