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Journal munger1102-18's Journal: Caught on camera 29

Journal by munger1102-18
Since so few of my students in section 18 actually managed to make it to class today, I thought I'd reward them by letting them pick the class journal topic for this week. The topic: cameras for speeding tickets. In the future, you may get your speeding ticket in the mail--no police officer would need to pull you over. Instead, patrol cars would be equipped with cameras that could snap a photo of your license plate, and the ticket would simply appear in your mailbox a few days later. See the Charlotte Observer story for details.

This, of course, leads to many more questions. Would/should such a violation go on your record? Could/should you get points for tickets-by-mail? Should/would it affect your insurance bill? What about the future? Does this pave the way for privacy-invading cameras on every street corner? Could you some day be fined for littering, jay-walking, or even public drunkenness, simply because it was caught on camera?

Please post at least two comments on this topic by Friday, February 21. At least one of your comments should be a response to someone else's comment.

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Caught on camera

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  • i think it is okay to get a ticket by getting your picture taken. the picture is proof, so that is all you really need. at least this will proboly reduce traffic a little because nosey drivers won't slow down and see what is going on when someone is pulled over and it will save you time because you won't have to pull over and deal with all that.
  • i suppose that getting a ticket in the mail and not having to pull over and deal with all the other nonsense that is involved with getting ticketed makes sense. i do not like the idea, but it does make sense. that way police can focus on other more serious acts that go on other than having to pull over people for traffic violations.
    • I agree that the idea of getting tickets in the mail for speeding makes sense, it will in turn allow police officers to make more time for other issues that need to be taken care of. I do hope however that this concept does not get taken out of hand, not every issue should be handled by cameras.
    • I don't totally agree with whole camera idea. Personally i would rather be pulled because some of the time i am totally unaware that i am going too fast and maybe i should be stopped. And if they just take a picture how do they know that i was the one driving the car and not someone else?
  • In the 1930's the jewish population in Germany accepted the practice of sewing the "Star of David", the 5 pointed star and symbol of the jewish faith, on all of their clothing. What was the harm in identifying yourself as part of a religion you are proud to belong to? We all know that this was just the first step in the annihilation of 6 million jews. We must look into the future and foresee the possible consquences that cameras on every corner can lead to. Where is our privacy rights? Are we headed to a "Big Brother" government? Where will it end once it begins...We have to think this out first.
    • You make a very interesting point, and I agree with you.
      • This is a very interesting point but I think you are taking it too far. Cameras at every corner are just for our safety. Our Government is built so there will be no "big brother" formation. I am not worried about this turning our government into some kind of mass genocide. But things we never thought would happen have been happening so who knows! Maybe you are right!
  • I think this is ridiculous. I do not agree with the cameras being placed in the cops' cars and then the ticket arrives in the mail. This just makes their jobs easier, and it leaves no room for debate. Also, if the person doesn't get the ticket right then and there, then they aren't aware that their speeding and then they pass another cop and get another ticket. So a person could end up with 10 tickets by the end of the day. Also, is the camera going to give you a ticket for going one mile over the speed limit or ten, etc... Another issue that needs to be brought up is that cops speed too, and who is going to issue them a ticket. Because that's not fair that they can speed but the citizens can't, and they're the ones who are suppose to be setting the examples. I think that our society has a lot more important issues to deal with right now, instead of this stupid issue.
    • I agree with you. it's the cops' jobs to hunt down speeders, not spy cameras. Also, the speeder should get the ticket right then and there so that he/she can understand what has just happened. There's more chance for him or her to explain his/her way out of a ticket if he or her has a very good excuse. This is only fair because sometimes, speeders have emergencies which force them to speed.
  • I don't agree with putting up spy camras in random neighborhood where people don't even know they exsit. I feel this a huge invasion of pravacy. Also how do they determine how fast is to fast, or recless driving. I think you need a real police officer to determine this.
    • i agree 100 percent with you. we have the right to get our tickets from the police themselves. if we earn a ticket they should atleast have the decency to hand them to us theirselves. bysides we shouldnt make their job any easier, and we do deserve to have some privacy.
    • i see what you are saying. i agree with you about the recless drining thing. good points.
    • I agree. i think it takes a human to use their common sense and decide if a driver is being reckless or just going with the flow of traffic. these cameras are going a little overboard.
  • Putting up hidden spy cameras might seem like a conviennent and sophisticated way of catching speeders but I don't think it's fair to them. People need constant reminding (the cops)in order to not to speed. Plus, speeders need to know why they get a ticket right at the "scene of the crime" in order for them to realize what they've just done. Plus, I think it's only fair that they can have the chance to explain why they were speeding with the cops right then and there.
  • it is ridiculous if police officers are getting so lazy as to take pictures instead of getting their butts out of the car to hand you your ticket. i really dont trust some ticket in the mail for something i did wrong.
  • In the article, one person commented that sometimes there is a reason for speeding. Even though most of the time, when citizens speed their reason isn't life threating. If, this camera device could help save children from getting hit, I am all for it. Yet, are high stats on children being hit in Charlotte? There may be a wiser way to spend tax payers' money.
    • Wouldn't you like to know how many children are getting hit by cars in neighborhoods. Mine has so many speed bumps you couldn't go over 35mph if you wanted to.Isn't the speed limit 35 anyway. I realize that saving one life is worth it to the families involved but will this affect speeding or just create more revenue?
  • I think traffic cameras are ok to use, it will definetly help do justice to those crazy drivers we all know about! However, I don't think many people will like it including myself. We all may not agree with the qualifications of the tickets. For instance will they give a ticket for one mile over the speed limit or will they give us a break and make it five!? This will all take a lot of tax money and time to set up the right way!
    • I don't know if this helps but the money that is collected from the tickets goes to pay for the equipment, shipping, etc. untill the debt has been payed then the police seem to make a profit off of it, claiming that it goes back to the school system
    • I agree with your opinion. I know it takes a lot of money to buy the cameras and set up the ones. However, it will reduce the car accidents and even the rate of the dead cause of car accidents.
  • Since technology is on an uprise it makes sense to handle some issues with a most conveniant way. I think that tickets via camera is a good idea, but I dont think the government should handle other issues this way. Every case is different and sometimes issues should be handled in different ways to get the most successful outcome.
  • I guess I am one of the few, that has gotten a ticket from a photo inforvement light, they are all over wilmington, my home town, so they are hard to miss. I don't see the help that it adds. I got the ticket because I was behind an 18 wheeler that blocked my view of the light so as he went so did I. I got the ticket in the mail went to the court house argued my case and got it dropped. so why, if they are so easy to get dropped, wouldn't everyone try to get them dropped?
    • I wasn't aware how easily these tickets were to get droppped. If they are so easy to get dropped, is it really worth the trouble of getting these tickets and putting the cameras up in the first place?
  • I dont agree with using cameras to catch speeders. i understand that this will allow officers to focus on more important issues, but if we keep going in this direction, someday we're going to have computers solving crimes and solving domestic disturbances. part of the police officer's job is dealing with the public, and using cameras would make that aspect of the job obsolete. i just think it's important for someone who breaks the law to have the experience of speaking to an officer, and not getting a notice in the mail.
  • I agree with camera tickets because everyroad has a speed limit. If someone drives under the speed limit, it does not matter a hidden camera is or not. I think it is natural that keeping the law is our obligation.
  • the camera is ok at long the insuracne rate not go up like the red light camera
    • i dont know about those camera, they could be just the start of something more
    • this is just the beginning of getting us to pay more money for something. It won't be represented as anything as bad as insurance but we will pay for something we don't need. Somebody's pockets will be filled by this and it is wrong on so many level.

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