Anecdotally, it seems like almost everyone has had one of the “your vehicle warranty is about to expire” robo-calls sometime in the last year or so. Hopefully a civil suit by the FTC will cut back on some of the annoyance. Fox News reports that the scheme, allegedly perpetrated by Christopher Cowart, James and Maureen Dunne, and Kamian Kohlfeld, netted $10 million in fraudulent income. The scheme reportedly violated the Federal Trade Commission Act by misrepresenting or omitting material facts in their sales pitches, and that they violated the Telemarketing Sales Rule by “flatly ignoring” rules that prerecorded calls disclose the identity of the seller “promptly, and in a clear and conspicuous manner.” Read the whole sordid story at Fox to hear how these charming characters are trying to pass blame off on each other. And remember, there’s a special place in hell for people like this.
Category: Crime & Punishment
Spain’s Congress of Deputies last Wednesday gave approval to a measure that makes it a crime to use a GPS (a.k.a. satellite navigation) device while behind the wheel. The provision appeared as part of a broader legislation designed to update the traffic code with measures that encourage motorists to pay fines without challenge. Radar detectors are already illegal in Spain. But because satellite navigation devices come as factory options on most modern vehicles, officials could not easily outlaw their ownership. Instead, government ministers proposed to restrict GPS use since the devices are increasingly being loaded with maps that warn motorists of locations where speed cameras are in use.
OK, so it’s going to be one of those days is it? No problem, we’ve got a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot category and we’re not afraid to use it. And here we go (again) . . . Fox News reports that “The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has a new campaign targeting drunken driving. Operation Would U Like Fries, or Operation WULF, will put undercover deputies inside 24-hour fast-food restaurants to spot impaired drivers placing their orders.” No, really. “Sgt. Doug Hanna, a DUI unit supervisor, says if deputies notice someone with classic symptoms of impairment — slurred speech, red or watery eyes or beer breath — they will have a uniformed deputy stationed outside pull the driver over.” A $128,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety will pay for the munchie patrol. Expect AZ drive-thru traffic to quadruple. At least. Dude. [thanks to Dave for the link]
The Winnipeg, Canada, Police Service has been caught a second time underreporting the number of accidents at red light camera intersections in order to make the lucrative program appear effective. The Winnipeg City Auditor was first to note the police tactic in a 2006 audit report. This week, the Winnipeg Sun found the police are still using the same technique to protect a program which generated $14,086,804 CAD in revenue for 2008.
An Arizona state Senate committee voted 4-2 on Tuesday to continue, for now, the practice of allowing police to pull over and fine motorists who use certain types of license plate frames. State Senators Jay Tibshraeny (R-Chandler) and Thayer Verschoor (R-Gilbert) had unsuccessfully introduced legislation to gut a state law that took effect in January. “A person shall maintain each license plate so it is clearly legible and so that the name of this state at the top of the license plate is not obscured,” Arizona Code Section 28-2354 states. Although the distinctive colors and cactus designs of Arizona’s basic plates are readily identifiable to the human eye, visibility of the state name is important for the optical character recognition software used by photo enforcement companies.
Last Wednesday, the Arizona Supreme Court made it easier for prosecutors to convict intoxicated individuals who were not driving of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). The expanded policy was handed down in the context of a case involving Vincent Zaragoza who was arrested on April 29, 2006, for sitting a car with a blood alcohol content of .36. On that day, Zaragoza had gotten into an argument with a woman at an apartment complex. He went to his car in the parking lot of the complex, got in and—according to Zaragoza—put his key in the ignition briefly to lower the window and turn on the radio. Before anything could happen, a police officer ordered him out of the vehicle. The car’s engine had not been started, but Zaragoza was on his way to jail.
Candidate Barack Obama made few concrete statements on the subject of transportation during the 2008 campaign. Now that his cabinet has been sworn into office, President Obama has turned his attention to filling the lower-level positions that are frequently responsible for making major policy decisions. At the US Department of Transportation, these new appointees all share a love for speed cameras and toll roads—especially Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s new number two man. “With great pleasure I want to bid a hearty welcome aboard to our new Deputy Secretary, John Porcari,” LaHood wrote yesterday. “And, though he’s been on duty less than a week, he already has done some heavy lifting for us.”
