http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20120521/OPINION02/305210009

Red light cameras should be banned in N.J.

10:38 PM, May. 20, 2012  |  
 
This is a quiz. You’re at a busy intersection stopped under a red traffic signal and an ambulance with sirens blaring approaches. Nobody moves an inch to let the emergency vehicle through. What’s the problem?

• Ignorance of the law.
• Lack of respect.
• Takes too much expensive fuel.

None of those were the answer in this real life case shared with my blog viewers by a reader named Chris.

Here’s what Chris wrote: “Was at a red light camera intersection in Union today. While waiting for the light to change, an ambulance with lights and siren blazing approached from the rear. Nobody moved. The ambulance got around the pack, but not by any help from the motorists.”

The drivers had to choose between moving forward and triggering a camera that would have resulted in a ticket being mailed to the owner of the vehicle or blocking the way for a potentially seriously injured or ill person. They chose not to get the ticket.

That’s what this money-grubbing red light camera fiasco experiment has created. It also has diminished what’s left of credibility for towns that have them and the pols who say it’s about safety. Nobody buys that. It is about bringing in money — pure and simple — and anyone who says any different is just not truthful.

Enter Sen. Michael Doherty with legislation to end red light cameras in New Jersey.

“There was a story in the news today about a town in Ocean County that collected $1 million in fines over the past two years from a pair of red light cameras. It’s clear that towns have little interest in actually making intersections safer. They want violations to occur so they can continue to justify boated local budgets.”

There’s also the “1984” and “Big Brother” government angle of this.

“We shouldn’t accept this continual encroachment on our civil liberties that red light cameras present,” Doherty said. If you agree, there is an online petition http://www.senatenj.com/cameras you can sign.

New Jersey likes to think of itself as modern and progressive but when it comes to gouging drivers or taxpayers, all that falls away. Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford about a year ago signed a law banning the use of red light cameras in his state. There, the lawmakers cared a lot more about what the people think than the lobbyists, unlike New Jersey where most lawmakers would kiss the backside of anybody who would give them campaign money – then lie to say it’s about safety.

The measure to kill red light cameras swept unanimously through the South Carolina House, 106 to 0, and in the Senate 38 to 0. South Dakota did it through the judiciary. In all, about 15 states have taken legislative or judicial action to prohibit the use of automated ticketing machines. Voters in 10 cities have thrown out photo enforcement by referendum.

That brings us to another reader of my blog, who signs as Twary. That reader said, “Seems that most bills which actually make sense only make the press announcements and then are filed away to some corner to die a slow invisible death.”

That’s true and it’s partially due to voters re-electing the same people over and over who stick it to the taxpayers and drivers at every opportunity.

Remember that the next time one of them claims red light cameras are for safety or someone is in desperate need of medical attention and motorists won’t move out of the way for fear of getting caught by one of their Big Brother contraptions.

Bob Ingle is can be reached via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
 

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Title
Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Email
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (registered users only)
	Add Comment Preview