Thumbs up from me - I wish more people would destroy these things and make it impossible for them to stay in business.

http://freebeacon.com/blog/ode-to-an-american-hero/

Ode to an American Hero

Normally I would save this sort of thing for the Free Beacon‘s annual Man of the Year celebration, but some things simply can't wait. Some heroism needs to be celebrated immediately. Behold: the hero Gotham needs right now:

<see video at link>

Now, look. Obviously we shouldn't cheer all those who destroy the state's property or all those who circumvent efforts to enforce the law. But some laws are unjust. Some of the state's property serves to oppress. Sometimes you need a hero.

Let's break down his moves, shall we? You'll note that the car rolls to a stop slightly ahead of the camera stand.

What is happening, we wonder? Does he have motor troubles? A flat tire?

Does he carry with him the last hope for humanity?

And then he bursts forth from the van, legs pumping, his shoulder thrust forward. He slams into the apparatus like a linebacker hitting a tackle dummy: form perfect, the hit brutal.

But our unknown hero does not relent yet. He knows that the box is just a stand, a totem, not his true enemy. He puts the boots to the camera—medium style—in order to dislodge the foul, soul-stealing device from its aerie.

Understanding intuitively the tenets of Greek tragedy, our unnamed hero must know that the camera has to face an ironic fate. He flings the soulless beast into traffic, where it will be reduced to dust by the wheels of so many big rigs, so many outraged commuters. What once laid low the auto is now laid low by the auto.

Look, again: some laws are good and just. Prohibitions against rape and murder, for instance. We need them. Without laws we are savages.

But speed cameras are not included in the "good and just" category. They are revenue-producing monstrosities designed to suck people of their money in order to fill the coffers of bureaucrats:

The number of tickets — which led to $99.2 million in revenue for the city — was nearly double that issued the previous year, according to AAA’s Mid-Atlantic chapter, which obtained the figures through a public-records request to the District’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

The District’s citations also far exceeded those in neighboring jurisdictions, according to the data collected by AAA. The District issued 994,163 speed-camera tickets, compared to 529,993 in Montgomery County and 263,302 in Prince George’s County.

If my fellows in the District and Maryland ever tire of Big Brother's boot grinding into your face, just know: freedom awaits you to your south.

Virginia is prevented by state law from using speed cameras.

God bless ole Virginny. Humanity's final bastion of freedom. If the corruptocrats in D.C. try to imprison this hero, I promise to lead the resistance in an effort to spirit him southward. We shall protect you, brother. You are one of us now.

Several years ago, a man in a Houston suburb got caught with a bolt action rifle meting out justice to a red light camera.

Turns out his rage was justified, but his means were not. Investigations revealed that statewide the 3rd party contractor repeatedly shortened yellow lights in order to increase the # of fines for running red lights.

I love it! A related story - years ago we had a guy take a chain saw to some trees which the Police used as cover to use their radar guns. I'm not condoning speeding but I admired the guy for taking out those trees.

its feel-good stories like this that just make my day

we voted the cameras out of here two years ago and couldn't have been happier

although not officially confirmed, rumors here were that the company providing the cameras did tinker with the light timing, and also took in most of the revenue

Saw that on the local news. I'm only surprised it hasn't happened more. Those cameras are despised by almost everyone.

quote:

If my fellows in the District and Maryland ever tire of Big Brother's boot grinding into your face, just know: freedom awaits you to your south.

HELL NO!!!!! FIX YOUR GODDAMNED SOCIALIST UTOPIAS!!!

Several years back I saw a pair of speed cameras that had been burned while I was in the UK. The Freedom fighter threw several tires over the post that held the camera, then set them on fire with gasoline.

A city herein Montana publicized it's proposal to enter into a contract with one of the camera companies. There were MANY comments against the cameras as well as the mention that they would make challenging long range targets for rifles.

They never got the cameras.

Beirut-By-The-Lake is installing a couple again, this time in or near The Loop. I thought they were all taken down a couple years ago because the corrupt city employees got caught bribing (or being bribed by, don't remember, or really care) the camera company.

If a disease is not totally eradicated, it comes back even more virulent.

We had that issue with red light cameras here, they are nothing more than revenue sources for the companies, if the companies were not making huge money off them they would never enter into the business, if they were all about safety then the state would just issue big points and fines and take licenses, report it to all insurance carriers, and the result would be reduced revenue over time,

The opposite happens.

The camera most likely isn't government property but privately owned.

Hopefully it didn't get the license number of the car that let him out to do the damage LOL

You know the company that sells those systems (and the monitoring service) was caught posting messages on local newspaper comment sections, about how great the service was, and how many accidents were avoided etc. Total BS. It was a campaign of misinformation, so they could keep selling systems and fleecing municipalities.

In my opinion the cameras cause more accidents as drivers slam on the brakes when approaching an intersection where traffic is slowing, so they dont get caught in the camera zone. Rear end accidents.

http://bancams.com/ats-gets-ca...ng-citizen-comments/

Cue the ”There is a way to avoid these, just don’t speed” guy in 3, 2, 1...

To be honest, I am surprised we don’t have the speed cameras in WA (yet, knock on wood). We do have the red light cameras though - bastards.

Thankfully they at least aren’t allowed to photo the driver and if you are smart it is an easy dismissal.

Used to have them here but they were voted out several years ago.

Good. Hopefully he'll kill the rest of them too.

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
Cue the ”There is a way to avoid these, just don’t speed” guy in 3, 2, 1...

That seems like a really good plan. I don’t know why I don’t seem to be able to manage it. Thankfully, I seem to be able to keep it toned down enough to avoid tickets.

Red light cameras really bother me for some reason on a big brother basis. I don’t worry about them “getting me” because I don’t run red lights. Too easy to get hit or hit someone.

Now if only I could just get this lead out of my right foot...

We had a local guy who was doing it with red light cameras. He ran for office unsuccessfully as "The Red Light Robin Hood".

And here I thought my chance to be a hero had passed me by because I never joined the military, because a surgeon, or cop, or firefighter. There's still hope!

One of our basic rights is being able to confront or face your accuser in open court.
Speed and red light cameras circumvent that right.
Is he a hero? Nah. Just righteously pissed.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
We had a local guy who was doing it with red light cameras. He ran for office unsuccessfully as "The Red Light Robin Hood".

Gross.

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:

Virginia is prevented by state law from using speed cameras.

But Virginia does have red light cameras.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
One of our basic rights is being able to confront or face your accuser in open court.
Speed and red light cameras circumvent that right.
Is he a hero? Nah. Just righteously pissed.

Do people normally have the right to contest these tickets in court? I've never had to deal with it. IANAL, but it seems to me like the camera (it's photo/video, really) would be evidence, rather than an accuser. I assume the city/town, etc., would provide a human in court to stand as the accuser...?