Automobilia
Redflex, Canton Ohio, and Red Light Camera Studies
Red light camera studies abound. In the final informational meeting for Canton Ohio’s proposed red light and speed camera ticketing system, Aaron Rosenberg, the Redflex Executive Vice President brought his “A” game. This presentation was much more involved, cited more statistics and studies, and was thoroughly debunkable.
In starting the meeting, he gave a backhanded compliment to me. He gestured towards me mentioning that “I have my figures and this gentleman has his…” in regards to whether or not accidents are reduced at intersections with ticketing cameras.
But what is the truth? The Truth About Cars has a nice article about how gaping chasms of lies, half-truths, and skewed results seem to be in every study commissioned by those with a financial stake in these cameras. The Newspaper, whose excellent English coverage of all things traffic camera related is a godsend, has a handy roundup . Plenty of quotable quotes in there, including a couple of studies from researchers in Australia its self, where Redflex is based.
During the last meeting Rosenberg quoted a North Carolina study, attributing it to “a college” and he continued that “you know they are impartial because they have no financial stake in the red light cameras.” This study may or may not be it.
He also referenced the Oxnard, CA study saying that “Fully 80% of residents were pleased with the Red Light Camera Systems and their performance. They called and interviewed 1006 people. I don’t know the population of Oxnard, CA, but I do know that this study has been used for years to sell cities on installing Redflex’s systems. One fairly glaring problem: The study is complete hogwash. Actual independent analysis concluded that: “The Oxnard red light camera study violates many basic principles of sound statistical public health research and lacks internal and external validity,” Florida researchers concluded. “All red light camera investigations should be scrutinized for adherence to applied research methods since studies with greater adherence to quasi-experimental research designs have concluded red light cameras are associated with large increases in crashes and since special interest groups with a financial stake in red light camera use are actively working to influence public opinion and policy.” (quoted from The Newspaper article linked from “Oxnard, CA” above). Which means they paid for the studies, and got the results they were asking for.
Anyway, also read this admonishion from Topix user quarterwave details the plethora of problems that Chillicothe is having with Redflex and their crooked cameras.
Quite damning, isn’t it?
An increase in crashes means an increase in injuries, something that Redflex and the cities partnered with them want you to ignore. This blatant disregard for citizens’ and visiting motorists’ safety is disgusting. All the cities with these crash inducing systems are exposing themselves to ENORMOUS liability. There will be lawsuits when people get spinal or whiplash injuries, especially those that can barely be treated, or leave them paralyzed for life.
Well, we’ve only started our journey into the dark and devious world where Redflex stalks every driver, tickets many of them maliciously and erroneously, and steals as much as it can grab. Follow me down the rabbit hole, and let’s expose these villains for what they are. See you next crime.
-Nicholas Cincinat
Cold and fuming, Navarre – Feb 11th, 2009
Redflex, Canton Ohio, and red light cameras uncensored
Warning! Graphic accident footage. Not for the squeamish, may be NSFW!
The above video was taken at the last informational meeting for the city of Canton, OH’s proposed Redflex Camera Initiative. The pedestrian, which was crossing on a don’t walk signal, was pronounced dead at the scene, but was later revived, so there were no fatalities in this accident.
I attended the first meeting of the four they held in Canton, as well as the last, where I filmed that clip. I had called ahead to make sure I would be allowed to attend the first meeting, especially as I am not a city resident. They are probably regretting allowing me to attend and ask questions by now.
A few things I want to make clear. I acted, probably more than a bit, like an ass at that first meeting. I’d like to sincerely apologize here, and I had already half-apologized to Mayor Healy, and Mr. Rosenberg, the Redflex salesman in the comments from the newspaper article I was quoted in.
Secondly, I do not have any children of my own, the ones I was quoted as being worried about were my brother’s three beautiful kids, that love to hang out with their “Uncle Nick,” and also enjoy riding in the ‘way-back’ jumper seats in my station wagon(s). I will admit that I became more than a little emotional, and I increased my volume to try not to let my voice crack when I yelled that ‘any increased accidents and injuries would be their fault.’
Thirdly, I was utterly negligent in accusing the Redflex representative of his company and employees committing various crimes such as deleting ticket violations for the CEO or other executives. Never happened. The article I read basically stated that ‘Redflex and ACS ticketing systems have the ability to make sure their employees are not issued violations.’ I will be linking these, and many more articles in this blog soon.
I would like to point out that I did attend the final informational meeting at the North Branch of the Stark County Library. At no point did I interrupt the meeting. I didn’t make any speeches, or try to get myself on WEWS Channel 5 News, which was there covering the meeting. I was not permitted to speak, as there were plenty of extremely concerned residents attending, and I fully understand their reluctance to let me do any more damage to their cause, ESPECIALLY since I had thrown around such unfounded allegations before. I may have made some snide comments directed towards the ears of the persons seated around me, but I’m sorry, it’s hard for me to hold my tongue in the face of outright deception.
