Seeing Red Over Red Light Cameras

Dear East Meadow,

I must weigh in on the red light camera issue. From the beginning I was skeptical about this program, thinking it was a thinly disguised fundraising campaign by Nassau County, especially since there are only cash fines, no points.

Shortly thereafter, my son received a red light ticket for a questionable violation near the Nassau Coliseum, where he works part-time. Alas, it wasn’t questionable at all, as the County is thoughtful enough to supply not only a photo of your car committing the violation but also a video of said offense online.

So, basically it’s open and shut; the video evidence is irrefutable. These tickets are indefensible, and enrich Nassau County’s coffers by $50 apiece. Legislators are and to double the amount of red light cameras throughout Nassau.

We were angry with my son for receiving this ticket at first; then we viewed the video. His crime? He was about to make a right turn on red, and the nose of his car was ever-so-slightly over the white line when he stopped; thus the camera was tripped. The more we watched the tape the angrier we got, but not at my son.

I know, rules are rules, but this seems like easy money for the town. My son paid the ticket and we lectured him to make exaggerated full stops before turning right at red lights. He promised he would comply.

Too bad my husband didn’t listen to his own advice, because several weeks later he received a personal invitation from Nassau County inviting HIM to pay them $50 for a red light camera violation. His crime? Yup, you guessed it—failure to come to a full and complete stop at a right turn on red!

Like son, like father. His incident took place in New Hyde Park but it rankled all the same, if not more. Again we watched the video and once more there was no defense. Another $50 to Nassau County.

I have a couple of problems with these incidents. One, the Nissenbaum family is now down $100! But seriously, their violations are minor in the big picture and did not endanger anyone. They were more nuisance tickets than anything else. At least they stopped! Red light cameras should be used to catch the people who run red lights; I thought that was the main intention.

What I want to know is this: Why can’t the county ticket every person who is talking on the phone while driving, or worse yet texting while driving? Offenders are now supposed to receive two points on their license in addition to a hefty fine and surcharges. I am on four highways each and every day and it seems like every other driver is on the phone, speeding obliviously in the left lane next to me.

That is WAY more dangerous than the right turn on red tickets yet I don’t see anyone being pulled over for this. There’s a HUGE opportunity to raise some revenue for cash-strapped Nassau County and a chance to actually save lives.

I have another complaint about the red light cameras. Have you ever been tailgated by someone so closely that all you can see in your rear-view mirror is their teeth? Of course you’re coming up on a “stale” green light, as they call it in Driver’s Ed, and you just know that it’s going to change as soon as you approach it. You glance up and see no metal of the car behind you, just a big head.

You know that if you stop at the red light chances are great that you will be rear-ended. Chances are even greater that this boob behind you is on the phone and has absolutely no intention of stopping as the light changes, let alone slowing down.

How many times have you just made it through a red light, only to see someone a few car lengths behind you cruise right on through? Those are the drivers who should receive the red light tickets, and points on their licenses too. What would have happened if you had slammed on your brakes and stopped? Well, I guess you’d have saved a $50 ticket but your Honda Accord would now be a Honda Accordion.

So, in that case, I would be compelled to speed up and get through that red light rather than risk being rear-ended at high speed. And click! That shutter would be tripped and we’d be down another $50. But there’s absolutely no allowance for cases like this. I’m all for taking measures to increase my family’s safety on the road but these particular measures seem unfair.

Let’s target the real offenders, who flagrantly ignore the laws and rules that we rely on daily to keep us safe.