Dear Rep. Andy Holt,
I live in the Chattanooga area and have driven directly through several zones where traffic cameras are used. I drive past the cameras every day. I am 58 years old and have never gotten a ticket from a traffic camera. I leave on time for my destinations and I drive the posted speed limit. I know where the cameras are and I pay close attention to my speed in those areas. It's easy to do for a responsible citizen.
Years ago the outcry was about common "speed traps" where officers sat in patrol cars and ran down speeders to give them tickets. Everyone wanted that stopped also. Now the police do not have the manpower to do those kind of patrols. Cameras have taken over those jobs.
In fact, most businesses that used to have security guards now use cameras 99 percent of the time. It's a question of money over manpower. It is also a question of John Q. Public wanting to drive as fast as he wants, regardless of the negative outcomes--increased gas use, accidents, etc.
We are surrounded by cameras when we are in public. No one complains when security cameras are used to apprehend criminals and help locate missing persons. As long as people choose to speed, they should be ready to pay for the "privilege."
Please get your votes from some other whining group and let the law be enforced for those who don't care to obey it. Final answer.
Ted Ladd
East Ridge
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Amen.
Karen Ingle
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I read where one person wrote in and said that he obeyed the laws and had no problem with the cameras being used to stop people running red lights. I also have no problem with our "local" police departments putting in the cameras as long as the "local" departments own, maintain and the collection of all the money stays local.
I do have a big problem with private industry getting involved with our laws and being able to profit from the fines that must be paid.
If I understand it right, a out of town company puts in the cameras and monitors them and sends out the tickets. The fines are not paid to our police departments but to said company that put in the cameras. Then part of that money is sent to our local departments, that only gets a part of the fine.
I cannot help but wonder just how much in campaign money, kickbacks this company has sent to local officials or how much stock options has the local officials been given to put these cameras in.
I resent the fact that our local governments will let private industry profit in such a way.
If cameras are needed, then let the local towns' police departments own, maintain and monitor them.
Ronald Ford