HOUSTON -- Houston voters have given a "red light" to the city's 70 red-light cameras. With almost all of the city's precincts reporting, 52 percent voted to turn off the cameras being used document motorists who run red lights, with 48 percent voting to keep using them. The vote comes four years after the first cameras were activated in Houston and results from a battle waged by three brothers under the banner "Citizens Against Red Light Cameras." Numerous studies have, however, found a drop in collisions at intersections with cameras, partly because signs warning people of the cameras make them drive more carefully. However, Houston bail bondsman Michael Kubosh, who founded the anti-red light camera group, contends that the devices are a municipal shakedown of the city's motorists and have not been proved to be a life saver. Baytown voters get say on red light cameras In Baytown, the red light camera question was reversed on the city's ballot. Proposition 1 asked if the city should be limited in how it uses red light cameras. Baytown voters overwhelmingly voted for Prop 1, meaning red light cameras need to be restricted. link so are they goin to turn off the cameras all over the city? or only certain parts
I was in Houston 2 weeks ago and ran a yellow light and saw the flash right above me in the middle of the lane. I wonder if I'm still going to get a red light camera ticket? (I borrowed a family member's car while in town - so technically they would get the ticket - but I promised to pay it when it came in the mail). I assume that since the law was still in effect at that time, I will have to pay the ticket and it will still arrive.
That's very disappointing that people vote against red light cameras. They're a deterrent for people speeding through a yellow or running a red light, forcing drivers to be more aware and cautious of the intersection and reducing the number of collisions at these intersections. And all because people want to speed through intersections and avoid fees...disappointing.
All valid points, but if there is no real evidence of this happening and it being nothing but a cash cow for them, why keep it...I don't remember seeing this as a measure voted in Dallas, although I wish it was...
I've seen two rear end accidents due to people slamming on their brakes when the light turns yellow because of the cameras.
This says they decrease revenue from drivers being more cautious at these intersections. So much for a cash cow, right? This article states that while rear-end collisions do increase, T-bone collisions decrease by a whopping 25%. I'd say that's a pretty good trade off as T-bone collisions are by far more dangerous than a rear-end collision.
That sucks it is a bail bondsman pushing to get rid of them. He is obviousl pissed that the tickets do not turn into warrants.
More recent statistics from when red light cameras are introduced. Less revenue for the city. Less serious accidents. Now why did Houston vote against red light cameras again? Something about they're just a cash grab and don't increase safety?
52 - 48 I am surprised it was that close. I knew of almost NO ONE who wanted them to continue Rocket River
Stop being an idiot. Red Light Cameras are ineffective and don't even pass fair judgment most of the time. I've seen those things go off several times when nobody had even ran a red. Then you can't even contest the things.
I don't oppose the concept. I oppose the lack of transparency on the program. If the City of Houston managed the lights and kept all the funding, I'd be less skeptical. But since it is an out of town company funding the whole thing and they themselves were lobbying to keep the lights ...clearly they were benefitting financially from the deal. It wasn't very transparent ...and that's my problem with it. So yes, it's a cash grab for somebody. Maybe not the city of Houston ...but somebody is profiting from it.
There's an intersection at 59 and Beechnut where I frequently see a flash when turning right on red. I had wondered if they'd send me a ticket even though I was making a legal turn. It's happened multiple times and I've never gotten a ticket. So a flash doesn't automatically equal a ticket. If you didn't actually run a red, you're probably OK. On a different note, somebody was trying to prove to me that the cameras were ineffective because there were more accidents at intersection with cameras than those without them. I had to explain to them that when the cameras were installed, they weren't going to put them at intersections that were generally safe. If they believed that cameras cut down on accidents, then they were going to put them at the more dangerous intersections in the city. If you want proof of if the cameras are effective or not, you can't difference intersections, one with a camera to one without a camera. You have to compare the same intersection pre- and post-camera installation.
