News item: "State transportation officials Tuesday slammed the brakes on using red-light cameras in 21 towns to issue summonses to drivers until they can determine whether drivers are being given enough yellow-light time." (Asbury Park Press)
This latest chapter in the red light camera saga is sure to give opponents much more ammunition to get the whole program scrapped -- but don't look for that to happen. Most likely they will check all of the yellow-light times at locations across the state, and then resume the program. Refunds for those who were wrongfully ticketed? That is not impossible, but highly unlikely.
Any way you cut it, we are in a bad situation. Driver behavior is getting worse, so safety concerns are valid. But the automated cameras bring a "big brother" aspect, and there are too many variables to make the ticketing 100 percent accurate. The camera shows an offending car, but not who is driving.
Riverguy thinks that the cameras should be used in conjunction with live enforcement. Let the camera send a signal (a live image?) to an officer in a chase car, who can pull over the car that triggered the camera. That way, the correct driver gets any summons that's issued. And, the officer can listen to the driver's side of the story -- and cut a little slack if there is a good reason to do so. Or give a summons and a lecture...whatever is needed. The bottom line? Let's put a little human judgment, and personal interaction back into the situation, instead of relying on automated systems.
