Comments on: Seeing Red: Long Island’s Controversial Red Light Cameras

By: Jack

Jack — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:23:20 +0000

I got a ticket in Nassau County The light was green, then flashing green, then red. I went to court. The person that goes over the photos/video said the camera shows the yellow was on for 0.7 seconds. I told her I didn’t care what the photo showed because it was wrong. The Nassau County employee said the photos are never wrong. I asked her to watch the video and she did – three times – she had never seen a light go from green to red – no yellow. The judge had never seen anything like it before. My case was dismissed “in the interest of justice” .

Right now only two Nassau county employees and one judge handle the red light camera tickets because no one fights them. I would ask that anyone who can make the time go to court and ask to see the video of the infraction. You will still end up paying the $50 fine + $15 mandatory handling fee, but if enough people go to court, Nassau County will either have to hire more people to handle the volume, or cut back/end the program because of expenses. It will be hard to justify hiring more people when so many Nassau County employees have just been laid off. Also, by going to court, the income to Nassau County will be delayed, as you won’t have to pay until you have your day in court.

By: Meee

Meee — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:54:39 +0000

How is this, in any way positive for a county? There is so much opportunity for corruption. Why can’t they photoshop or video-edit my car blowing a red light or even editing a green light to red? If municipalities want cameras, pay the $5000 or whatever to have them installed. Don’t freaking share revenue with some scum company and give them a reason to abuse their contract.

By: Meee

Meee — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:52:35 +0000

The only jagoffs in favor of these cameras are the politicians and the scum company getting revenues. Every single one of these posters in favor of them work for ACS.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:04:17 +0000

I think Joe has it wrong. These cameras are revenue generators pure and simple. If there was a real public safety concern they’d have had police officers at those intersections long ago! After all we have relatively low crime on Long Island and some of the highest paid police officers in the country. I’ve lived on LI my whole life and that was never the case. If the motive were safety concerns then logic follows, and we should be hauling their asses into the public square asking why they didn’t do more (real officers) sooner. It would also suggest they were well aware of these behaviors at specific intersections furthering the same argument, why wasn’t there a greater police presence in the first place? Moreover, are we going to have fewer police officers now?

When the government lies to the public in order to rob them it’s toxic to the public trust the country is built on!

In my case I was UNDER a YELLOW light, traffic in front slowed down just as I was about 2/3 through the intersection. I saw the YELLOW light pass out of my field of vision then came the flash! I wasn’t speeding or other wise driving dangerously. I didn’t rev-up the engine from 200 feet away with the intent of “making” the light! I didn’t run a red light!

The justifications are appalling. Red means red? Then what does yellow mean? Should I break out the hour glass every time a I see yellow light. The light’s themselves are programmed for the very human error of misjudging a yellow light. There are built in delays for just that. They want you to believe these cameras target reckless drivers when more often than not they’re simply stealing money from law abiding citizens. And they have the gall to insult the public’s intelligence, passing it off as public safety. Then they turn around and use the money to buy off constituencies with “social programs”. Jeez, based on their concern for public safety they might invest the money to study traffic, maybe redesign an intersection, or research better programming for the lights. Or, in another blast of insanity, maybe don’t spend the money at all, use it to bring down property taxes or pay off municipal debt? But that’s exactly the moral hazard I spoke of before. One you cross the moral/ethical Rubicon the next transgression is that much easier. So if you’re robbing from Peter to pay Paul, you’re going to get Paul’s vote. It’s bad enough to buy off votes, but using someone else’s money to do, while telling them it’s for their own good? REALLY?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:28:55 +0000

Funny how the county doesn’t follow some portions of the law (eg: submitting timely reports) but wants you to pay up, regardless if you were the one driving or not.

The land of the free is being eroded one liberty at a time.

