(Redflex) Canton Ohio Traffic Enforcement Cameras: Frequently Asked Questions Part 3: When & Where
Yeeehaw. Keepsakes.
Yes!!! Because it should always be up to me to prove my innocence. Guilty until proven innocent, has a nice authoritative ring to to, doesn’t it? Silly WedFwex, the Constitution is fowr viowating!
Anywhere we want! Fixed or mobile! Busy intersections, CHA-CHING!
I think state guidelines specify that yellow light timings are required to be 1 full second above the normal “recommended minimum” timing on all lights with traffic enforcement cameras. Good luck enforcing that regulation against these lying thieves.
Well, at least they’re letting everyone know where to target protests! Picket signs block cameras really well don’t they? One would think.
More ahead.
(Redflex) Canton Ohio Traffic Enforcement Cameras: Frequently Asked Questions part 4: Why
Money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, MONEY! That’s why!
The research you “conducted” wasn’t very thorough. I’d say it went so far as listening to the sales pitch of Mr. Rosenberg from Redflex, and completely ignored all the real safety concerns with these systems. Then you got hundreds of calls from angry constituents in your Wards, and did some actual research and reading on the subject and found out, hey, these things are bad, and the company that sells them is full of really bad people!
Every day, those hundreds of motorists run those red lights and speed, and for the most part, no one gets hurt! Shock! Horror! Nooooooooo…
If everybody else had a lobotomy, would you get one too? The only thing these traffic cameras “work” at is stealing money from motorist and putting them in increased danger of getting rear-ended.
We don’t have $1.6 million to purchase 20 cameras (they cost $80,000 each, or up to $120,000 per camera for the advanced ones), nor do we have the funds to operate the system. Plus they are of dubious legality, and we can’t afford the lawsuits. So we’ve hired these thugs to do it for us! See, everyone benefits, except those pesky motorists.
Small portion? Up to half of a $125-150 fine is not a small portion of anything, it’s unmitigated GREED.
Expensive system, more fines, bigger system or adjusted light times to cause more violations if revenues decrease. $20 million projected earnings depending on the city in the first year, yeah, it’s about safety and just recouping costs of operating and maintaining these cameras.
Onward we go, keep up, we’re almost there!
(Redflex) Canton Ohio Traffic Enforcement Cameras: Frequently Asked Questions Part 5: How
Sure, they claim the signs will be posted, but according to our friend Quarterwave in Chillicothe, “They also have refused to erect the proper signage.” Yeah, I think there should be a little bit of skepticism by now.
Here is a Haiku:
No signage present.
Redflex makes many more crash
People sad and hurt.
Anyone who wants to get out of a fine, legitimate violation or no, has two options.
Reassigning Violations to minor children with driver’s licenses, and telling them not to pay it, or just not paying anything to the company and City of Canton. They can’t DO anything to you except make one black mark on your credit report, or eventually try to come after you to garnish your wages.
Administrative Hearing in our Kangaroo Court. You can protest all you want, but you are guilty until proven innocent with these photos being supposed proof that you definitely were behind the wheel of your car. I’ve read (I’ll track down a link eventually) that a certain jurisdiction was allowed to tack on an extra $65-75 on top of the fine just for the hassle of actually having to try you in court! I think I read somewhere else (I’ll track it down if I’m able) that in one court, you had to PAY the violation BEFORE you were allowed to fight/contest it! Talk about a racket!!!
Anyway, when a petition is successful to get the issue on the ballot to kick the photo enforcement villains out of town, the people who refused to pay the civil fines generally are not responsible for them anymore, but the people who knuckled under to these thugs don’t get their moneys back. How fair is that?
Actually, all they have on their website is the same information in this pamphlet and the same questions. The most telling part of this is the legalese at the bottom. But if it were honest it should read “This brochure was created FOR the City of Canton with lies and manipulated statistics from Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc.
