Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

In regards to the recent article about the red light cameras along Hill Road in Pickerington, a couple items jumped off the page to me. First were the numbers to potential infractions supposedly occurring on a monthly basis, and second, the fact that some council members disputed those numbers.

Now I realize that the company is essentially attempting to sell the City of Pickerington a product. They can and likely will inflate their data in order to make their product seem bit more appealing. I believe that goes without saying. However, I do believe that there are literally hundreds of infractions each week if you take into consideration the numbers of cars that continue to stream through many intersections making left turns once the light has turned red. These are the impatient folks that did not get to make a left when they had the arrow before the opposing traffic got a green to move straight through the intersection so they wait for the light to change and then proceed to make their left turn. I've seen as many as seven cars proceed through a red light at Tussing and Hill Roads. Anyone that travels south bound into Pickerington at the end of their work day has seen this as well.

My question is simple... are cars making left turns following the light changing taken into account or are the figures only for cars running a light straight through the intersections? I'm going to wager that those making left turns after the light has changed are included in those numbers and if so, I'd also bet that while a little high, the vendor is not too far off the mark.

Added Benefit...

I saw on TV a week or so ago a story on Red Light cameras. The reporter did state that red light violations were down.

She then went on to state the number of rear end collisions were up a HUGE % because people were slamming on their brakes to avoid going through a red light.

I've also talked to a friend who lived with these in California. She once stopped with her tires in front of the white line. That triggered a photo - she did not go through the light but still had to pay a big ticket because they had her on film.

Seems like this is not going to create a safer traffic environment. Council needs to call it what it is - a REVENUE GENERATOR.

It's too bad that's the only way they think they can get additional $'s from us.

Bottom line is its NOT safer. There is NOT good data to support its safer. They always leave out rear end collisions when talking about less red lights run. And I'm going to bet the photo's are not always the whole story. What if the light is green & you are in the intersection ready to turn & the light turns & your photo is snapped?

Dear Tory

Hello again. What you and the loyal readers of this fine website apparently fail to understand is this (and I am going to say it slowly so everyone gets it this time):

NO

ONE

GOES

TO

COUNCIL

MEETINGS

TO

EXPRESS

ANY

OPINIONS

ON

ANYTHING

THIS

CITY

OR

COUNCIL

IS

DOING !!

That's the long and short of it pal. Most of council and certainly most of the city staff do not come to this site to put their finger on the pulse of any of the anonymous, maybe city resident postings here. There are some very important issues facing us and council is essentially working in a vacuum with no resident input.

To Wit: The income tax increase, the change to the credit, Red Light Cameras, but wait, here's one that will hit your wallet harder than cameras -- Councilman Smith, Sabatino and Sanders voted in Safety Committee to throw aside the staff analysis and recommendation on the upcoming trash contract. Staff analyzed the bids and recommended the low bidder. The three S's from Safety said no. They forwarded the highest bidder to council and council has already voted once on it passing 5-2. Two more readings and your trash bill goes way up. No one is going to council to make waves about this.

If no one goes to council to voice an opinion, don't waste electrons voicing it here. I am not a city resident so my opinion doesn?’t count. I am just an observer. I look for opportunities for my beloved township trustees to learn from the city?’s examples and act responsibly. Why didn?’t they joining with the city in looking at a trash contract? At least for the large subdivisions like Summerfield and the others it would be an apples-to-apples comparison for bidding. Leave the rural routes up to the homeowner but we could have all benefited from a combined bid with the city. Where?’s the cooperation?

Another joint venture should have been natural gas aggregation. Where was the township on that one? Where was the cooperation?

I am sick and tired of my beloved trustees only talking cooperation when it is election time (meaning give me your vote) or inside millage tax collection time (give me your money).

Oh well, back to the point and it is a point beaten to death. City residents need to go to meetings and voice their opinion and let their elected leaders know what they want. All the elected officials run in independent social circles. Their coffee shop buddies, church pals, sports team parents or pool people are the only opinions being heard by council.

If you refuse to attend meetings and state your opinions, why complain here? Your complaint has no credence. At least do like I do and read the minutes from the meetings. As the local papers continue to go away this may be the only source for learning what is going on in your city. The city can?’t afford a newsletter or a person to write it.

Have a good day!

Time for decaf

Your quote...

''If you refuse to attend meetings and state your opinions, why complain here? Your complaint has no credence. At least do like I do and read the minutes from the meetings. ''

First, I've been to council meetings in the past and served on the Pickerington Planning and Zoning comission. I know how the process works.

Second, and most important, I was posing a question not a complaint. There is a difference. I had a rather good dialogue with two current council members on this very site that you propose they do not read when the issue of red light cameras first came up. I'm sure that I'll hear from one or both of them again.