Letter: Lafayette milking red-light ‘cow’

In the article relative to the traffic light cameras in the city of Lafayette, I find Councilman Jay Castille’s remark about representing the voters to be quite interesting.

Most assuredly it should be glaringly obvious that such automated electronic traffic-control devices are extremely unpopular with the voters and would most certainly be voted out if the populace were allowed to vote on them.

If the Lafayette City-Parish Council wants to truly represent their constituents and make the right decision on this matter, why don’t they simply vote the cameras out. Does the term “cash cow” ring a bell?

Hunley P. Dufour Jr.

engineering inspector III

Marrero

Comments

1) Comment by SacredCow - 05/07/2012

Having been in a moderate to severe crash due to someone trying to beat the yellow light, I was initially happy to see Baton Rouge's cameras go up. Then I got one of their tickets (in error- I don't run red lights, and my vehicle wasn't even in the picture when the light in question turned red). I spent approximately 2 hours on the phone with several less-than-intelligent people who said my only recourse was to go to court to have it dismissed- in other words, take probably 4+ MORE hours of MY personal time to fix someone else's mistake. Eventually (after much foul language on my part) someone FINALLY reviewed the footage and said, "Oh, - OK. That was a malfunction. We'll delete it from the system." These things are a money grab, and an ineffective one at that (take a look at the total dollar amount of fines issued vs. the actual money received once the camera company takes their cut). They don't make intersections more safe. They violate due process (guilty until proven innocent). The concept of having non-payment of these tickets show up on one's credit rating since you do not voluntarily enter into a transaction with the camera operators has also been challenged (and ruled illegal). Bottom line: Red light cameras are a complete waste of time and money, at best.

2) Comment by bourbon-soda - 05/07/2012

PS & TWIMC: if you don't want your wife to find out your are driving around with your girlfriend, don't speed or run red lights or a picture of the cute couple may arrive in the mail. Good plot for a sitcom, IMO.

3) Comment by bourbon-soda - 05/07/2012

And this so-called problem galvanizes the writer of the letter, who lives in Marrero, to write a letter to the editor in a third locale, Baton Rouge about a problem in Lafayette? I wish my city would get some cow cameras to raise money and that they could run the whole city off it.

4) Comment by SuzanneMS - 05/07/2012

Brilliant strategy, Bighug. Let's see how many get on board and how many continue to choose to contribute.

5) Comment by Bighug - 05/07/2012

I have started my own campaign against the cameras at traffic lights. I do it by refusing to run a red light. Amazingly, I've contributed not a single penney to the program! If everyone would just follow my lead, the city or parish paying for a program that brings in no money would soon end it.