City ready to slow red light runners on The Murfreesboro Post

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City ready to slow red light runners

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Murfreesboro’s streets could become a little safer in the not too distant future after City Council voted Thursday night to proceed with police department plans for cameras at key intersections to photograph those who ignore traffic signals.

The most prevalent complaint about Murfreesboro traffic is the outrageous percentage of motorists who simply ignore changing traffic signals and blast through obvious red lights in blatant disregard for the property, health and even lives of others.

Trying to enforce red light laws with police officers is inefficient, manpower intensive and a safety threat to the officers, offenders and others by impeding traffic in high-volume areas.

Traffic cameras would take photos of licenses plates of vehicles that entered an intersection after a light has turned red.

The cameras will not photograph those who run yellow lights, or even inconsiderate motorists who run under lights that are turning red, or just turned red.

The cameras will photograph vehicles that enter an intersection after the light has turned red.

Even an infrequent motorist in our city knows we have lots and lots of drivers who simply run through red lights that unquestionably had turned to signal stop.

These dangerous and rude motorists are driving bullies.

They know they don’t have the right of way, they know they could and should stop, they know they endanger others.

They don’t care.

They will be the ones crying out at the injustice and other whining excuses when cameras’ evidence forces them into traffic court to face fines and other ramifications of their unsafe driving habits.

Some have already been arguing red-light cameras are just a government attempt to increase revenue.

That argument is bull, ignoring the huge threat to public safety and the huge outcry from the public to stop the red-light scofflaws.

Cameras allow the city to efficiently and costs effectively address a major traffic problem.

The city should not only fine the safety scofflaws; officials should also post the offenders’ licenses photos online.

It is well past time to bring the red-light bully to bay.

Tagged under CITY, RED-LIGHT CAMERAS

Member Opinions:

By: flowerpower on 9/5/07
I'm for it! Way too many people seem to think that yellow means "go very very fast" as in the old movie "Star Man". For many years, Oak Ridge, TN has issued tickets for running yellow lights. I have had many a person almost hit me here in M'boro when I slow to stop at a yellow lite and the one behind me was wanting me to speed thru the lite so they could also. We need to definitely stop those who flat out run the red lights. Good Job!

By: Carlene60 on 9/5/07
It is perfectly lawful for a driver to move directly under a green light, awaiting an opportunity to turn left. As the oncoming traffic sees the green go yellow light, they should prepare to stop. This allows the driver under the light to complete his left turn. Too many people do not know this law. They just sit way back from the green light, waiting for an all-clear before moving forward to make their turn. Their ignorance of the law is made clear when they fail to move forward just under the light. This can be upsetting to someone who knows the law!