FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photo Radar - “Nail in the Coffin” Discovered for Grant Ave. Location
o Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Wise Up Winnipeg release new documents showing Australia government refunding tickets due to metal objects interfering in readings
o Wise Up and the CTF call for an immediate suspension of Grant & Nathaniel location until an independent review has been conducted
May 22, 2012
WINNIPEG, MB: On the heels of a desperate crown decision to stay a formidable photo radar ticket challenge last week by Wise Up Winnipeg (WuW) , the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) and WuW released further evidence supporting the argument the readings from the controversial Grant and
Nathaniel location are unreliable.
The CTF and WuW released information that show an Australian provincial government is refunding photo radar tickets following a review that showed the presence of metal objects interfered with radar readings. An Australian provincial government audit report also shows the same conclusion – metal objects can interfere with the readings. Australia also uses Gatso mobile-unit radar technology – the same manufacturer of equipment used in Winnipeg.
According to the Australian Herald Sun, Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp noted:
“On this occasion, and on the four previous occasions, the mobile speed camera operator set up at a site which was close to, it appears to be a road sign, and that with the ‘Double Doppler’ effect what we’ve got is the mobile speed camera vehicle travelling past, the beam picks up the vehicle, it can then look for another metallic reflective surface and it could pick up that surface, bounce back to the vehicle in question, and then back to the camera itself. And that’s what gives us these excessive speed readings.”
“The Australian government reviewed and concluded that metal objects can interfere,” said CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig. “They’re issuing refunds because the tickets were wrong.
Conversely, here in Winnipeg the government is playing games in court and ignoring the science. We need an independent investigation here too.”
“We knew the Crown was going to tuck tail and run once they exhausted their procedural circus tactics. We've seen it before - they’ll bail out before they risk creating a precedent that could cost the program millions in fair refunds,” says WiseUpWinipeg Co-founder Todd Dube. “The Crown will do anything to avoid having the facts heard because they are focused solely on keeping the money flowing.”
Audit Report:
According to the Province of Victoria (AUS) audit report on photo radar: “The operator and the mobile control room check whether the shot contains evidence of metal objects or reflections in the field of view that could affect accuracy of measurement.”
"This is precisely the issue that I testified to. It's shocking that a city of Winnipeg program in the business of Doppler radar - would not know , or not admit to having knowledge of the issue of metallic reflection causing exaggerated speed readings,” said Ken Sontag, radar expert.
But by staying the proceedings the Crown has inadvertently implied that there is an accuracy issue with the mobile unit radar readings at the Grant and Nathaniel location. WiseUpWinnipeg and the Canadian
Taxpayers Federation have long maintained that metal objects reflecting in the radar path, such as signs and lamp posts, can distort radar readings.
In light of the circumvention of justice that occurred on May 18 th and the information coming forth out
of Australia, WiseUpWinnipeg and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the Attorney General of Manitoba to open a public inquiry on this matter so that all facts and evidence can be duly considered as it relates to the validity of thousands of speeding infractions issued at the Grant and Nathaniel
location.
the winnipeg sandbox
