Comments on: Times Dismisses Red Light Cameras as Revenue Generation Ploy http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/05/20/times-dismisses-red-light-cameras-as-revenue-generation-ploy/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: alpan http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/05/20/times-dismisses-red-light-cameras-as-revenue-generation-ploy/comment-page-1/#comment-1003 alpan Sun, 25 May 2008 19:53:34 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/05/20/times-dismisses-red-light-cameras-as-revenue-generation-ploy/#comment-1003 Let me tell you of my experience. I am a victim of the Red Light Camera Program here in NYC: On April 7th I was ticketed for going through a YELLOW light. A few weeks later, I got the summons in the mail with two photos showing exactly that. It was not enough to beat the summons in NYC's kangaroo traffic court. Several weeks later through the mail, the judge gives me a thumbs down. Included was an "technician's report" refuting that the camera malfunctioned (under misdemeanor penalty of perjury). This vile injustice was upheld. That very night I head off to work - this time in the other direction. Just past the crosswalk, the light turns yellow. What do you think I did? I hit the brakes: YELLOW light = red light ticket. I knew the camera was there playing hardball; the woman behind me? Yellow light = hit the gas, it's about to turn red. The result? Kapowww!!! I was rear-ended and sent flying across the intersection nearly knocked unconscious. It was five minutes before I crawled out of the car. I was in full uniform. The police took my gun (I'm a federal peace officer) and emergency medical techs immobilized my head and spine. I now suffer from a herniated disk, and I don't know what my future holds. I may be in chronic pain for the rest of my life because New York City is downright ruthless in imposing an extortion plot. My car is totaled; the woman behind me? Her car totaled - mushroomed up to the top of the windshield. Oh, and BTW she has no insurance. I owe a $1,000 deductible AND as I have no gap insurance on my lease - maybe another $3,000 since my insurance will only pay book value. The woman is a turnip nobody can bleed. Can any of you who support Red Light Cameras honestly say that this is right? My normal defensive driving habits would have prevented all or this; but I tried to stop at the crosswalk on the YELLOW light. This past week has been a nightmare, and it's only started. What happened to my civil rights? Habeas Corpus - the right to confront your accuser in court? No luck there, it’s robot camera. The right to equal protection under the law? If YOU were stopped by a traffic cop you could face him in traffic court. The right to due process? A crooked judge found me guilty - they called my evidence (their photos no less) "not persuasive” - even though it showed a YELLOW light at my intersection and a red light two blocks away (the coloration was not at fault). I drew arrows to illustrate this fact. If it were about public safety, why not just increase the time of the yellow light and the time that both signals remain red? That would give time to clear the intersection. But it's not about safety. It's about cash - and YOU the motorist, are expendable. Further, the RLC companies are contracted to share the loot. The result? Corporate greed enters the equation: An evil stew in a pot of avarice when mixed with a system already in conflict of interest and moderated by a crooked court: They rig the cameras and exhort the traffic department to reduce the time of the yellow signal as well. I have seen traffic signals go through a yellow signal in almost the blink of an eye. I have spoken to three other people who've been ticketed on the yellow by these "Red" light cameras. These faulty cameras and signals and the crooked courts that uphold them represent a tyranny that's injuring maybe even killing innocent drivers. If I had been on a motorcycle I would surely be dead. RLC’s are a dream come true for the tax and spend politicians who take the easy way out: And why not? They generate 14 million a year in NYC alone with more on the way. Proponents naively assume the cameras are only ticketing violators. But that is clearly not case – I would venture to guess between half and most of those ticketed are drivers completely innocent of wrongdoing: This is the other side of the issue the public needs to be made aware of.. Let me tell you of my experience. I am a victim of the Red Light Camera Program here in NYC: On April 7th I was ticketed for going through a YELLOW light. A few weeks later, I got the summons in the mail with two photos showing exactly that. It was not enough to beat the summons in NYC’s kangaroo traffic court. Several weeks later through the mail, the judge gives me a thumbs down. Included was an “technician’s report” refuting that the camera malfunctioned (under misdemeanor penalty of perjury). This vile injustice was upheld. That very night I head off to work – this time in the other direction. Just past the crosswalk, the light turns yellow. What do you think I did? I hit the brakes: YELLOW light = red light ticket. I knew the camera was there playing hardball; the woman behind me? Yellow light = hit the gas, it’s about to turn red. The result? Kapowww!!! I was rear-ended and sent flying across the intersection nearly knocked unconscious. It was five minutes before I crawled out of the car. I was in full uniform. The police took my gun (I’m a federal peace officer) and emergency medical techs immobilized my head and spine. I now suffer from a herniated disk, and I don’t know what my future holds. I may be in chronic pain for the rest of my life because New York City is downright ruthless in imposing an extortion plot. My car is totaled; the woman behind me? Her car totaled – mushroomed up to the top of the windshield. Oh, and BTW she has no insurance. I owe a $1,000 deductible AND as I have no gap insurance on my lease – maybe another $3,000 since my insurance will only pay book value. The woman is a turnip nobody can bleed. Can any of you who support Red Light Cameras honestly say that this is right?

My normal defensive driving habits would have prevented all or this; but I tried to stop at the crosswalk on the YELLOW light. This past week has been a nightmare, and it’s only started. What happened to my civil rights? Habeas Corpus – the right to confront your accuser in court? No luck there, it’s robot camera. The right to equal protection under the law? If YOU were stopped by a traffic cop you could face him in traffic court. The right to due process? A crooked judge found
me guilty – they called my evidence (their photos no less) “not persuasive” – even though it showed a YELLOW light at my intersection and a red light two blocks away (the coloration was not at fault). I drew arrows to illustrate this fact. If it were about public safety, why not just increase the time of the yellow light and the time that both signals remain red? That would give time to clear the intersection.

But it’s not about safety. It’s about cash – and YOU the motorist, are expendable.

Further, the RLC companies are contracted to share the loot. The result? Corporate greed enters the equation: An evil stew in a pot of avarice when mixed with a system already in conflict of interest and moderated by a crooked court: They rig the cameras and exhort the traffic department to reduce the time of the yellow signal as well. I have seen traffic signals go through a yellow signal in almost the blink of an eye. I have spoken to three other people who’ve been ticketed on the yellow by these “Red” light cameras. These faulty cameras and signals and the crooked courts that uphold them represent a tyranny that’s injuring maybe even killing innocent drivers. If I had been on a motorcycle I would surely be dead. RLC’s are a dream come true for the tax and spend politicians who take the easy way out: And why not? They generate 14 million a year in NYC alone with more on the way. Proponents naively assume the cameras are only ticketing violators. But that is clearly not case – I would venture to guess between half and most of those ticketed are drivers completely innocent of wrongdoing: This is the other side of the issue the public needs to be made aware of..

]]> By: ubrayj02 http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/05/20/times-dismisses-red-light-cameras-as-revenue-generation-ploy/comment-page-1/#comment-953 ubrayj02 Tue, 20 May 2008 17:18:33 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/05/20/times-dismisses-red-light-cameras-as-revenue-generation-ploy/#comment-953 I thought that a lot pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and injuries occur at intersections as a result of right or left turning cars. The Times article really seems like it had to stretch to make it seem like car drivers were getting hosed for "minor" infractions of the law. A lot of people die, or are injured, because of unsafe car turns at intersections. I thought that a lot pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and injuries occur at intersections as a result of right or left turning cars. The Times article really seems like it had to stretch to make it seem like car drivers were getting hosed for “minor” infractions of the law.

A lot of people die, or are injured, because of unsafe car turns at intersections.

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