Red Light Camera's in ABQ (how much, money, place)

[GregW]

I suggest buying the cameras but dropping the fines. The cameras provide an excellent, judging from the clip at the start of this thread, evidence in case of an accident.

[Zoidberg]

Originally Posted by GregW

I suggest buying the cameras but dropping the fines. The cameras provide an excellent, judging from the clip at the start of this thread, evidence in case of an accident.

I'm not sure they provide much value in terms of evidence; two busted cars in an intersection usually (not always) give a pretty good indication of who was at fault. Certainly, the cost of purchase and maintenance of these cameras can not be justified merely for evidentiary purposes.

I think if the city is losing money on the cameras, then either the fines aren't high enough (they're already pretty high), the state is meddling (it is, but it is a higher law) or the technology provider is not providing the service cost-effectively (most likely, which is why the contract is getting renegotiated).

[N8!]

The video you see is not from a red light camera. It's from the traffic dept video camera on the stoplight cross arm.

[nonexpat]

Originally Posted by loborick

You really want the public to vote on everything? Then move to California.

I have to agree that taking everything to a referendum is a ridiculous way to run a representative democracy. We vote for the mayor and council member who represent our views. If we don't like them, we can vote them out.

That being said, I would like the red-light cameras--although I have been known to speed up on yellow, which isn't exactly kosher. Dallas and the suburb I lived in was much worse with red light running than here, and they installed the cameras. Yours truly got a nice little ticket out of that too.

[N8!]

If the city of ABQ was serious about cracking down on red light runners, they'd have motorcycle cops doing traffic stops at them on a rotating basis.

At least then the tickets would be legit and the fine payment enforceable. Anything less is just a money maker for the company who owns the cameras.

[nonexpat]

I'm guessing that red light cameras are still much cheaper than man hours patrolling an intersection. I know that I started slowing down on yellow after that ticket. The cameras in Plano flashed a bright white light, so I had a feeling I was busted when it happened.

[N8!]

Originally Posted by nonexpat

I'm guessing that red light cameras are still much cheaper than man hours patrolling an intersection. I know that I started slowing down on yellow after that ticket. The cameras in Plano flashed a bright white light, so I had a feeling I was busted when it happened.

Highly doubtful.

The cameras cost the city over $1.2M/year, and the city already has a large police force that's paid for already. Just move some of the desk jockies out on patrol.

[Stanrice]

Originally Posted by N8!

Highly doubtful.

The cameras cost the city over $1.2M/year, and the city already has a large police force that's paid for already. Just move some of the desk jockies out on patrol.

Is that just the expense of the cameras? Or is it the net loss after the income of the tickets? Where did you find that number?

Edit: Just found the pdf that provides income and expense for the police department, and the red light camera program is included. http://www.cabq.gov/abq-view/documents/po.pdf

[N8!]

Originally Posted by Stanrice

Is that just the expense of the cameras? Or is it the net loss after the income of the tickets? Where did you find that number?

Edit: Just found the pdf that provides income and expense for the police department, and the red light camera program is included. http://www.cabq.gov/abq-view/documents/po.pdf

From ABQ Journal:

City councilor Dan Lewis says the city's red-light camera fund that pays for the program has about $700,000 left and it's costing about $100,000 a month to run it.

[Zoidberg]

Thanks for the link.

Unaudited actual costs for FY10: $4.164M.
Remittance to the state: $1.430M.
Unaudited actual revenues for FY10: $6.671M.

Doesn't look to me like it's costing the city anything that it's not bringing in and then some.