And I think that a public brochure can be reproduced for informative purposes. They were handing these out free at the meetings, so hopefully there should be no issue with my reposting the content here. Proper attribution was given, and really, I could claim that I’ve used the content for parody purposes, so the copyright can’t really be enforced against me.
Now don’t you feel safer already?
Redflex Perjury and 24/7 Monitoring
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/taxes-lies-and-videotape/
Rosenberg FALSELY claimed that Redflex’s camera systems DO NOT record 24/7, when explaining their system to residents of Canton, OH.
Redflex was apparently answering questions from the Arizona state legislature over the matter of HB 2106 , and Redflex committed perjury. Any lying or falsification in court constitutes perjury, but where you or I would be fined or thrown into prison for perjuring ourselves in a court of law, Redflex gets a free pass. The DPS (department of public safety) contradicted Redflex’s testimony that “the cameras do not record information 24/7.” This is domestic spying, plain and simple. I don’t care if the footage is never accessed, it IS sent back to Redflex, and kept for “an indeterminate amount of time.” Such abuse of the public trust cannot be allowed to stand. These private contractors and public officials are enriching themselves off of the backs of the citizens who have told them, time and time again, that we do not want these systems on our roadways.
Aaron Rosenberg also cited the completely debunked study from Oxnard, CA in his final presentation, stating that fully 85% of the residents supported the red-light ticketing schemes, and were happy with their implementation. I resisted correcting him loudly, but just barely.
Redflex spokesman Aaron Rosenberg stated at the last informational meeting in Canton, OH, that “You have no right to privacy in your car on public roads.”
Apparently the Constitution means nothing to these lying fraudsters.
There’s a bit in that Constitution that American citizens should be “secure in their persons and property.” Now one might argue that the intent of that law is to keep the government from stealing your freedom and possessions from you. But I think Castle doctrine could be stretched to include your automobile. If a man’s house is his castle, then his car is his carriage, and the wanton spying on and shaking down of motor vehicle OWNERS constitutes nothing but THEFT, just like roving gangs of bandits (in the medieval ages. Unlike the fictional Robin Hood, these fixed and roving thieves are robbing from the poor and destitute motorists to enrich their multinational holding company, as well as the greedy, rapacious, revenue-hungry state and local governments.
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/were-taping-you-247/
There you go, concrete proof that these villains are streaming video around the clock. Recording innocent citizens, not just capturing still images of violators as they claim.
Then, they go as far as adding cameras to TAPE THEIR OWN CAMERAS!
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/redflex-cameras-to-watch-cameras/
Nevermind that these cameras can be disabled in the same way the speed and red light cameras are (with yellow sticky notes), this is nothing but spying, spying, spying! Your freedoms and rights are being stolen away from you in the name of greed veiled by the dubious assertion of “safety!”
From my favorite comic book, Transmetropolitan, “Go listen to his address. Note down his lies. There will be many, so clear some memory on that hand-held of yours. Then go home and write an article that’ll make his eyes bleed and his sphincter collapse.”
With this in mind, I will be dissecting the informational pamphlet that was distributed at these informational meetings in my next posts. You know, the one that was riddled with inaccurate assumptions and outright lies about Canton’s need for the “safety” of these red light camera systems.
Stay tuned, both of you, my cherished, loyal readers.
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.
How To Stop Chain Emails and Chain Letters
Okay, this is your all purpose nullifier. This will stop dead any curse chain letter that you may ever recieve. You read this, and if you feel like it, then post it in your blog or journal, and you are forever protected. Nothing can ever harm you again unless you are weak minded enough to believe it. Even if a letter or list CLAIMS to supercede THIS statement, it will not. Seriously people, there is no point in messing with my voodoo unless you want an infinite duration of pain.
