It was inevitable that somebody would come up with this idea: a device, much like a radar detector, that would alert drivers to locations where red-light cameras have been mounted. In fact, the company that’s come up with this is Cobra, long known for its dash-mounted radar detectors that alert drivers to the presence of police speed-radar monitoring devices. Because red-light cameras don’t emit a signal like radar devices do, this device uses Global Positioning Satellite technology and a database to tell you when you are near an intersection where red-light cameras have been placed.
There are a couple of reasons why this doesn’t really make any sense other than the “getting back at the MAN” mentality, and I am open to well-reasoned argument (even though mine don’t always fit into that category).
Specifically, speeding tickets like those theoretically avoided by the use of a radar detector (still illegal, by the way, in only two locations in the nation — the District and Virginia) carry not just the monetary penalty but also points against your driving record.
Get two or three speeding tickets and you risk having your license revoked. That’s not the case with red-light violations.
If you are caught by a camera runninga red light, the only penalty is a fine of roughly $75 depending on where the infraction occurs.
The first generation of these GPS-based red-light detectors, soon to go on sale at Best Buy and Circuit City stores, will set you back $450.
Let’s do the math.
At $75 per infraction you would have to run six red lights before you have amortized the cost of the device.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but it seems to me that somebody who thinks they might blow through six intersections where the light is red is probably a risk to the rest of us and should have their license taken away immediately. Sooner or later, these people are going to end up involved in a serious crash where innocent people are hurt, possibly quite seriously.
The argument might be that these devices, by given an advanced warning of upcoming intersections where there are red-light cameras, might cause the drivers to slow down and be more wary.
But they might also lead to drivers changing their routes to avoid those intersections and put more risky traffic on other streets.
The whole thing sounds like Cobra has found a way to capitalize on the general dislike some of us have for automated enforcement and have figured out a way to make a buck.
It’s probably just a matter of time before these devices get the attention of various legislatures and get added to the “banned” list anyway.
Save the $450, buy a set of spinners and some fuzzy dice, and pay attention to the road instead of figuring out a way not to get caught driving poorly.
While you’re at it, try to imagine that that’s your grandmother trying to cross the intersection when the “walk” light turns to a red hand.
Questions, comments, random musings? Write to [email protected].
