And to make matters worse, I saw in the NT News the other week that Darwin City will soon receive and install it's first red light camera.
What a joke! If this is not blatant revenue raising then I don't know what is. As far as I know, none of the intersections in the city with traffic lights are black spots.
Just for everbody's info I will reveal a little bit of truth we have uncovered through our research at KeepNTLimitFree.
In the Taskfarce Report, they made a big deal about Territorians running red lights quoting some figures in how many people ran red lights in a 24 hour period.
But notice that nowhere in the report did they mention how many people actually died in the period 2000 - 2005 from running red lights.
Of course the government made a big deal about the fact that red light running was a problem and it was one of the targets to reduce the road toll.
Through our extensive research, we can reveal that a mere 6 people died in the period 2000 - 2005 due to red light running. Out of the 299 people who died in this period this is a miniscule 2% of all fatalities.
So, the argument that red light running is a big problem is not entirely true given that 1 person pa was killed.
If anybody wants to check this fact out for themselves simply ring the Taskforce hotline and they will email you a spreadsheet usually within a couple of weeks.
Ways and means:-
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2007/09/03/1952_ntnews.html
It sickens me to read this. Where will it all end. We must let people know what they have install for us.
Thank you for your post. We cant afford to let this happen to our Territory under the disguise that it is for our own protection!!
This is bullshit.
Australia is fast becoming like what George Orwell predicted in 1984.
I thought we lived in a free country, but obviously this is not the case in Australia where motorists it seems are thought of by the authorities as criminals, and a handy cash cow, while real criminals run rampant.
The way we're going we will soon be better off living under a communist or fascist regime.
What will be next. A government camera in the toilet so those that flush twice can be fined. One in the bedroom?? Or maybe the government could have camera's in your living room to make sure that you dont drink too much.
Just a quick question, does Russia or China have this kind of technology to spy on their citizens???
Who wants to live in a world where your every move is monitored of course it is for your own protection or so we are led to believe.
KEEP NT LIMIT FREE
Saw in the NT News on the weekend that a combined red light/speed camera is being installed at BP Palms on the Stuart Highway, Berrimah.
This is totally unjustified people.
KeepNTLimitFree would like to make it very, very clear that:
1. The NT has the LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF SPEED RELATED DEATHS IN AUSTRALIA; AND
2. There were only 6 people were killed as a result of red light running in the reported period of the Taskforce report (ie 2000 - 2005). That's only 1 per annum.
These facts you will not find in the Taskforce Report. We have done our own research to reach the conclusion in point number 1.
And point number 2 was never listed in the report, however, we requested it from the Taskforce hotline.
The Gecko!
I can't agree with you Gecko about the red light cameras being purely for revenue raising. Speed cameras yes, red light cameras no. You state that ONLY 1 person per year was killed due to people running red lights. Firstly, that's 1 too many, especially if that 1 person killed happened to be someone you loved. Also, that's only the number killed. How many were seriously injured? How many had to have time off work as a result of their injuries? What was the cost to all involved as a result of ALL the red light crashes? Remember, every bit of damage that an insurance company has to pay for gets added into the statistics that make them put your premiums up.
Here in Sydney, I reckon I'd see at least a dozen people run red lights every single day [I drive as a courier] so here it's a real big problem. I've got no idea what the statistics are, but running a red light is a recipe for disaster. It's so bad that even when your light goes green, sometimes there's still traffic going across the intersection in front of you. Not just cars either, I'm talking semi's & B-doubles too. I've gone through intersections on the orange light and seen the light turn red just before i've got across then looked in the mirror to see 3 or 4 cars come through behind me! I'd love to see all the speed cameras pulled down and relocated as red light cameras.
Speed cameras are definite revenue raisers. If speeding by a few km/h is so damned dangerous, then you should be stopped on the spot and cautioned about your driving, not allowed to carry on with such dangerous and unlawful behaviour and just sent a fine in the mail 2 weeks later. Running red lights though is a different story.
Wazza
The red light cameras are straight out revenue raisers mate, contrary to what you might believe. In the Taskforce report, they quoted all sorts of ridiculous numbers about how many people ran red lights in Darwin in a 24 hour period.
And I must say that the numbers were high.
The fact of the matter is, people in Darwin know that Darwin people run red lights. Talk to anyone and they will tell you.
Why they run red lights is because, from what I gather, a lot of the traffic lights in Darwin were programmed in 1880 or something stupid, and they do not give ample time for everyone to get through. Fair dinkum mate, I have lived here four years now and some of the lights are abysmal. Some lights regularly only stay green for as little as 10 seconds, I kid you not. Therefore, the people get frustrated, rightly so, and run red lights.
While I accept that maybe even one death per year from red light running is too much, the fact of the matter is, one death per year pales into insignificance when compared to the number of pedestrians killed, or the number of fatalities involving alcohol.
Therefore, one death per annum from red light running is a pretty good number.
While I may have total disregard for the incompetent Martin Labor government, the fact is this. They know that Darwin people run red lights in great numbers and they know that if they install red light cameras they will make an absolute motza.
Let's face it, if they wanted to stop people running red lights all they have to do is re-program the lights so they give everyone a fair go, which they don't at the moment.
But of course, this would involve a one off cost and not generate ongoing revenue, would it?
Consider this, my naive friend. On this thread is a link to a story about where all the red light/speed cameras are to be installed.
There are 9 cameras to be installed, yet only 6 people died in six years due to red light running.
So, you don't have to be a genius to figure out that none of the sites chosen for a camera are not red light "black spots".
Mathematically we can work out that at a minimum, at least three of these camera sites did not have a red light fatality.
Therefore, if only 6 people died due to red light running, why are they installing 9 cameras?
Revenue raising my naive friend!