By: JAY

JAY — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:26:56 +0000

OK Smoe I mean joe. so just because they have something in Europe that means we have to give up our opinions and just say “okie dokie bossman”?. Anything that Europe has to be accepted in America. I mean hey who could argue with joey. I guess I am cying again. I am sorry

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:40:54 +0000

When I was in the Army, I was stationed in Berlin, Germany. I was learning how to drive to get my international license, I made a “rookie” mistake of blowing through a red light and nailed by a camera. It took awhile to sort out, but because the car belonged to the driving school I did not have to pay the ticket. Yes folks, the have cameras on Europe long before we even thought about it and it is not an issue over there. So stop being cry babies and get use to it over here.

By: JAY

JAY — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:40:42 +0000

To all the people who think everybody who is against the cameras must have been caught by one. YOU ARE WRONG. I have not been caught by one on Long Island. You are assumming and you know the old saying about that. Besides I am not against the cameras. I AM AGAINST HOW THEY SPED UP THE TRANSITIONS FROM YELLOW TO RED. AND IF YOU TRY TO ARGUE THAT THEY i KNOW YOU ARE CLUELESS AND SHOULD BE IGNORED.

By: johnzee

johnzee — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:05:46 +0000

The cameras work are working just fine. Thank you to all of the poor drivers we have on Long Island helping to keep my taxes down. Complain about it all you want, or just stop blowing the lights.

By: joedonnellan

joedonnellan — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:44:03 +0000

These are not only problems in Long Island but all across the US where these traffic cameras are installed. Privatized traffic law enforcement systems may or may not be a useful tool in keeping drivers and pedestrians safe. But when private firms and municipalities consider profits first, and safety second, the public interest is threatened. Before pursuing a camera system contract, local governments should heed the advice (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/resources/intsafpst092609/long/ ) of the Federal Highway Administration and first investigate traffic engineering solutions for problem intersections or roadways. If officials decide that private enforcement systems are appropriate, they should avoid deals that constrain decisions about protecting safety. Privatized traffic law enforcement should be used solely as a tool for enhancing traffic safety – not as a cash cow for municipalities or private firms.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group will be releasing a report on this subject on October 27. Once it is released, it will be available at http://www.uspirg.org/trafficcamreport.

- Joe Donnellan for U.S. PIRG

By: Old Timer

Old Timer — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:10:24 +0000

can someone please provide a link showing where these red light cameras in Suffolk County are located? Also, does anyone know which states ban them?

Thank you in advance..

By: James C. Walker

James C. Walker — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:53:05 +0000

I.M. RIGHT AGAIN could be correct IF all the traffic safety engineering were done correctly in the first place. With posted speed limits set at the 85th percentile speed of free flowing traffic under good conditions (method that almost always produces the smoothest and safest traffic flow) AND yellow light intervals set for those actual 85th percentile approach speeds – then the cameras would cite only those drivers who are outside the safe norms of travel. However, you won’t see cameras in places with correct engineering because they would not record enough violations to even pay their basic costs of operation, let alone make any profits for the camera companies and their business-partner governments. Ticket cameras only thrive where the engineering parameters are deliberately mis-set to enhance revenue at the expense of lower overall safety. Ticket camera companies require improper engineering for their products to produce enough revenue to justify their installation. James C. Walker, NMA

By: I.M. RIGHT AGAIN

I.M. RIGHT AGAIN — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:52:48 +0000

I know most of you are just venting and making no sense at all.

The cameras do serve a purpose.

Teaching drivers what they were taught originally.

How to drive.

They teach you how not to speed up when you get to an intersection.

Instead stop when you are supposed too.

MANY OF YOU if not all need driving lessens again.

Did you ever see how people start making a turn?

You are supposed to go to the apex of the intersection and then turn.

Not start your turn 1/4 block down.

You folks are dangerous.

How about parking facing the wrong way on a two way street, then pulling out, great way to have a collision.

Want more driving lessons, just ask.
I am happy to help.

No need to thank me.

You are all welcome

By: Frank L.

