The Springfield City Council was split over whether or not to approve $114,000 project to install "tattletale" lights on the back of traffic lights. The lights which can be seen from safe distance allow officers to determine the state of the traffic light as the driver passes through the intersection.
“They allow law enforcement to more accurately, more objectively enforce the laws,” said Pishioneri, who is a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy. “Many traffic stops do not result in a ticket, but a conversation of safety. It’s not a ‘gotcha’ — it’s a ‘hello.’ ”Photo courtesy of Lane Controls
The "tattletale" light is designed to indicate the red phase of the signal. It is attached normally to the back of the traffic light itself so that officers can see the status of the light from a safe distance.
“I don’t want officers sitting at the five or six intersections where we’re going to have tattletale lights,” Ralston said. “I’m all for public safety and making our roads safer. But some people might consider this revenue generation.”
Leiken along with Councilors Christine Lundberg, John Woodrow and Dave Ralston voted against the combined projects, stating that the city needs to be "very prudent right now."
“To me, these are almost luxury lights, for lack of a better word,” he said. These lights will be a good thing in the future ... but as we’re going through these budget issues right now, I don’t think its a prudent time to delve into this.” said Leiken
once again the city a Springfield makes me proud. While I will agree that this can be considered "revenue enhancement", at the majority of intersections, I would think this would be unnecessary. At most four way intersections, the traffic light in the opposite direction is normally synced together.
Photo courtesy of Lane Controls
4 comments:
“Many traffic stops do not result in a ticket, but a conversation of safety. It’s not a ‘gotcha’ — it’s a ‘hello.’ ”
Yeah right, and if you pass the seat belt law we won't ever use it as an excuse to pull someone over. We will only enforce it if we have reason to to stop you in the first place. Remember that line of crap?
What did it take, a year before they went to "Click it or ticket"?
yup! and I still have the interview from the Register Guard in my paper files interviewing OSP stating that "seat belts will not be a primary reason for a traffic stop" or something similar to that statement.
In this time of lower tax revenues, you know that they are going to get creative.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I heard a DJ on the radio talk about getting pulled over. The reaon the officer gave was that the light over the tag was out. When they looked, it was fine. then the officer says he smell alcohol. Funny, considering both guys in the car were not only sober but hadn't drank in 10 years! The officer insisted he smelled booze and hauled them in. Lawyers had a filed day with this episode. The reason for pulling them over was bogus as well as the reason for hauling them in. No matter what they say, police are not always around to protect and serve; they are cops because they like the power. Creating revenue is not on their agenda. That comes from the politicians. We need new ones!
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