The majority of Coloradans grumble and moan about photo radar and red-light cameras, but one guy is actually doing something about it, according to a story in this weekend’s Denver Post.
Paul Houston is a one-man campaign to outlaw these methods of revenue collection billed as safety measures and has taken to the streets for the past six months waving anti-photo-radar signs. According to Houston:
“I don’t think it’s constitutional to have some robot send you a ticket in the mail. It’s a violation of the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable search and seizure.”
Right now, Houston has his sights set on the City of Sheridan. If the City Council does not outlaw the cameras, he plans to collect signatures for a ballot initiative to ban these banes of Coloradans’ existence. But, his upcoming plans are more impressive – he plans to tackle Denver in the future.
While red-light cameras and photo radar advocates like to cite that these things prevent accidents, the truth is that they have little impact on safety. This is just a revenue gathering activity for many cities and towns in Colorado. This 65-year old might just be Colorado’s newest hero in the fight against government largess. If you see him sign waving, give him a honk. If you see him in real life, give him a high five for us.