Well, since then, I’ve done the research I should have completed before the meetings on these systems, and I have no excuses to offer other than laziness, and procrastination, for my previous mistaken allegations. I have found concrete, verifiable problems though, and proof that Redflex blatantly violated State and Federal laws. As any company would be severely remiss not to send Cease & Desist letters to any website or newspaper that reported anything untrue about them, lest their image be irreversibly tarnished, I believe the sources I’ll be using are completely trustworthy, and reporting the full truth of the matters of Red Light Camera Systems.
Now, at the conclusion of this editorial I wrote for TTAC, I stated that I’m starting a petition to put the red light camera issue before the voters. It is due by August 20th of this year (2009), but I hope to file the signatures much earlier than that.
I will be dissecting the arguments made by Canton, and Redflex in this, my personal blog, as well as updating the status on the efforts to get a petition filed so that the voters can decide whether or not they need these types of systems in Canton, OH.
There is also another Canton Red Light Camera Blog. I do not know the gentleman who is currently running that website, but I am glad that others are now giving the issues some of the attentions they deserve.
In the interests of full disclosure, I am going to confess that I, Nicholas Cincinat, have had red light and stop sign “violations” in the past. Each and every one of these was paid for, by me, and while I may have groused about them a little at the time, I admitted my mistakes, and owned up to them. A couple of the violations I have perfectly reasonable excuses for why I absolutely HAD to ‘run the red light,’ and for the rest, I have nothing but explanations. The city of Canton, OH, Redflex, or some pro-camera citizens group may try to use these against me in a smear campaign to try to paint me as a “dangerous driver” or “scofflaw,” so I wanted to get this out there now, for everyone to see that I have nothing to hide. I have only ever been in one accident in the past, which I was not at fault for. Also, even Mr. Rosenberg admitted to having red light or speeding violations in the past so let’s keep things on the real issues which are the Company and the Cameras.
Anyway, I hope that the citizens of Canton Ohio will be permitted to decide this issue, based on the facts, for themselves. Thanks to both of the people who got lost and ended up here for reading this.
Less than Zero
You cannot produce any product with ever-increasing quality and durability, and make sales gains year upon year forever. Not unless your customer pool is increasing almost exponentially. Therein lies the dilemma of each and every automobile manufacturer, domestic AND imported in the U.S. market today. They’ve all but manufactured themselves out of business. Their cars are already piling up on our shores, as well as in the middle of our country (buy a beach front parking space NOW if you can!). My humble prediction is that if the Detroit 3 go under, so do Toyandissan as well, within the next year after the first domestic company files (unless President-elect Obama rides in and fixes the Waggoner).
Why will they have to file? Whether it’s jingoistic backlash (laughable), an employee reVOLT (i.e. massive strikes and T-workers finally hopping into bed with that ‘dirty’ UAW), or other unforeseen complications, it is going to happen. Or did we forget the memo that was leaked from Toyota that basically stated “We need to drop our American workers’ wages down to a more palatable rate, say $8.25 per hour.” You don’t talk about cutting wages by $300M unless that is exactly what you want to do. Toyota has wisely looked at executive compensation cuts to make up some of this budget target, but it still will not save them unless they can start selling cars, immediate like.
When everyone and their brother-in-law started buying these brand new cars, it had the effect of creating a staggering glut of perfectly serviceable used cars that even now hang out in dealer lots, visit the auctions without selling, and even languish in private sellers’ hands, sitting for weeks or months (hey, AutoTrader ads will run until it sells!) until they eventually lower the price or accept a lowball offer that meets the eviscerated resale values.
There are so many new and used cars and trucks out there that if every auto manufacturer were to shut down tomorrow, they could easily be maintained for decades, if not centuries. Especially with all the newly freed up parts manufacturing capacity we are going to have. For proof of this, you need only look to Havana, Cuba, where old Detroit iron has soldiered on for decades without the support of the manufacturer (which may be similar to what we’re going to see in this country if any or all of Our Boys go Chapter 7).
The most glaring place where all the automobile companies went wrong is in the selling of far too many trucks to way too many people who were willing to beg too darned much from the banks to get them. All financing follies aside, Trucks, and by extension SUVs survive much longer than cars in most uses. Even when they are driven harder, longer, and rougher than mere passenger cars, they are much more durable, and will soldier on that much longer (if they are just properly maintained). So what happens when you give them to soccer moms who don’t abuse them or even use them for actual heavy duty work ? They will last practically forever, except those that rust out, or get the old insurance roast, and meanwhile no one except the hard-core workmen will need more trucks. But why buy new when there are so many lightly-used, pristine, potential work-horses available out there? You can buy a new truck for $30,000+ or you can buy 3 2008 F-250 repos for about $33,000 (one example multiplied by three, @ $10,500 ea. plus a reasonable $500 ea. purchasing fee for New Car Consultant Stephen Lang ).
