On the pedestrian fatality, a reader writes:

Highlights:
Not near MAX
Not a shooting
Not a minority
Not related to the bar

I was waiting for the #58 bus at 4th and Jefferson on my way home from work. I was reading a book while leaning against City Hall and kept noticing a bright flash every 30 seconds or so. I quickly realized it was the new red light camera installed on the corner there.

What struck me is that the camera was taking photos of people who were in the intersection after the light changed, but they WERE NOT MOVING because of the traffic congestion caused by the MAX line construction going on at 5th and Jefferson one block up.

So the City installs a traffic camera, then snaps away every time the light changes because traffic is at a standstill, due to - you guessed it - the City's inability to keep the traffic flowing.

With logic like this, the City should be able to pay for the new MAX light rail - or the Aerial Scam [rimshot] - in no time.

As the guy once said, "Get a brain, morans."

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blpic-moran.htm

Ummm, I think you aren't supposed to go into an intersection if you can't get through it. Obeying that law helps prevent gridlock, among other things...

I wonder if bike riders running the lights will trip the cameras? Too bad they cannot identify them.

At least they would see its happening.
I work right there at 4th & Jefferson. (I took the picture too.)
I would say every other bike rider I see go thru there runs the light, at least.

Trying to avoid gridlock in downtown Portland these days, especially in the hours between 4 and 6pm, is like trying to avoid breathing. Traffic in the downtown core is a clusterf*** at best and will be this bad or worse until at least Fall 2009.

Sending a $245 ticket to every driver that gets nosed out at an intersection because of the new MAX line, sewer repair or private construction is not fair.

Those cameras are supposed to be targeting people who endanger lives by speeding through red lights, which occurs frequently enough when the traffic is flowing.

Traffic in the downtown core is a clusterf*** at best and will be this bad or worse until at least Fall 2009.

Its going to be worse AFTER fall 2009...

A simple way to avoid red light cameras and photo radar: Let's say that your wife drives a sedan, and you drive a sports car. Register the sports car to wife only and the sedan to husband only. The gender of the registered owner now does not match the driver, and so the photo radar/red light camera ticket is thrown out. It works; I've done it.