Each Wednesday, we’ll publish quick summaries of the articles from the last week on TheNewspaper.com. We’re doing this because these articles are often strongly connected to the issues that National Motorists Association members are interested in.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Baltimore, Maryland Looks To Revive Traffic Cameras
The city council in Baltimore, Maryland wants to move beyond the embarrassing episode that saw parked cars receiving speeding tickets in the mail. A handful of the speed cameras operated by Xerox proved to be so inaccurate that one out of three tickets went to drivers who were traveling within legal limits. The council on Monday issued a report meant to account for the city’s mistakes.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Florida Appeal Court Punts On Reliability Of Camera Evidence
The second highest court in Florida decided last Friday that it would not decide whether red-light camera evidence was good enough to be used in a court of law. The problem, a three-judge panel reasoned, is that the state’s red-light camera statute is so ambiguous that reasonable people could read the law and come to opposite conclusions as to its meaning.
Monday, June 1, 2015
France, Italy: Speed Cameras Toppled, Tarred
Vigilantes in Castellamonte, Italy knocked over several speed camera housings last week. The bright orange “Velo OK” devices were empty at the time, so they toppled easily with a light push, according to Quotidiano del Canavese. On Sunday, a housing was knocked over on the Via Barengon in Sant’Antonio. Last week Saturday, a housing on the state road 460 in Rivarolo was kicked over.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Tennessee And Texas: Traffic Camera Industry Blocks Automated Ticketing Reform
At some point in the future, Tennessee may have fewer speed cameras. Governor Bill Haslam last week signed into law a bill originally titled the Tennessee Freedom From Traffic Cameras Act that, after being watered down by photo enforcement lobbyists, will not actually result in any cameras being removed when it takes effect on July 1. Similarly in Texas, the state Senate on Wednesday re-passed language described as a “ban” on red light cameras that will allow the devices to continue to be used, in some cases, until the year 2035.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Federal Judge Believes Motorist, Not Cop, In Traffic Stop
It is not often that a judge sides with a motorist over the testimony of a police officer. For US District Judge Kathleen Cardone, the testimony of El Paso, Texas cops proved to be so incredible that she had no choice earlier this month than to believe Felicia Waller, who was a passenger in a white 2002 Chevy Tahoe pulled over on September 25, 2014 for allegedly speeding. Instead, Waller wound up arrested by drug task force officers because she had a small amount of ammunition in her own home.
