[Robotgroup] Real "robocops" coming to austin...

[Vern Graner]

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2 red light cameras being tested downtown

By: News 8 Austin Staff
www.news8austin.com

The city is getting ready to test its red light camera
pilot program in downtown Austin.

Two red light cameras have been installed at the
southbound frontage road of Interstate 35 and MLK
Boulevard and 11th Street at I-35. They will start
taking pictures in two weeks.

City officials say those two intersections have the
highest number of red light-related accidents.

"There's been information or studies funded by the
Federal Highway Administration that demonstrate that
these programs greatly reduce the amount of red-light
accidents," Joe Ramos of the city of Austin said.

The purpose of the program is to compare two
companies, Red Flex and American Traffic Solutions,
which make the red light cameras. This test is being
paid for by the vendors.

The camera will capture the picture from behind, so
that it captures both the vehicle and the red light in
the same photo.

For 60 days, the city will record how many people are
running red lights at those intersections, but
violators won't be ticketed.

Once the program is launched, a citation will be
mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Violators could face fines of $75 and contest
citations in Municipal Court.
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Interesting counter to their claims of "these programs greatly reduce 
the amount of red-light accidents"

http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/2007Virginia.pdf

 From the federally the above federally funded study:

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one jurisdiction (Arlington) suggests that cameras are associated with 
an increase in all six crash types that were explicitly studied 
(rearend, angle, red light running, injury red light running, total 
injury, and total).
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A nice article that also details how the claims of "greatly reduced" 
accidents are exagerated:

http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/home/rear-end-collisions-go-up/

Vern

-- 
Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE    | "If the network is down, then you're
Senior Systems Engineer    | obviously incompetent so why are we
Texas Information Services | paying you? Of course, if the network
http://www.txis.com        | is up, then we obviously don't need
Austin Office 512 328-8947 | you, so why are we paying you?" ©VLG