OPINION:
I fully agree with “Rebooting the red-light-camera cash grab” (Editorials, Tuesday), which points out that these cameras may reduce safety. I once had an accident in which such a camera contributed to a severe collision.
I was traveling about 50 mph on a moonless night approaching a familiar but unlit intersection that I knew had both a camera and a short-timed yellow light. My attention was on the green light so as to be ready to stop quickly if it changed. Consequently, I never saw the other vehicle, being driven without lights on, until it crossed directly in front of me and entered my headlight beams broadside. At this point, the collision was imminent, less than a second away, but I might have noticed the car earlier if my attention had not been glued to the traffic light.
I doubt that your advice to ignore tickets that aren’t properly served will do much good, as most motorists still will simply pay the fine. What could stop this practice, however, would be for personal-injury lawyers to consider jurisdictions such as Alexandria that blatantly sacrifice public safety for ticket revenue as “deep pockets,” and see to it that these cameras are not profitable.
LESTER VIA
Springfield, Va.
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