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Written on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at 9:03pm by Alan Bedenko | 6 Comments

Protest Red Light Cameras with Shredd & Ragan

Last month, I wrote about Buffalo’s push to install red light cameras at key intersections throughout the city. Far from being a safety measure, these cameras are nothing but a cash cow for the city.

And they don’t work – at least, not from the safety side, anyway:

Rather than improving motorist safety, red-light cameras significantly increase crashes and are a ticket to higher auto insurance premiums, researchers at the University of South Florida College of Public Health conclude. The effective remedy to red-light running uses engineering solutions to improve intersection safety, which is particularly important to Florida’s elderly drivers, the researchers recommend.

The Shredd & Ragan show is organizing a protest Tuesday – be in McKinley Niagara Square, in front of City Hall at 1:30pm.

EDIT: The release I received called it “McKinley” Square and I didn’t change it because I figured people could figure it all out.

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6 Comments

  1. Christopher Smith says:
    March 23, 2009 at 9:44 pm

    Do I bring a teabag to this protest?

  2. Mike In WNY says:
    March 23, 2009 at 10:14 pm

    Uh, that would be Niagara Square for Buffalonians, home of the McKinley monument.

  3. Terry says:
    March 24, 2009 at 5:28 am

    BP wasn’t here back in the days of Ft. Makowski, lol……. He’s a newbie.

  4. Ward says:
    March 24, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Gov. Haley Barbour of Miss. (that’s right BP–the Incubus) just signed a bill last Friday, banning red light cameras in his state.

    http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20090323/NEWS01/90323015

  5. Ward says:
    March 24, 2009 at 2:25 pm

    Gov. Haley Barbour of Miss. (that’s right BP–the Incubus) just signed a bill last Friday, banning red light cameras in his state.

    http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20090323/NEWS01/90323015
    Sorry, should have said great post! Waiting on your next post!

  6. hank says:
    March 24, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    Mecklenburg County (aka Buffalo South) has been using the cameras since 1999. Not just anywhere, but in the 20 odd intersections where the most accidents occur.

    I’ve mentioned before that although I don’t know how the statute reads, a Buffalo cop once told me “Yellow means start stopping, not punching the gas pedal”

    In NC yellow means “Proceed with caution” through the intersection, and I always thought that was why there were so many wrecks at busy intersections.

    The cameras don’t generate as much revenue as the county would like, because angry rednecks keep shooting up the cameras.

    However, the accidents where the cameras have been installed are down on the average over 25%. Here you have to ask the question—Do I take a chance on a 50.00 ticket, and/or smashing up my transpo?