This is what oblivious looks like. Caught on camera. I had just purchased a Father's Day gift for my husband and was off to the drug store to pick up a few items on the corner of Los Feliz and San Fernando in Los Angeles's bastard child town of Glendale.
I had a choice that day. Do I drive to Pasadena or to Glendale? My thinking was like this: I could go to the Best Buy on Los Feliz. I knew there was a drug store a few blocks away where I could pick up the few items I needed. So Glendale it was.
As I approached the intersection of San Fernando and Los Feliz, the light turned yellow. I had a few moments to decide whether or not I could make the turn before the light turned red. I thought I could make it. It seemed feasible at the time.
Three seconds, maybe less. That's what you get. In that small purgatorial time between green and red, I had the time to evaluate an important question: To go or not to go? It's simple. Do I slam on my brakes or drive through the light? We make decisions like this everyday. I had no idea how much that small decision could potentially cost me.
It's a good thing that I'm not followed by cameras 24/7. At least not yet. Then I could show you what anger looks like. It's not pretty. When my husband showed my the citation that arrived in the mail yesterday, it wasn't pretty. I experienced a whole range of emotions. First, confusion, then bewilderment and a few others that eventually led me directly to feelings of betrayal and then ultimately anger.
Anger. A most powerful emotion, one I try to avoid. Yet anger does provide us with a few gifts. Anger can lead one to action. Anger can be that friend that tells me to get off my ass and take a stand, do something!
Evidently according to the citation I received, at .43 seconds into the red light I had committed my crime. I had made the decision to drive through the yellow and cross over into the land of red. There was no friendly officer there to point out my poor judgment and ask me to be more careful. Just a quick flash that acted as judge and jury slamming me with a $529 fine a nasty point on my DMV record. My permanent record.
I find this a most unfriendly way to treat consumers. I had just spent $200+ on gift and sundries. Traffic court requires you to pay the fine even if you contest it. You are guilty until proven innocent. Then on top of all of this we being monitored by an outside company that benefits from your misfortune.
Is it possible that all of this is done in the name of safety? Well, that's what they say. Yet at most of these camera points the yellow light time has been adjusted to give us less time to react. It's been proven to cause more accidents and of course more citations, which means more money for a few lucky ones.
So I'd like to invite you all to join me on the journey of getting to the bottom of all of this. I have until August 9, 2010 to decide if I'll contest this ticket. I hope to examine the crime scene myself, see if there are any loopholes surrounding my own ticket and most importantly let the city officials of Glendale know that this is not an acceptable way to treat people.
So for now the first order of business is to:
BOYCOTT GLENDALE
When did you enter the intersection? I was talking to "someone" and they think that once you've entered an intersection you must leave as quickly as possible once the light changes. Can the camera tell that you intentionally ran the light or were you already in the intersection and only trying to evacuate the area asap?
ReplyDeleteJeebah
According to the "evidence" video I entered the intersection at .43 seconds into the red light. I'm not sure we can register the light in that time.
ReplyDeleteToday I'm going back to the scene on the "crime" and timing the yellow light to see if they comply to the standards and then compare them to surrounding lights. There are studies that show that we can't easily adapt to changes in speed of yellow lights. I'm collecting all data, like a scientist.
Then I'm letting the surrounding businesses (except the mortuary) know they are being boycotted until the cameras come down. Thanks Jeebah!
I'm not going to Glendale anytime soon but I will join your boycott! We have several "red light" cameras in Jefferson Parish & I'm pretty sure that they've suspended using them, at least for the time being, due to some lawsuits.
ReplyDeleteYeah...a lawsuit is a good idea but I doubt I could afford it on my own. Thanks for your support Louann!!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously if anything, this is such a privacy issue. Redflex has access to all of my personal information now. Plus, how dare they photograph me and with such bad lighting! Not at all attractive!
Hi Tracy, I feel your pain. This happened to me in Hollywood. Ticket was around $500, plus, because I didn't do traffic school, my insurance has jumped around $40/month. I have also had my car impounded twice for parking during heavy traffic hours (I used to just get a ticket), once in Hollywood and once downtown. Those two impounds alone cost me some $600. On top of that, you also have to pay the ticket which is around $80 a pop. I have friends with business in Glendale, or I'd join you in this. If, however, I can sign a petition or something like that, I hope you'll let me know. hello@presentingfreedom.com. Vive la resistance! -Paul
ReplyDeleteWOW! Thanks Paul! You were sure raked through the coals!
ReplyDeleteThe idea behind the boycott is to get local businesses to take a stand to remove the cameras. I understand that you want to support your friends. If they knew just how unfriendly Glendale seemed to a consumer, I'm sure they'd want to pressure the Glendale City Council to make some changes. But, yes, friends come first.
I did some looking around and found that a rolling right on red ticket usually runs about $149. As you know the cost of the ticket and $64 traffic school is $529. I would have just paid the fine had it been $149.
Thanks for piping in Paul. A petition might be a good idea. Maybe I'm putting the cart before the horse. Part of the idea of this blog is figuring all this out. So I appreciate your comment!