Peoria City Council Quiet About Decision to Extend Photo Contract

shhh

The Peoria City Council apparently does not want the public to know about its recent decision to extend the red light photo enforcement contract with Redflex. The pilot program began in 2008 and is up for renewal every year. In August the Arizona Republic reported that accidents more than doubled at intersections where cameras are installed. While most organizations would probably cancel a pilot program the decisively showed results the exact opposite of what was desired, the Peoria City Council didn’t let the program results get in the way of their quest for revenue as they voted to extend the “pilot” program for another year.

The Peoria City Council usually is not shy about reporting its decisions and accomplishments to its citizens, except apparently when it comes to the deadly red light camera program. In the latest quarterly newsletter, the Peoria Focus Issue 4 (2009) sent to all residents, the section titled “City Council Highlights” fails to mention this decision to extend the contract. There’s over an inch and a half of extra (blank) column space to print this news, so space or higher-priority content is not the issue. The column does mention such minor announcements as decisions to accept and authorize grants, contracts, or spending in the amount of $3,000, $30,000 and $36,000 and more, so contract size or impact definitely isn’t an issue. Surely the decision to extend a contract to Redflex would be included… but only if they wanted the citizens to be more aware of their decision to keep the cash coming in at the expense of the health and safety of their constituents. It seems that the council is very well aware of the public sentiment regarding photo enforcement and their hoping to just let this issue slip under the radar.

Photo Enforcement Continues to Burden the Innocent

 

Don't Waste My Time

Innocent vehicle owners continue to be victimized, harassed, and burdened with erroneous photo enforcement tickets. Despite promises and claims by officials that all tickets are reviewed for accuracy prior to being issued, many obvious erroneous tickets are issued every day.

 

In this latest article in the Arizona Daily Star, we learn that the designer of the novelty plate ‘N JOY AZ’ who has the one and only real license plate on his vehicle constantly receives tickets that should have been issued to vehicles displaying the novelty plate. Despite obvious vehicle description mismatches and the fact that novelty plates are often placed on the fronts of vehicles rather than the rear, DPS, Redflex, and other scamera companies are unable or unwilling to let these discrepancies deter their quest for profit.

Novelty plates in the wrong location aren’t the only problems that scamera companies have with being correct. A couple in Wyoming tells us that Redflex has trouble telling the difference between a Wyoming truck and a car license plate.

Of course, there are the classic incidents where parked vehicles received speeding tickets in the Netherlands and the UK.

And then there are the incidents where the equipment malfunctions or is set wrong, like when 600 tickets in Scottsdale were tossed due to a faulty sensor.

Don’t speed and you have nothing to worry about? Think again… We ALL need to be worried about this theft of time and resources taken from the innocent drivers who are burdened with spending time and money and incurring expenses in order to clear their records.

Red Light Cameras Again Prove Ineffective and Dangerous: Accidents Increase 133% in Temple Terrace, FL

Red Light Camera Accident

It’s no surprise to those of us at CameraFraud, but councilman Halloway of Temple Terrace, FL was shocked on Friday to hear that accidents INCREASED at red light camera intersections in his city, according to ABC News. Halloway had fallen for ATS’ slick sales fantasy of safety and profits and didn’t want to believe the news that could jeopardize the city’s cash cow, “That’s nonsense. Where are you getting your data?” City Councilor Ken Halloway asked. After being shown the data from the city, he still didn’t want to accept the harsh reality, “That doesn’t sound right to me.”

Believe it councilman, your city is just one on the growing list of cities where red light cameras have been proven to be deadly and dangerous:

• Upland, CA
• Peoria, AZ
• Grande Prairie, AB
• San Bernadino, CA
• Costa Mesa, CA
• El Monte, CA
• Loma Linda, CA

What do these cities all have in common? They all have what is referred to as “infomercial syndrome.” The city councils were mesmerized by the incredible claims and smooth presentation… increased safety… easy money… won’t cost you anything… we take care of everything. It’s so easy! Act Now! And just like the consumer who bought an Ab Roller expecting amazing results, these cities are realizing that the claims are all bogus. In reality, the answers are simple, but they are the answers that no one wants to hear. The person who bought the Ab Roller really just needs a trainer and a gym membership. The cities that bought red light cameras need to order an honest traffic engineering study for each problem location and listen the advice of true unbiased professionals who will most likely recommend that yellow light timing be increased.

More Automated Ticketing Contracts Terminated

Contract Terminated

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for beleaguered Redflex Traffic Systems after losing 3 contracts this week due to successful ballot initiatives, more bad news came this week when Upland, CA announced that they were terminating their contract with Redflex, as reported by Examiner.com.

Sgt Matthews of the Upland Police Dept. said they terminated the contract with Redflex and removed the cameras at the end of June. “They were not effective in our city. What matters to us is the effectiveness in the city of Upland.” The cameras were “ineffective in reducing collisions”, which was the point of the cams, he said.

A report prepared by the police chief mentioned frequently cited objections to automated ticketing machines in recommending termination of the contract:

• Cameras had “...little influence on the number of red light related collisions at monitored intersections. At times rear end collisions have actually increased.”
• The system tied up police resources that could be spent fighting real crime
• Illegal provisions in the contract.

In the end, the straw that likely broke the camel’s back was the fact that the city was losing money on the program.

Examiner.com also reports that neighboring city Montclair also decided to discontinue it’s program run by Nestor which was recently acquired by ATS.

Evidently, you can put a price on “photo safety.” Fortunately, few cities are willing to pay for it.

Breaking: Cameras Rejected Nationwide

Photo Radar / Photo Enforcement has never survived a public vote in the United States

Breaking News:  Automated ticketing schemes– including red light cameras– appear to have been defeated by public vote in two communities in Ohio as well as one in Texas.

Beleaguered Redflex Group of Australia appears to have failed in their attempts to keep their invasive surveillance and ticketing products on the roadways in Heath / Chillicothe Ohio, while American Traffic Solutions faces termination in College Station, Texas.

UPDATE: ATS paid community outsiders to hold pro-cam signs and call police on actual voters:

News 3 asked a consultant from “Keep College Station Safe” and ATS, if the two men were paid. The consultant, also from

Houston, told News 3 at least 12 people were “under contract.”