Time to Give Red Light Cameras the Sack
Before I moved to London, when I had a car and actually drove it, red light cameras were a particular bugaboo of mine.
You see, our system of justice is predicated on the presumption of innocence, and red light camera laws institutionalize a presumption of guilt. They take a photo of your license plate. If you own the car, you get the ticket in the mail. But no one has ever had to prove that you were actually driving your car. Sure, your car was present when a crime (albeit a minor one) was committed. But there’s no evidence to suggest that you were there. Much less that you committed the crime.
And if this sounds like a high-minded line of thinking for a seemingly tiny issue, I concede the point. But we’re already seeing similar cameras — and presumptions of guilt — used to nab speeders.
Of course, red light cameras aren’t really about justice or safety. They’re about revenue. Don’t believe it? Ask the six cities that were just busted for shortening the “yellow” times on their lights so that they could catch more red light violators with all of those cameras.
My view is predictable. Liberty and big brother don’t work and play nicely together. The cameras should go.
April 15th, 2008 at April 15, 2008 - 2:19 pm
The continuity of an argument requires however, that exeptions should not be made on how tiny an issue is. So really, don’t concede anything, if it’s right, it’s right.
April 30th, 2008 at April 30, 2008 - 9:22 am
Which is why Jim Gilmore and his administration fought them tooth and nail 1998-2001. Alas, Speaker Bill Howell is no Vance Wilkins in the House of Delegates and bad legislation that died a speedy death in the Virginia House just five years ago now gets signed into law.