Here's an article about a possible technological solution to what seems to be one of Madison's growing dangers to cyclists and peds.
It seems to me that it's just a matter of time before someone gets squished by a light-runner where the Isthmus Path crosses Atwood and Eastwood, by the Harmony Bar and Yahara river, respectively. There's hardly a day that goes by that I don't see someone enter one of those intersections on red. Maybe one of these cameras would tame the hurried masses. Interestingly, Chicago will not count these citations as moving violations, which seems to be a sending the wrong message about how serious the consequences of this type of violation can be and doesn't get repeat offenders off of the road. Steve _________________________________________ Tribune staff reports November 6, 2003, 2:32 PM CST Chicago today began a crackdown on red-light traffic scofflaws using surveillance cameras at busy intersections around the city. Cameras capable of recording still and video images have been activated at 55th Street and Western Avenue, site of a test this spring that recorded hundreds of violations during a 30-day period. Cameras are planned for 10 intersections by summer and 20 intersections by the end of 2004. "Red-light cameras have a proven track record, throughout the world, of reducing the number of accidents and injuries caused by running red lights," Commissioner Miguel d'Escoto of the Chicago Department of Transportation said in a statement. The devices are intended to capture images of motorists driving through red lights. Violators can expect to receive $90 traffic citations in the mail within a few days of the offense, officials said. The cameras are linked to traffic signals and pavement sensors and are supposed to turn on only after a traffic light turns red. The tickets to be issued will be similar to parking tickets: They'll go to the registered owner of a vehicle and will not count as moving violations, officials said. A vehicle owner will be able to contest a citation by mail or in person at a hearing. Running red lights causes more than 800 deaths and 250,000 injuries each year in the U.S., according to the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running. Full Text: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-031106camera,1,1829372,print.story?coll=chi-news-hed _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
