The continuing saga of KC's red-light cameras

The city says its ordinance allowing red-light cameras is legally sound, but they're thinking about "tweaking" the ordinance's language or how it's enforced, Mike Mansur and Don Bradley report. A flood of cases is starting to hit municipal court, and instead of happily paying the $100 fine, a lot of people are fighting the tickets. (I think Channel 9 was reporting 3,000 challenges earlier this week.) Defense lawyers across the city have been planning new additions to their mansions.

How could the ordinance change?

Beaufort said another defense tactic that has persuaded municipal judges to dismiss cases is that the ordinance requires signs warning of the cameras at a particular intersection. But the evidence presented — a photo and video of the car failing to stop at a red light — doesn’t capture the sign.

So, ta-da, the city will just take that requirement out of the ordinance. Tony's Kansas City has a take on the move here.

Comments

[Jo Jo]

You think that government corruption is a problem? Look at how corn exports in Paraguay are down!!!! (someone else, please derail this a little further)

[cripjak]

What the metro needs is a really high class red light district not red light cameras

[kbp]

LOL!

No problem, just change the rule so the pig can sleep in the bed.

[Man in a Mission]

cripjak,

Not sure there is such a thing as high class red light district (even in Amsterdam where prostitution is legal - the whores stand in windows like manikins at a department store).

To try to un-derail this thread, one would think that the city would at least try have figured this out before they moved forward with enforcement.

On a side note - I know that Kansas City Police Department regulations require emergency vehicles (including police) to activate their sirens and/or lights before running a red light. So the other night I was proceeding north on Main Street when I stopped at a red light at 39th Street (one of the camera intersections). I was in the center of three northbound lanes, with a police car to my left and no vehicle to my right. While I was waiting for the light to change, the police car pulled into the intersection and turned right in front of me and headed east on 39th. This vehicle did not use a turn indicator, siren, or lights. So was this officer/the city (as the owner of the vehicle) cited? And if so, who will have to pay the fine? And finally, is it even sensical that the city would pay a fine to itself?

[cripjak]

Man in a Mission,
I was just being forward thinking of something to go along with the new 1000 room hotel they might want to build in downtown KCMO. If you have a Power and Light District a red light district would fit right in. By the way, I've been to Amsterdam but not for that.

[Longshot]

How about you don't run the red light and you don't have to worry about the ticket. Don't run red lights!! Is everyone really that angry that they got caught breaking the law? If you did it, pay the fine!

[Tim P]

longshot: because the cameras aren't about safety they are about this.

[Longshot...on education/common sense]

Always going to be some "it's for the children" morons willing to give up all of one's rights because the person on TV said this is bad...

[KC Cicero]

Where are the pictures of the accidents at these intersections that are supposedly caused by folks running the lights?

This has NOTHING to do with safety and everything to do with revenue. Problem with buying stuff from a snake-oil salesman is that sometimes the snake-oil doesn't provide the cure.

[Wisdom]

Signs????? Warning you of a red light....

Then there should be signs warning you of a radar trap..... Puhleaze

You get caught breaking the law you pay.... DOH!

[Elrond of Rivendell]

Folks.

The lights at the intersection are for traffic control and accident prevention.

The cameras at the lighted intersection are for tax collection.

Any statistics yet? I suspect the statistics will show there are no fewer accidents at these intersections than before.

[k]

I just think if everyone who gets a ticket protests, it will cost the city more than it makes, and the program will be scrapped.

[Man in a Mission]

Here's a novel idea. If you don't like this law, or how it is administered, instead of complaining about it, or driving up the costs to all of us (through taxes spend responding to your protests, etc.), how about you take the time and effort to set up a referendum petition and put it to a vote, or petition the city council to change the law?

[Eric Spring]

The cameras are all about revenue. KC is following the national trends to impose this hidden tax on you.

If these were not about revenue as the camera company and KC claim, why do violations not count against your driving record? Quite simply, if you are not on the road driving you can't get ticketed and they can't make money off of you.

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