Larry David caught on a red-light camera from the "Thor" episode from "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Chicago will join in a nationwide protest against red light cameras, which some argue are more about generating revenue than public safety, this Sunday, Feb. 14, from noon to 3 p.m. at the corner of Addison and Western. (Photo from HBO)
Chicago will participate in a Nationwide Red Light Camera Protest this Sunday, Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, from noon to 3 p.m. at the corner of Addison and Western.
Cities throughout the United States will be staging their own red-light camera demonstrations, including St. Louis, Savannah, Ga., Columbia, Mo., Austin, Tex., Philadelphia, Phoenix and more.
The nationwide protest against red light cameras is being organized by the Liberty Restoration Project, with Republican candidate for 11th State Legislative District Scott Tucker organizing the Chicago event.
Some argue that red light cameras are installed for public safety as a measure to prevent collisions at intersections from drivers blowing red lights or not coming to complete stops when making right turns at red lights. But investigative research by journalists and advocacy groups show that red light cameras are a form of tax to entrap drivers and raise revenue, than preventative public safety.
After the Chicago Tribune looked at accident records for 88 red light camera intersections in its investigative report from July 2009 highlighted on the Parking Ticket Geek blog, “nearly all had many more rear-end crashes than angle crashes. At some intersections targeted for cameras, few accidents of any kind had occurred.”
The protest isn’t for drivers who want to speed or drive recklessly, but for hard-working folks who may have been unfairly nabbed with costly tickets by hair-trigger red light cameras.
Check out the Nationwide Red Light Camera Protest Facebook Group for more information about the protest, and the Liberty Restoration Project for video of past protests.
Yes, it’s Valentine’s Day, but make some signs and go to the protest, then out to dinner afterward.
Other sites carrying info about the Chicago Red Light Camera Protest:
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Oh, Puh-leeze!
I love red light cameras!
As a pedestrian, I can tell you that they are totally necessary! You get a walk light & the turning cars just keep going through the red light.
As a driver, they eliminate backups caused by idiots that run lights & cause the cross traffic to not get to go when the light turns green!
And comparing rear end crashes with T-bone crashes is irresponsible!
There are few serious injuries from rear end crashes, just vehicle damage, but people die from T-bone & other angle crashes & spend months in the hospital from them! And their cars are totaled.
So trading say, 10 serious T-bone wrecks for even a 100 non serious rear enders is a trade-off I’ll take any day & every day!
And to the fools that are mad because they got caught making a right turn on red & DIDN’T STOP!
Tough!
The law says you make the turn on red after a complete stop & you let all pedestrians cross!
Obey the law & you don’t get the ticket, it’s not that complicated!
To “Unindicted Co Conspirator” are you even a driver or just a pedestrian?? Obviously you haven’t looked at the statistics. IF you did you would see that the statistics are overwhelming that the lights cause way more many accidents than they prevent. AND, your theory is all well and good if the city would just have a reasonable left turn arrangement. Many of the intersections that have red light cameras have no left turn lane; or if they do, they have no turn arrow or advance green that would allow drivers to make a legal turn. So drivers have no choice but to turn on a yellow or red light because that is the only way to make a left turn in many of these intersections. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a little better timing and organization at these intersections would go a long way to resolving the problem without the need for cameras. This is nothing more than an unapologetic cash grab by a desperate city government. Maybe you don’t mind it but I personally resent the city fleecing people like this.
gee…nice to see Chicagoans protesting the “important” issues of the day. (that was sarcasm – popular amongst jews of the East and West Coasts) .
Maybe Chicago’s gay ghetto residents will grow a pair some day and protest the lack of gay equal marriage rightsin the state as well as the nation.
To Fed up Driver:
You are a fool!
You are allowed to turn left when a light has turned red if you passed through the crosswalk BEFORE the light turned red!
Or have you forgotten the written test you took on Elston Ave?
And all of the camera setups I’ve seen have left turn lanes, except the ones where left turns are prohibited, like eastbound Hollywood at Sheridan.
You jerks that blow through lights are just pissed off at finally getting caught!
Do me a favor, stand at a corner that doesn’t have a camera & watch all the cars blow through the red light. Here’s a real good one: Clark & Devon. It has both left turn lanes & loop detectors for left turn signals from Clark. According to your theory, there’s no reason for anyone to run the light from Clark St, but they do & they do it all day long!
Broadway and Bryn Mawr also has a left turn lane and signal which does not prevent people (and I use the term loosely) from turning left onto Ridge at any time they please. I have had left-turning northbound drivers actually honk at me for crossing with the walk light. Please, please, please install a red light camera there — if it’s on a hair-trigger, all the better.
[...] Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Red Light Cameras Have Got To Go [...]