Tag: police

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Red means stop

If you’re like me and you hate the notion of red-light cameras, you’ll be pleased to learn that they just don’t work. That’s right, they do not reduce the number of accidents at intersections; they increase the number of accidents.

Red light cameras always bothered me because:

  • Private companies run the cameras and municipalities turn over a percentage of the fines to them.

  • I deplore the idea of government watching citizens by camera

  • The motive is clear: profit, not public safety.

The University of South Florida study on these cameras supports that third point, since the cameras HURT public safety, not improve it.

One perfect example of this is the red-light camera on West Florissant at the entrance to the parking lot of the old Dellwood Schnucks. This strip mall has been mostly vacant for several years!

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Airport-y poopers

I have fond memories of driving to the old plane-watching lot at Missouri Bottom Road and Lindbergh Boulevard. We would sit up on the roof of the car with lots of other families and marvel as the planes roared right over our heads. In fact, this is one of the fun things Yoli and I did together during her first trip to the U.S.

But then came the billion-dollar boondoggle, as I like to call it; or Bridgeton’s Bane, to put a Tolkien-esque spin on it. I am referring to W-1W, the runway expansion plan.

The old plane-watching lot was torn up, major roads were rerouted, and an unnecessary runway and tunnel were constructed.

Which brings us to today.

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I love (loathe) UMSL

On Thursday evening, I went to UMSL to visit an open house at the offices of The Current, the student newspaper. I was once the editor-in-chief, and that place will always have a special place in my heart. In fact, I was the one who presided over the paper’s move into this particular office.

Anyway, it was a fun short visit. Dave and Brian, other former Currenteers, were also there. As I walked out to the parking lot with Dave, I was confronted by a yellow envelope under my windshield.

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