Red-light camera law born with help of political insiders

On Thanksgiving eve in 2005, a Metra express train plowed into five cars at the busy Grand Avenue crossing in west suburban Elmwood Park , leaving behind piles of twisted metal, 16 injured people and a golden, moneymaking opportunity for the politically connected.

[JSIII]

Shady political deal behind big bucks...say it aint so? Just another day In Illinois. We are going to become the California of the mid west at this rate.

[SameOld]

I don't understand people's outrage about this. If you run a red light, you SHOULD get a ticket. I am SO happy that the cities get your ticket money as revenue and theoretically then don't have to raise my taxes as much. How can you possibly defend this type of thing? If you break the law, then you should pay. You can't fight for your right to break the law. It's about time that people started respecting the laws that protect us all.

[Welcome Comrades]

R and D only mean $$$$$$$$$ shady side deals in the Illinois state of corruption.

CA in only our role model!

[First Light]

Daley steals your Auto,Homes,bank accounts,and your freedom.

I have seen camera intersections where the lights go from green to red in nano-seconds. All of you staus quo freaks,and Daley enablers get a stop watch and compare intersections with and without cameras. Daley and his minions have sped up the changing of the lights to increase revenue from so-called Violators. I believe the majority of Citizens will not run through a red light. If this wasn't true why would certain Suburbs dismantle their red light Cameras? The bottom line this is a twisted scam by a twisted little Man. Lets stop his next scam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

[Lynch M All]

You people in Illinois need to hold your politicians accountable...at the point of a gun.

[Fast at robbing us]

Democrats out to screw the average guy and gal out of every nickel they can.

[Susan in Buffalo Grove]

I can't wait to get the fk out of this state, the Land of Stinkin'.

Nothing but a bunch of money-grubbing arse-wipes. They take my money, and do nothing with it for the public good: they just spend it on themselves, their families, and their cronies. There is no oversight whatsoever.

Good luck to those of you who choose to put up with this c rap by staying here.

[Mobsters all of em]

The whole state has mob connections too. GOONS and enforcers love this town. PAYOLA

[cte]

Follow the money! Chicago politics - business as usual.

[Lou P Fella]

SameOld wrote:

I don't understand people's outrage about this. If you run a red light, you SHOULD get a ticket. I am SO happy that the cities get your ticket money as revenue and theoretically then don't have to raise my taxes as much. How can you possibly defend this type of thing? If you break the law, then you should pay. You can't fight for your right to break the law. It's about time that people started respecting the laws that protect us all.

It sounds so right until you get a ticket for making a right turn on red...you wait no traffic anywhere...yet you get a ticket for not being behind the line (out of camera view) or not "stopping/yielding" long enough?

Your driving to an intersection. There is a stale green light no problem have you foot over the brake...boom yellow/red (the yellow light is a nanosecond you can't reasonably stop) so you go.

These companies are out to make money..for themselves and their political friends - get a clue.

[Disgusted]

misspent youth wrote:

daley sucks

Do you have a serious reading and psychological problem? Most of this story isn't even about Chicago.

[Disgusted]

cte wrote:

Follow the money! Chicago politics - business as usual.

I knew there would be at least one wingnut in this story needing "Reading for Dummies". Apparently there are several. Most of the story is about the suburbs, not Chicago. The following is copied from the above story:

The company's sales director is Greg Zito, a former state senator from Melrose Park who also is a longtime Illinois lobbyist for British banking and credit card giant HSBC and the local loan giant it bought, Household International. Those two firms have long been a major source of campaign cash for the red-light legislation's chief sponsor, state Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-Elmwood Park).

I see Melrose Park, Elmwood Park, and a Republican sponsor.

[ramao]

Of course I meant the word "you" after the self explanatory. Typical Lib. Why are you Disgusted if your party holds the majority?

[jharmon]

So, what's your point? This is the way things are done in Illinois.

[Chicago Slim]

Wow. Now there's a shock. Connected individuals push a previously unknown company and suddenly it is raking in the contracts and cash and what, making political donations too. Seems like RedSpeed learned the "Illinois Way" real fast.

You want to play? Then you got to pay. That is how things are done here in Illinois. Get it? It's fixed, rigged, cough up the dough or you get left behind.

All in the name of safety, of course.

[Don BB]

"I don't understand people's outrage about this. If you run a red light, you SHOULD get a ticket."

Not really. If everyone followed traffic laws to the letter traffic would be slowed and backed up like you've never seen. Especially at rush hour. These cameras are not concerned with the law or your safety - just collecting money.
And, BTW, California is the last state Illinois should be trying to copy. You don't appreciate your freedom till you vote it away like they did.

[William Root]

SameOld wrote:

I don't understand people's outrage about this. If you run a red light, you SHOULD get a ticket. I am SO happy that the cities get your ticket money as revenue and theoretically then don't have to raise my taxes as much. How can you possibly defend this type of thing? If you break the law, then you should pay. You can't fight for your right to break the law. It's about time that people started respecting the laws that protect us all.

Tell that to all the illegal aliens and their supporters!

[Denny Crane]

SameOld wrote:

I don't understand people's outrage about this. If you run a red light, you SHOULD get a ticket. I am SO happy that the cities get your ticket money as revenue and theoretically then don't have to raise my taxes as much. How can you possibly defend this type of thing? If you break the law, then you should pay. You can't fight for your right to break the law. It's about time that people started respecting the laws that protect us all.

The outrage is that there is no reasonable dought, no real judge. They constantly sandbag people on borderline yellow-red lights. The citizen doesn't really get a fair hearing.

[jahyree]

First Light wrote:

Daley steals your Auto,Homes,bank accounts,and your freedom.
I have seen camera intersections where the lights go from green to red in nano-seconds. All of you staus quo freaks,and Daley enablers get a stop watch and compare intersections with and without cameras. Daley and his minions have sped up the changing of the lights to increase revenue from so-called Violators. I believe the majority of Citizens will not run through a red light. If this wasn't true why would certain Suburbs dismantle their red light Cameras? The bottom line this is a twisted scam by a twisted little Man. Lets stop his next scam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

Please name one of those intersections, please

[jahyree]

Denny Crane wrote:

<quoted text>
The outrage is that there is no reasonable dought, no real judge. They constantly sandbag people on borderline yellow-red lights. The citizen doesn't really get a fair hearing.

Bull****. You can see the video. Break the law - you pay