Smile! You're on the Red Light Camera

I want to be clear. I support implementation of the red light camera. While they probably save fewer lives than they receive credit for from their admirers in local government, they do prevent many accidents and injuries.

However, the implementation of these cameras should put the burden of proof on the law enforcement agency. Procedural breakdowns should always favor the recipient of the ticket, especially in cases with little effect on traffic safety. Cases like mine.

My brush with the little digital nark happened last February on my way home from working the grave shift at Jerry's Deli. I take the same route almost every night. The calm left by the halt of traffic is refreshing at 3:00 AM. I don't pay as much attention to traffic at 3:00 AM on empty streets as I do at 3:00 PM during rush hour. Who would?

On this particular night, I was obviously not paying even less attention, and got my picture taken. I deserved a ticket because I ran a red light. And I've seen 2001 enough to know not to mess with HAL 2000. And so for two weeks I checked my mail nervously expecting a ticket. To my delight, they let me off. I stupidly reasoned that someone was paying attention and realized that this incident didn't exactly violate anyone's safety.

Boy was I wrong. You might imagine my surprise six months later a collection notice in excess of $600 (for no reason apparent on the notice). It took me more than a week to research the notice and track down the office and deputy responsible for my red light ticket. I discovered that my check had been sent to to the wrong street number: 4128 instead of 4728.

I finally got my ticket in the mail a day after my first traffic court date and six months after
my red light flub. At this point, my life was an apple to the orange that might life was six months prior when a $370 ticket was an annoyance. That $370 now is part of a past due car payment.

But that's my problem, not LA's and not that little camera's.

But even if I take the human element out of the equation it's at least not acceptable to receive notification that the ticket exists from a collection notice sent six months after the accident. But the perfectly named Officer Porsche assured me it happens all the time. He reFew. That lowered my total due from $600 to $370. But since my bank account lingered around $0 it hardly made a difference.

Turns out CA state law requires that a red light camera citation must be delivered within 15 days of the alleged violation date. Of course, the commissioner of traffic court who delivered her 30 minute opening remarks with the cynical bravado of Judge Judy dismissed my request to dismiss as "rigamarole." She said that these windows didn't apply to red light tickets. I didn't want to further anger Her Honor by asking exactly why the law exists since red light tickets are like the only tickets you can receive by mail. But who has time for rationale when there city cash flows are in question.

I might not feel so burnt by beaurocracy in LA if someone would just review my case for 2 minutes. I'm not asking for them to do anything except their job. But ignorance is bliss, I guess, and their incentives program is likely not to give some smart ass kid a legally justified break. Besides I appear to have many advantages that the guy who just got out of prison in front of me does not. In short, its only $370, right?

I might not feel so burnt by beaurocracy in LA if my $370 were an investment into the most glaring failure of Los Angeles government and transportation authorities: the lack of a cohesive and effective public transportation system. Instead it will be wasted on some freeway or major roadway expansion project that will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars and hinder traffic flow for years and that barely keeps up with traffic.

I might not feel so burnt by beaurocracy in LA if knew that the officer I saw the other day briefly and irresponsibly turn on his siren to avoid a red light had a reason other than his hopefully newfound position of authority. If he had actually hit me, which he almost did, it would have been my fault. I did fail to yield, after all.

I might not feel so burnt by beaurocracy in LA if the fire were avoidable.