That being said, this statement also gives you free rein to turn a curse back on the person who was enough of an asshole to post one of those chain letters in your comments, or to send you the email, letter, etc. To do this, you must send the idiot who sent you the original chain letter, the precise number of copies of the email or comment or chain letter you were meant to distribute (or more). Any retaliation on their part will have no effect, as you are protected by this nullification statement. Besides, if you send them 10-15 emails or notes that state they have to send out an additional 10-15 MORE emails or comments per every copy you’ve sent them and they’ll bug the fuck out. I had some girl I had talked to back in the AOL days literally break down in tears, well, I got an email from her begging me to stop sending her the chain letters, the email was desperate/weepy.
Anywho, please do not distribute this without giving credit to me, but feel free to post it to your own blog, website, or comments wherever, that’s how the immunity works. Refer people to the original post here, or to read the post in your blog or journal. There is no sense in having a protective nullification statement if you’re just going to turn it into another fucking chain spam email.
So there we go:
Thank you for your time. -SexCpotatoes
P.S. and those goddamn question lists give you cancer, stop it or your genitals will most certainly fall off, then come back to life, and screw you until you bleed from all of your orifices. Good day.
From the Streets, Yo
Just a list of street suffixes. Did you know them all? What kind of “street” do you live on?
Alley
Avenue
Boulevard
Center
Circle
Court
Cresent
Dale
Drive
Expressway
Freeway
Garden
Grove
Heights
Highway
Hill
Knoll
Lane
Loop
Mall
Oval
Park
Parkway
Path
Pike
Place
Plaza
Point
Road
Route
Row
Run
Square
Street
Terrace
Thruway
Trail
Turnpike
Viaduct
Walk
Way
I wanna ratchet up the vitriol…
I wanna ratchet up the vitriol… I want my words to sear the flesh of my enemies, real or imagined, dialed down so tight they burn with the white hot fury of my very own brand of genius.
Stamp. Stamp. Stamp.
Read anything written by H.L. Mencken, The words of comic book character Spider Jerusalem, this is what I wish I could turn out every day, and I hope that I’m working towards it as I type. I’m sure it’s going slowly, but as long as progress is continually made, I guess I have nothing to complain about.
Don’t suffer the demagogues and boondoggles, call everyone out, including yourself, on half-truths, and destroy the bald-faced liars.
This post is extrapolated from a comment I left on this news article over at TTAC.
Basically, Colorado officials want gamble with their future by trying to double Photo Enforcement revenues and authorizing even more surveillance across the entire state.
I can’t wait for the backlash that’s coming against these Redflex speeding and Red Light Camera Progrommes. It will be fun to watch what happens in Colorado, even from distance of Ohio. Red light camera ticketing schemes are guaranteed political suicide. But the elected (and appointed) officials think they are completely untouchable. So tax revenues go down a bit, you need to tighten up your belts and reduce spending, just like we plebeians private citizens when we lose part or all of our income. The closest analogy I can think of is a man getting his hours reduced at work. This seedy character approaches him on the way to his van as he’s sullenly headed home for the day and says, “psst– Hey buddy, need some cash?” He then follows this crook’s advice and goes out and rents a camera. He records someone breaking a traffic law from his van with his rented camera. He mails a copy of the photo to the person who owns the vehicle, as well as a picture drawing of a gun, but the icing on the cake is the stern letter he sends that implies ’something’s gonna happen to you if you don’t pay up.’
People merely want to feel safe in their homes and property. Extortion campaigns such as this milk owners of vehicles dry when we live in one of the safest times in recent history. Accidents are down, fatalities are down, murders are down (I think). Yet we are absorbed in a news cycle of fear, trained to fear and hate our fellow man. Some industrious fellows in Colorado will band together with political and community groups to stop these crooks just like they did in Cincinnati. It may take a few years if people are convinced they can’t do anything to change it, or if they don’t have direct ballot initiative access like we do in Ohio… but they will either directly change it, or elect those who will rescind the contracts. Just look at the current situation in Arizona, as they are in open revolt against these systems. I feel that the best argument against photo enforcement is actually having it. The greedy bastards have gone too far, just wait for the backlash you political gobshites, it’s coming…