Things like this are why I wanted to move to New Hampshire.

[unixronin]

In that most representative of public assemblies - the bustling House chamber of the New Hampshire State House - there's an old rebellious notion:  In matters of personal responsibility, don't always err on the side of safety.  After all, it's the only state not to require that adults wear seat belts.

So when a bill came up in early April to consider allowing robotic traffic cameras at the busiest crossroads, mocking laughter from the gallery preceded the measure's demise.

(Originally reported here by the redoubtable amanda42)

It's about time some state stood up to this particular brand of highway robbery.  I find myself not overly surprised, and definitely pleased, that it was New Hampshire.  The article goes on to state that a North Carolina court recently ruled private companies may not profit from traffic enforcement, throwing doubt on red-light camera programs in North Carolina; that Virginia has declined to renew its red-light camera program after the sunset clause of the law enabling it took effect, and will shut down its red-light cameras on July 1; and that the city of Baltimore, Maryland is being sued for $10 million on charges that it shortened its amber lights to increase red-light camera revenue (only one of many jurisdictions to have done so).

Comments

[bfudlmint.livejournal.com]

Studies have shown that people will now stop short at yellow lights because they don't want to get a ticket. This has been causing more accidents.

Also from my own experience with absolutely no numbers to back it up. Cars in the middle of the intersection when the light turns red don't cause accidents. Cars running them after it has changed cause accidents. The camera have been designed to catch the first.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Agreed, to both.