By: Steven Wells

Steven Wells — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:24:49 +0000

While I too am concerned about increasing public safety whenever possible, we must NOT get on the slippery slope of doing so at the expense of decreased civil liberties or constitutional rights. If the technology utilized is of the less expensive variety which simply records the tag then issues the ticket to the registered owner of the vehicle, then I’m adamantly against it. Tickets should be issued to the drivers who committed the offense, NOT to owners of vehicles. If the driver cannot be positively identified, I have civil liberty issues with it. Even with using the much more expensive equipment which attempts to identify the driver still presents other constitutional issues regarding 5th amendment and others.
But first the discussion should be resolved with the intent of the installation. Is it “truly” a public safety concern backed up by traffic studies statistics for a particular installation or is it really just a “Alabama HP mirrored sunglasses speed trap revenue generator, please pay cash on the spot” disguised as a public safety concern. I would argue that many of the installations I’ve seen, the latter was the case.
Frankly, I’m unaware of too many high volume traffic intersections within Palmetto Bay that really warrant the “investment” of citizen’s village tax payer dollars to correct that would preempt other more worthy expenditures.
However I do recognize the perennial traffic nightmare during rush hour known as the intersection of 152nd Street and US 1. Even though that is a problem area, I don’t believe it is going to be solved with a band-aid approach such as a red light camera. That area has serious engineering and traffic flow problems.
One of the first things that needs to be changed is the blinking yellow light in front of the fire station. All the other stations I’m aware of in south dade have solid green “go” lights displayed. The blinking yellow lights are a DISTRACTION to drivers coming off of US1 in an area of too many things to have to watch for already. With driver distractions comes slower hesitant drivers. Slower drivers means fewer vehicles able to get thru the area per light change. Fewer vehicles per light change getting thru means traffic backup and congestion. The blinking yellow lights are hindering smooth traffic flow westbound causing the drivers to want to run the red light in the first place.
Just my humble opinion. Have a good day.

Comments on: State Bill would Kill Red Light Cameras

By: Steven Wells