Frank L. — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:31:51 +0000

I agree with Andrew about Due Process. The first and so far only ticket I have received, I went to court to fight because there were no posted signs stating there is no turn on red, and it was only after I received the ticket that the signs went up, and a new traffic light with a right turn arrow was put in place along with a “right on red after stop” sign. The judge dismissed anything I had to say, and not only did I lose time from work, but had to pay the $50 fine. Complete scam. I think that the cameras are fine for cars making a right on red, but the left turn cameras are not fair. I can’t help that I am already in the intersection and the person in front of me decides to slow down in the middle of the turn. I am also not going to stop short to avoid a ticket and now put myself and the person behind me at risk. I have a feeling that these cameras will cause more accidents then they prevent. Another genious move by a county that already taxes our income to death. When will Long Island residents catch a break?

By: James C. Walker

James C. Walker — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:30:23 +0000

The LIP is correct that the ticket camera industry has operated very questionably and in some cases outright fraudulently.
The sad fact about all this is that safer, longer yellow intervals almost always reduce violations by MORE than ticket camera programs. And, obviously, drivers who stop for red lights present precisely zero risk to cause t-bone crashes in the intersections. The entire red light camera industry exists because cities time so many lights with too-short yellows. Our website has many examples of cities that added 0.7 to 1.0 seconds to their yellows and got 60% to 90% drops in the violations. Cameras are about revenue, proper engineering is about safety. James C. Walker, National Motorists Association, http://www.motorists.org, Ann Arbor, MI

By: peachis

peachis — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:08:12 +0000

They’re not trying to reduce accidents…they’re trying to make money!The yellow lights have been reduced by so many seconds it’s ridiculous. You can barely get through the intersection before the light changes.

That’s dangerous. I’ve had to hit the brakes a few times because of the speed at which the light changed.

By: JAY

JAY — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:47:20 +0000

They sped the lights up. Its rigging plain and simple. They say they are still within federal guidelines. But lets be honest if you speed the cameras so they go from yellow to red a lot faster right after you install a red light camera. You are RIGGING the system.You train us for half of our lives to get used to one speed and then change it so it will make you a lot of money. If a Casino were to do something like this they would face some serious investigations.

By: Stephen Donaldson

Stephen Donaldson — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:45:32 +0000

RLC are a complete scam.

IF YOU PULL THE “VIOLATION” data you will find this out to be true. IN fact over in Redmond, WA ATS and Police were claiming less “violations”. The problem was this:

1. ALMOST 90% of the “violations” were right turns on red. http://www.banthecams.org/Red-Light-Camera-News/redmond-wa-of-the-9397-qviolationsq-8355-were-right-turns-on-qless-violationsq-accidents-up-by.html

Quote: Total Number of Violations for March – August 9,397
Number of Right turns on Red Violations March – August: 8,355

2. The city also INCREASED THE REJECTION RATE to give the illusion of “less” violations! http://www.banthecams.org/Red-Light-Camera-News/redmond-wa-ats-and-city-rejection-rate-much-higher-that-reported-the-rejection-rate-is-38.html

FIGHT THE SCAM!

BAN THE CAMS!

http://www.motorists.org
http://www.banthecams.org
http://www.camerafraud.com
http://www.bhspi.org

By: Andrew Herzman

Andrew Herzman — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:41:43 +0000

Who Me: Why can’t you use your real name? You’re half full? Of what? Either a light is red, yellow or green. Not “very red”. I’m not for breaking laws, but this is AMERICA. People have the right to face their accuser and defend themselves from accusations. The cops on L.I. make over $100,000 on average. How about they do their jobs and write the tickets?

By: Andrew Herzman

Andrew Herzman — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:28:23 +0000

First off, the cameras don’t give anyone a chance at due process. How can you cross examine a camera?

Second: This is a very slippery slope… what next? I guess they will install GPS machines in your car that will detect if you’re speeding and every time you do, a ticket will just print out on your dashboard. They can even install a card reader so you can swipe your credit card and pay the fine instantly, since you can’t fight it.

Land of the fee.