Opinion wrong

Re: "Schneck gives green light to red light camera debate" in the March 7 edition of Hernando Today.

In my humble opinion, your view is the wrong view. Mr. Schneck's view, now that he has a view on something, is also wrong.

Let us start with your view that "tourists and other unsuspecting travelers who haven't been to Brooksville before are most likely to get snagged in the city's 'trap' of red light cameras. They probably wont' be back." According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety cameras are used for law enforcement in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., plus many smaller communities. I am not aware of tourists avoiding these listed cities because of red light cameras.

I have not checked the laws of the states or respective cities listed, but I am quite confident that in those states drivers are required to stop for red lights. I believe that their laws would be much like our own FSS 316.075(1)c1 which states in part, "Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing." At least when I travel to other states I follow these rules and have not received a ticket yet.

You are quick to point out the money part of this. Why is that? There would be no money if there were no violations. Just like fuel-efficient cars are causing the loss of revenue in fuel tax dollars, and water conservation efforts are causing a loss of money in water usage fees, so the mere fact of obeying the law would cause a loss of money due to these tickets. Obey the law, what a concept!

Now your statement, "Another drawback to the fine is that it is attached to the vehicle, not the driver." So what? If you lend someone you car and that someone parks it illegally the car gets the ticket. If the car is towed because you friend, relative or whatever parks it illegally who pays? If you want your car back, you do. Then you go after whomever to get your money back. OK, if you are dumb enough to allow your car to be driven by someone who does not obey the law, you pay and go after the driver to get your money back! You don't have any points on your license, your insurance company doesn't know you let your car be driven by an idiot, you just need to get your money back. What is the problem? It is just like a parking ticket, an expensive parking ticket I'll grant you, but parking usually does not kill people.

Your opinion - "Schenck is right when he claims local governments like Brooksville are using cameras as revenue producers" - is calling the Brooksville chief of police and their entire council liars. The police are surely tired of cleaning up the injured and the dead from traffic accidents. I firmly believe they would just as soon have their patrol force doing some proactive work in the community rather than cleaning up after some goof that can't take the time to stop for a light and having to tell some next of kin of an injury or death. Besides, and I repeat myself, if the law is obeyed the city gets nothing!

As for your comment about the "hidden tax," where is that? Income tax I have to pay or go to jail, sales tax I have to pay, it is already on the bill, fuel tax I have to pay, it is at the pumps, so where is it that I have to pay this "hidden tax?" There is no hidden tax; there is a fine for violating the law. Don't violate the law, no fine - what could be simpler?

In the end you do admit "Red light cameras may protect us from an accident" then go on to say it takes away a measure of freedom. Now let's weigh this out, a picture of a car at an intersection against someone you love being hit or killed by someone running a light. I'll take the picture at the intersection every time.

In conclusion you end with "Schneck is right: The cameras must go," well you and Schneck are both totally wrong and not only do the cameras need to stay, the statutes need to make it possible for every city and every county in this state to protect their citizens by installing the cameras.

By the way, I retired after 36 years as a law enforcement officer who has had to deal with the results of red light violations. It was not the high point of my career.

John Stansbury

Brooksville