XPost: phl.media, pa.politics   
   From: mcs@verizon.net   
      
   Truthfully ( psss its a set up) . I think I know what these cameras are   
   really for but I cant devulge here , its a govt secret. * you do your math   
   .   
    wrote in message   
   news:A7CdnU1gVt648srcRVn-ig@britsys.net...   
   > What good do these do inPa??   
   >   
   > No front plate - no identifying infomration   
   >   
   > mcs wrote:   
   >   
   > > "As Philadelphia prepares to become Pennsylvania's first city to install   
   > > red-light cameras at traffic intersections, there is one ugly side   
   effect of   
   > > the systems that officials are not promoting.   
   > >   
   > > In city after city, studies show that, while right-angle accidents drop,   
   > > rear-end collisions increase after cameras are installed.   
   > >   
   > > Drivers, afraid of getting caught on a camera running a red light, hit   
   the   
   > > brakes and get rear-ended by the car behind them, studies show.   
   > >   
   > > The problem is compounded by a brief strobe light that flashes when the   
   > > photo is taken.   
   > >   
   > > "People see these strobes go off and realize they have just run a light,   
   and   
   > > they slam on the brakes," said Lon Anderson of AAA Mid-Atlantic, who   
   > > supports the use of the cameras as long as they are used for safety and   
   not   
   > > to raise revenue.   
   > >   
   > > In Charlotte, N.C., for instance, rear-end crashes went up by 16 percent   
   > > over a three-year period after cameras were installed in 1998, according   
   to   
   > > a 2001 study commissioned by that city.   
   > >   
   > > In San Diego, the rate of rear-end collisions increased by 37 percent,   
   > > according to a 2002 study commissioned by that city.   
   > >   
   > > "What the cameras do is, they change reasonable behavior into   
   unreasonable   
   > > behavior," said Greg Mauz, a member of the National Motorists   
   Association, a   
   > > group funded by membership dues that is seeking to have red-light   
   cameras   
   > > banned nationwide.   
   > >   
   > > City officials and officials at the Philadelphia Parking Authority,   
   which,   
   > > under state and local laws, will oversee Philadelphia's red-light-camera   
   > > traffic-enforcement program, acknowledge that rear-end collisions may go   
   up,   
   > > but say that will be far outweighed by the decrease in right-angle   
   > > collisions, which usually result in more serious injuries than rear-end   
   > > crashes.   
   > >   
   > > "In the majority of the cases, the reduction of the angle accidents and   
   > > their severity is greater than the increase in rear-ends," said Charles   
   > > Trainor, the city's chief traffic engineer.   
   > >   
   > > The Parking Authority board is expected to hire a company tomorrow to   
   > > install cameras in Philadelphia. Nine intersections are being considered   
   for   
   > > cameras. Violators will receive a citation in the mail and a $100 fine.   
   > >   
   > > The Parking Authority decided to rebid the camera contract last month   
   after   
   > > only one company, Affiliated Computer Services, of Dallas, expressed   
   > > interest, and potential bidders complained that the agency's request for   
   > > proposals favored ACS.   
   > >   
   > > Parking Authority officials have refused to say which companies have bid   
   > > this time around. "We have received more than one" bid, said Linda   
   Miller, a   
   > > Parking Authority spokeswoman.   
   > >   
   > > Officials from the companies that provide red-light-camera systems and   
   > > experts such as Richard Retting of the Insurance Institute for Highway   
   > > Safety, a nonprofit group funded by insurance companies that studies   
   > > traffic-safety issues, say the benefits of cameras outweigh the   
   negatives.   
   > >   
   > > Maury Hannigan, an ACS vice president in charge of the company's photo   
   > > enforcement division, acknowledged that rear-end collisions often go up,   
   but   
   > > said that is overshadowed by the reduction in right-angle crashes.   
   > >   
   > > "Would you rather somebody bump you in the rear, or would you rather   
   > > somebody enter your driver's compartment at 40 miles per hour?" Hannigan   
   > > said. "That's a no-brainer."   
   > >   
   > > Retting, who has extensively studied camera systems and is a recognized   
   > > expert, said studies done around the world show that intersection   
   crashes   
   > > that cause injuries go down by about 25 percent to 30 percent after   
   cameras   
   > > are installed, far outweighing the "regrettable" side effect of an   
   increase   
   > > in rear-end collisions.   
   > >   
   > > John Petrozza, president of Mulvihill Intelligent Control Systems Inc.,   
   > > which is interested in the Philadelphia camera contract and which   
   installed   
   > > a red-light-camera system in New York City as early as 1993, said the   
   > > rear-end collisions "normalize" after motorists get used to the   
   > > intersections' having cameras.   
   > >   
   > > Authority officials say they hope to reduce the rear-end collisions by   
   > > working with the city to ensure that yellow lights give drivers enough   
   time   
   > > to decide whether to stop or proceed without running the light.   
   > >   
   > > Yellow signals in Pennsylvania are set in accordance with a federal   
   standard   
   > > that recommends the light be between three and six seconds long.   
   > >   
   > > Camera critics contend that setting the yellow lights closer to six   
   seconds   
   > > and reengineering some intersections would eliminate the need for   
   cameras.   
   > >   
   > > Some critics have gone as far as to file lawsuits against cities and   
   > > camera-system companies, contending that yellow signals set below the   
   > > three-second minimum allowed municipalities and camera-system installers   
   to   
   > > reap a financial benefit from fines as more drivers were caught running   
   red   
   > > lights.   
   > >   
   > > Two Baltimore residents, for example, filed suit in July seeking $10   
   million   
   > > in damages on behalf of anyone who received a citation since June 2001   
   at a   
   > > red-light-camera intersection there. They contend that the city and ACS,   
   > > which runs the city's camera system, have neglected to correct yellow   
   lights   
   > > that are shorter than three seconds.   
   > >   
   > > They also allege that neglect has profited both ACS and the city.   
   Baltimore   
   > > fines violators $75.   
   > >   
   > > Hannigan, of ACS, said the company does not control the timing of   
   > > Baltimore's yellow lights. Baltimore's city solicitor told a local   
   > > television news station last month that "we do not believe there is   
   merit to   
   > > the case and we will aggressively defend against any lawsuit."   
   > >   
   > > The winning bidder for Philadelphia's red-light-camera program will be   
   paid   
   > > a fixed fee per installed system. The state and local laws authorizing   
   the   
   > > city to use the cameras also require that the yellow signals be set in   
   > > accordance with state and local standards, which emulate the national   
   > > recommended standard.   
   > >   
   > > The laws also require that signs be placed in "conspicuous" places   
   before   
   > > the intersection to alert drivers to the cameras.   
   > >   
   > > Anderson, of AAA Mid-Atlantic, said signs are critical if the cameras   
   are to   
   > > be used for safety as opposed to generating revenue. "It would   
   definitely   
   > > cut down on rear-end collisions," Anderson said.   
   > >   
   > >   
   > >   
      
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