Arrowhead Justice Court Judge John C. Keegan last week dismissed the photo radar-based reckless driving charges filed against the Executive Director of the Arizona Republican Party. On May 6, officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), which is headed by Democrat Roger Vanderpool, showed up at the state GOP headquarters with a speed camera ticket in hand to arrest Brett Mecum, 30. Judge Keegan took the case as an opportunity to reinforce his previous judgment that the Arizona law governing freeway speed cameras is unconstitutional.
Should Californians snitch on drivers who avoid the state’s motoring taxes by driving around on out-of-state plates? Yes! says the California Highway Patrol, who’ve established the Californians Help Eliminate All The Evasive Registration Scofflaws or CHEATERS program. The OC Register reports (in its own passively constructed sort of way) that it’s not about the money. Just kidding. It is. “Last year there were fees collected on 3,383 out-of-state license plate violations, which resulted in the collection of more than $1 million in fees, or an average of $297.58 per case, according to the CHP. Since the start of the program in 2004, $4 million has been collected in fees . . .
Supporters of the use of photo enforcement around the country insist red light cameras and speed cameras are primarily designed to “save lives.” When faced with independent studies showing the overall number of accidents can actually increase where intersection cameras are installed (view studies), supporters like Illinois state Senator John J. Millner (R-St. Charles) counter that the type of accidents caused by red light cameras is not worth worrying about. “This does save lives,” Millner said during a 2006 debate on expanding the use of red light cameras. “Will there be more rear-end accidents? Perhaps there may, but those typically aren’t life threatening. The T-bone accidents are. This saves lives.”
No, I don’t mean that Lemonheads singer Evan Dando is suing GM for forcing him to write the song. I mean that Dando is taking the zombie automaker to federal court for violating his copyright on The Lemonheads song “It’s a Shame About Ray.” Dando’s lawsuit alleges that the dirge was re-recorded and included in a 2008 series of TV campaign for Chevrolet and Buick—without paying him bupkis. It’s a strange time to sue GM for anything, as chances are that any damages would be buried with the “old” GM, leaving New GM to walk away humming something a lot more cheerful. [original questionable recording replaced with ad in question]
Once considered impervious to recession, some photo enforcement companies are showing signs of distress during the ongoing economic downturn. Long-struggling Nestor Traffic Systems has been the worst hit. On Wednesday, a Rhode Island superior court judge appointed Jonathan N. Savage, a partner with the Shechtman Halperin Savage law firm, to take charge of selling the failed company. Former members of Nestor’s inner circle have pointed fingers at the company’s leadership.
The Tennessee General Assembly on Tuesday gave final approval to legislation authorizing the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and Tennessee Highway Patrol to ticket motorists on interstate freeway work zones using automated cameras. Although many members in the House and Senate expressed strong opposition to the concept of photo enforcement, the authorization measure passed by an overwhelmingly 80 to 10 margin in the House and 28 to 0 in the Senate. The support was due in no small part to the bill’s wording, which granted authority to deploy cameras in the guise of restricting them. House Bill 1202 states . . .
Last week, Maine became the fourteenth state to ban the use of red light cameras and speed cameras. Governor John Baldacci (D) signed into law a bill introduced by Representative Richard Cebra (R-Naples) that prohibits the use of a “traffic surveillance camera to prove or enforce a violation” of traffic laws. Cebra’s measure sailed through the legislative process with almost no opposition at any stage of the process.
Yesterday, Italian police raided the Brescia headquarters of a speed camera manufacturer accused of fraud involving seventy municipalities throughout the country. Officers from the Guardia di Finanza, the law enforcement arm of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, seized computers, machine components and fifty speed cameras as evidence. Salerno prosecutor Amato Barile ordered the raid after discovering that municipalities located hundreds of miles apart were using 512 photo radar units bearing the same individual serial number.
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