Wenatchee Red Light Cameras
Wenatchee, Washington USA
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Wenatchee, Washington ( Gene`s BMX Commentary Quote ) -- 06/04/2010 Welcome to Wenatchee, Your on a Camera! Give us your money. Law officers to lazy to get out and beef up extra patrols at some intersections in Wenatchee? They now use cameras for there patrols, sit at a desk to review videos and mail a ticket. We say it is just flat out laziness. -- But the city of Wenatchee Council gave the go-ahead for law enforcement officers to use red light cameras for patrols. - This is a good way for the police officers to develop a interaction relationship with the public. This makes for good value. To protect and serve with a camera only. -- I feel more safe already. But it is not about being safe in the community, It is all about the money. Or is it? Only time will tell. A 30-day warning period began June 1st for red light runners at three busy city intersections fitted with new traffic cameras.  set of red light traffic cameras in Wenatchee. Motorists who run red lights at the three intersections June 1st through June 30th will be photographed by the citys new red light cameras, but will receive only warning notices in the mail. Starting July 1st, 2010 enforcement will begin. Violators will receive tickets in the mail for $124. Bicycles & Pedestrians, your best to obey the traffic laws and do not ride or walk on the red lights as it is a traffic violation if you do. But if you do, -- do not look up at the cameras, you might just get a ticket.. If the cameras can not see a face how can a ticket be sent? -- Just obey the traffic laws and save your self from all the troubles........ The three intersections are:  Photo by Geneb - genesbmx.com Looking at the intersection and the red light cameras on the left side of the street. ( also see extra photos below )  Photo by Geneb - genesbmx.com Looking at the intersection and the red light cameras on the left side of the street.  Photo by Geneb - genesbmx.com Looking at the intersection and the red light cameras on the left side of the street. The intersections are also marked by photo enforcement signs.  * On Thursday June 3rd 2010, about 4:30pm on are photo tour of the red light cameras, we did see the warning signs letting us know of the red light cameras about 1/2 of a block before the intersections. The signs are somewhat hard to see. But they are there so it is not red light camera entrapment. The cameras cost about $4,500 per month at each of the three intersections for a total monthly fee of about $13,500 paid to American Traffic Solutions. Revenue generated by the tickets will go toward the monthly fee. If revenue from tickets isnt enough to cover the entire fee, the American Traffic Solutions, not the city, will absorb the shortfall. The city keeps ticket revenue that exceeds vendors monthly fee. July 1st, 2010 Violators will receive tickets in the mail for $124. The infraction is issued against the cars registered owner, like a parking ticket, so your insurance rates and drivers license (WILL NOT) be affected. However, if you fail to pay the fines and or respond to the court in the time allowed, the Department of Licensing can hold your vehicle tabs until the fine and all related late fees are paid. Photographic and video images of violation events are sent electronically from the traffic safety camera system to the ATS data center where they are reviewed against criteria established by the Wenatchee Police Department. Events that clearly are not violations are rejected at the data center. Trained officers at the Wenatchee Police Department, who authorize issuance of citations for those deemed in violation, review events that appear to meet Wenatchee Police Department criteria. CCTV and real time cameras should be at just about every street intersection in Wenatchee to help the police officers in there calls. Sometimes cameras can or do help out to get the truth of the story. But the cameras should not be used as a replacement of the law officers in patrolling the roadways, intersections or a tool for money. I do not know about you, but I would rather see a live police officer in a city cop car patrolling the intersections. A cop car just sitting on a side of a road makes people think twice. Having the red light cameras makes people think that they are in a Hollywood movie. For more information on Wenatchees Automated Traffic Safety Program, American Traffic Solutions you can visit: * www.wenatcheewa.gov - See Web Page: * www.wenatcheewa.gov/government/police/automated-traffic-safety-program * www.atsol.com - See Web Page: * www.atsol.com/solutions/red-light-safety ** Extra Photos: Chelan Avenue is a one-way street going Southbound. As we where shooting the photo above on Chelan Avenue at Fifth Street on Thursday June 3rd 2010, about 4:30pm We just happen to get a photo shot of a car that was going the wrong way, Northbound on Chelan Avenue. --This was a scary thing to see. Luckley the car did not get in to a crash. Did red light cameras do any good for this wrong way driver?   ~~~ And One To Think About: We found a news clip story that talks about red light cameras in the Spokane, Washington area. It does not sound like the red light cameras are helping to much in the city of Spokane. May 10th, 2010 ~ Drivers Playing A Dangerous Game Of Red Light Roulette: * ( www.kxly.com/news/drivers-playing-dangerous-game-of-red-light-roulette ) -- It Quotes; The Photo Red Program has had mixed results in Spokane since its inception. They are supposed to encourage the reduction of collisions, particularly t-bone and rear end collisions. However while rear-end collisions have dropped the number of T-bone crashes have increased. Statistics show overall the number of crashes have not decreased since the first Photo Red cameras were installed and police say they need another year of data to determine if the cameras are working. |
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