No one has the right to endanger the physical and emotional well being of our families, friends and the children of Auburn families.
No one has the right to run a red light and cause a neck, back or other seriously lifelong injuries.
Talk about expensive. How about co-pays for chiropractic/physical therapies, pain medications for years, car insurance co-pays and heights after the accident, time lost from work and school, getting a new car and legal fees, plus the longterm toll of post-traumatic stress?
“It’s working,” Assistant Police Chief Bob Karnofski affirms after reviewing the data from third quarters of 2008-2011 for red light camera enforcement.
Mayor Pete Lewis agrees. The percentage of red-light violations dropped as follows:
• Auburn Way South and 4th, southbound, down 24.9 percent; northbound, down 40.2 percent
• M Street and Auburn Way South, westbound, down 40.5 percent; northbound, down 56.5 percent
• 8th and Harvey: down 71.9 percent
• Dick Scobee, down 64.6 percent
• Chinook, down 63.9 percent
• Mt. Baker, down 72.3 percent
Cameras are fair. They don’t care if you are 17 years old, brown-skinned male in a red sports car, or a 40-year-old white female in a “mom’s van.” Notice how many cars speed up after passing a car pulled over by a motorcycle traffic cop? Officers catch very few violators, compared to the near 100 percent the camera’s computers catch 24/7.
Education is expensive. For those who need to be retaught about high speed in school zones and the golden rule in busy intercessions, it can pay for that education with a small fine. Consider it tuition. Research shows that Auburn puts the money right back into our roads. I would rather see those acting dangerously pay for our streets more than higher taxes for the rest of us.
Which school would you like to have the camera’s taken down at? It is a stupid question because it is proven that photosafe cameras are making the streets to our homes, places of business and schools safer. No one has the right to endanger the well being of our families and children.
– Bess Owens