It’s like the story (my goo-search turned up nothing) of the company that made a better light bulb (CFLs?) and priced them the same as a regular incandescent, then promptly went out of business(or so the story goes) because people weren’t buying any replacement light bulbs. Well, people are no longer buying replacement cars, either because they don’t need them, or because they can’t get them financed, or both.
You hear anecdotes about people running a Camry for 80,000 miles without an oil change, and Top Gear can’t kill the Toyota Hi-Lux, you’re creating an entire race of ‘zombie cars’ that refuse to die.
While I appreciate the increasing quality, and durability in products, and I’m also a big fan of reasonable prices, I recognize the sheer orgy of volume sales is done. This recession/depression is assuredly not what any of us wants, and while it damages everyone, be it Honda, Toyota, or Ford, (and the rest), this entire market was due for a correction, just as the oil futures bubble burst, so has the new car sales bubble. No matter how many sales get traded amongst the car companies, the market is now shrinking and this is a Less Than Zero Sum Game.
A Modest Automotive Proposal (pt 2)
I do therefore humbly offer it to public consideration that of the hundred and twenty thousand executives already computed, twenty thousand may be reserved for actual management of the company, and my reason is, that these many executives seldom sow the fruits of good management, a circumstance much to blame on their savage accountant overseers, therefore one executive will be sufficient to each serve four UAW stewards, and one thousand workers. That the remaining hundred thousand may, at a year later, be offered in the sale to the companies of quality and fortune through the Stock Market; always advising the Government to let them suckle plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump and fat for a good pink slip.
I have reckoned upon average that a vehicle just born should weigh around 3200 pounds, and in each model year, if tolerably nursed toward fuel efficiency, decreaseth by a minimum 28 pounds per annum.
I grant this adding of lightness will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper in meeting the CAFE restrictions, who, congressional leaders have mandated, seeming in thought that they have all the best ideas for imposing on the companies.
UAW protests will be in season throughout the year, but more plentiful in March, and a little before and after; for we are told by a grave author, an eminent economic physician, that wages and benefits being their prolific diet, there is more overproduction about nine months after Lent than at any other season; therefore, reckoning a year after Lent, the markets will be more glutted than usual, because the number of domestics dealerships is at least three to one in this kingdom versus the transplants: and therefore it will have one other collateral advantage, of lessening the number of dealerships among us.
I have already computed the charge of nursing a beggar’s supplier (in which list I reckon all dealers, laborers, and four-fifths of the suppliers) to be about 9 billions per annum, per company, rags included; and I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten billions each for the funding of the carcass of a good fat company, which, as I have said, will make a minimum four sales of brands and toolings, when he hath only to invite the Chinese to dine with him. Thus the manufacturers will learn to be good landlords, and grow popular among their dealers; the manufacturer will no longer have eight shilling brands competing for a net profit, and all will be fit for work till they produce another desperately needed profitable, and desirable vehicle.
Those who are more thrifty (as I must confess the times require) may flay the carcass; the skin and bones of those which will be imported from Europe will hopefully make admirable sales to ladies, and be affordably financeable for all fine gentlemen.
As to our city of Detroit, shambles may be appointed for annual fire sales, with the fires being set to said cars if they do not sell in a timely manner.
A very worthy person, a true lover of his country, and whose virtues I highly esteem, was lately pleased in taking a sum of two hundred and twenty million offered to leave the once leading home improvement house he had been chief of. He said that many gentlemen of this kingdom, having of late destroyed their employability, he conceived that the want of Cerebus might be well supplied by the “Boot ‘Em” strategies. But with due deference to so excellent a friend and so deserving a patriot, I cannot be altogether in his sentiments; for as to the investment company, that American canine flush with profits from other ventures, cannot see fit to invest in their own risks, as they find their taste quite disagreeable; and to parcel them out and sell the pieces would not answer the charge when they can suck on taxpayer moneys in stead.
Then as to the other Robert; which, I confess, hath always been with me in the strongest objections against any project, except those with the rear wheel drive, no matter how greenly intentioned. But in order to justify my friend, he confessed that this expedient is none other than the famous Lutz, a native of the island General-Motas, who came thence by jet above twenty years ago, and in conversation told the media, that in his opinion ‘global warming is a crock-o-shite,’ and all the media sold the quotes to persons appreciative of humor; and that in his time the body of Chevy Trailblazer was appointed as a Saab, and other among other great modifications of the court, the ignition was placed between the seats. Neither indeed can I deny, that if the same use were made to badge engineer every model in town, who without one single vision to their future fortunes cannot stir abroad without an Opel chairman, to appear at government playhouses and assemblies in foreign fineries which they never will pay for, asking in letters for bailouts lest their fortunes be the worse.