Red light cameras in Tacoma, part II

Things have gone completely downhill since we last visited the topic of Tacoma’s shiny, new red light cameras. More of these little buggers are popping up all the time. Kamerakrieg is well underway around town and I’m much more pissed off than before. The dipshits over at traffic central are rumored to be enjoying the view from inside each other’s asses; meanwhile red light camera revenue is piling up at a huge cost to local taxpayers.

Timing these intersection cameras with the downturn in the economy, outrageous gas prices, the sinking dollar, real estate crisis and stagnant wages appears evil and calculated at first glance. Alas, I will have the politicians’ back on this one. It was not entirely evil calculation that got us to this point. It couldn’t possibly have been planned this way because they are too inept over there to be directly responsible for such accurate timing.

What can you do to help fight the war on red light cameras? I would like to recommend that you avoid these camera-enforced intersections at all cost to avoid contributing to this diabolical revenue stream (not to mention sitting through green lights while waiting to turn left, for fear of being fined $100).

Don’t we realize this is just the first step toward infinite public surveillance? Is that where we want to be in 10 years? I sort of like the idea of not being on camera everyfuckingwhere I go. Who’s with me?

8 thoughts on “Red light cameras in Tacoma, part II”

  1. I’m wichu! I see no good reason to make a cop’s job of monitoring traffic any easier than it already is (sitting on the side of the road with a radar gun, for example). With that, I’m off to read “Tacoma: Scootertown USA.”

    You rock, AP – J.

  2. Don’t even get me started on cops sitting on the side of the road with radar guns… my blood pressure is rising just thinking about it.

    Keep on scootin on..

    How can I rock if you rock?

  3. Yesterday I was scooticizing up the street, minding my own, wearing a helmet but no glasses/goggles, and a sherrif going the other direction motions me to stop. And in that typical cop way, says “where are your glasses?” And I was 2 seconds from telling him to bite me, that glasses are recommended but not required, and to go solve a crime, crimestopper. But I didn’t – I told him that my glasses were in my seat, and that I would put them on shortly. Good that I chose that route, because I went right home after the store and rechecked the Moto Safety WA guide – glasses/goggs are required. I had always thought they were optional, because whereas they make a specific point of discussing needing a DOT approved helmet, they mention the glasses on a different page. It’s misleading, but at least I don’t have a glock-shaped dent in the side of my head this morning. I’m off to get some new glasses.

    Word,
    J.

  4. I need some snazzy riding glasses with a clear or bright yellow lens. After dusk all my shades are way too dark for riding.

    Do you commonly ride your scooter in downtown Seattle? If so, do you try to avoid certain streets? Those hills, with lanes ending and people merging with cabs and buses… that would get a bit dicey on a scooter from time to time, no?

  5. Dicey? Nah. You have so much more access to alleys, sidewalks, the elevators in our numerous skyscrapers… You can get a scooter in ANYWHERE. Just this morning, I pried up a manhole cover, dropped my scooter down below and flew thru the city all subterranean-like. All the way from Northgate to Burien. No traffic at all, except for a few bike messengers hanging out underground at 2nd and Seneca. Is there any route they DON’T ruin?

    Even on the surface streets, it’s never too bad – did you get a 250? You would have no problem on that. In fact, you should bring it on up here one of these days. And bring a couple of Frisko Freeze – I’ll pay you back.

    J.

  6. Manholes! Brilliant. I’ve had my scooter in many a downtown Tacoma elevator, but ne’er ventured into the elaborate system of storm drains lurking beneath every Tacoma street. Leave it to the big city rider to come up with something so ingenious.

    How about this? The other day I saw a guy on a bike with a sidecar cruising down 6th Ave. Only it wasn’t a sidecar (confusing, I know). It was a side-flatbed-trailer. How badass it was! He had a big cooler or a toolbox or something strapped to it. Almost better stowage than a pickup truck. My scooter manual clearly reads “NO SIDECARS” so I guess I’m out of this equation, but perhaps you can get in on it? Of course, you’d have to take the sidecar off to navigate the manholes. Have the cake, or eat the cake? Tough call.

  7. Not to mention a sidecar would interfere with my side-mounted rocket launchers. But if it’s between having cake and eating cake, I say just eat the cake already and quit being such a cake-having showoff. The same applies to having or drinking a tall glass of milk. Cake makes me thirsty.
    J.

  8. Hi,
    They don’t know where or how many just yet but red light cameras will soon be coming to an intersection near you. The City Council gave these cameras the green light and, lucky us, we could see tickets in the mail this summer.

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