Privacy Villain: DC's money cameras

Yet a recent report in The Washington Times reveals that the number one money-making camera in the district is placed such that it does virtually nothing to make for a safer roadway, being placed as it is on "A six-lane highway bordered by two service roads with no homes, schools, churches or hospitals nearby." The speed limit on the road leading out of the District quickly picks up from 40 to 45 to 55 mph across the border with Maryland.

Indeed, as another report pointed out, three of the top 10 most-dangerous intersections in the city are not even covered by the government's 39 red-light cameras, indicating a preference for dollars, not safety, by the District muckety-mucks.

In fact, placing traffic cameras on pedestrian-free highways like New York Ave. and Anacostia Parkway may increase danger on the roads by mixing drivers going at 'highway speed' and other drivers slowing preciptiously to below the too-low speed limit, anxious that a camera will snap them. This is a recipe for disaster that compromises both safety and privacy.

Remember, whenever the government wants more power or more money, they cite safety. For "safety" reasons they want to put up red light cameras to protect non-existant pedestrians. How hard would it be to put a "red light camera" at all significant intersections, and then run the images through facial recognition software? If you think the government isn't planning ahead for this sort of thing... think again.