Proving Our Point, Once Again

Oakland officials must have been reading up on yellow light timing and how it can be the single greatest factor in the rise and drop in intersection crashes. If you needed fresh data on just how this works, you have Oakland traffic engineers to thank..

From TheNewspaper.com: 

The city has been so focused on revenue that the police department officials who manage the contract with Redflex became irate when city engineers decided early on to add a second to the duration of yellow signal timing at the photo enforced intersections. The change produced immediate, positive results.

“As a result of an adjustment made in the yellow-light duration period at most of the red light camera enforcement system locations, revenues have decreased,” an April 27, 2010 memo from the Oakland Police Department to the city administrator explained. “Prior to this adjustment and after the installation of the system, yellow lights were set at three to four seconds. This change in the yellow light timing has resulted in a reduction of approximately 40 citations per day. The Transportation Services Division (TSD) and OPD are continuing discussions of the impact of this change, and possible solutions.”

After reading about how the city’s cash cow, red light cameras, were being thwarted by thoughtful traffic engineering designed to increase safety, Oakland PD Lieutenant Banks, who works directly with Redflex, blew a gasket and demanded the timing be reset to the most profitable intervals.

At times one has to wonder if these lobbyist tools for Redflex, American Traffic Solutions, etc. really even care is anyone it paying attention to how blatantly they’re disregarding their oath to their citizens and the Constitution of the United States.

Lieutenant Banks must have sworn a separate oath to profit that supersedes anything in his public job description. It’s no wonder that when this scam sees the light of day, especially in the Golden State, the cities end up dropping the scamera programs faster than the angry mobs can find their way to city hall.

Case in point…

Corona Axes Red Light Program

City council in Corona finally admitted the truth about their camera program: 

It’s all about the money.

Councilman Steve Nolan, who championed the effort to scrap the flashing ticket boxes, a la Redflex Traffic Systems, said he’d even accept the $60k termination penalty to rid his city’s intersections of this danger ahead of the November 5th contract termination date.

Nolan went for the compromise and Corona residents will have to ignore camera tickets until November 5th. 

Yes, that’s right. Red light cameras are coming down in Corona on Guy Fawkes Day.

Remember, remember…. well, you know the rest.