Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

So they may not go in if there's not enough money in it.

I thought the cameras were to be used to increase safety, not raise capital.

What am I missing?

Pro camera

I'm for installing red-light cameras.

Why can't we have the best of both worlds? Increased safety at dangerous intersections and at the same time make a few bucks.

Camera's are unsafe

Studies have shown red light camera's cause more rear end type accidents around where the cameras are installed. Google red light camera's and read up. I'd rather face my accuser than get a letter demanding payment or else. Seems like and erosion of personal freedom to me.

Red lights and bike riders

I am going to agree with Tony on these red light cameras. I think the fact that some on council have been suckered into thinking that this is a great idea and it will raise many dollars for the city may be simply wishful thinking at this point. If the revenues raised is only 20% of the total ticket charge then the people really making the money is the company selling it to the city.

I have read a few articles and it does cut down on ?“T-BONE?” type accidents and I just don?’t think there are that many ''t-bones'' here in Pickerington and along 256. In all of my years of driving up that road in the mornings I have never seen a ?“T-BONE?” accident. I suspect that Tony is right in that it will cause more rear end accidents. Clearly if it relieves the police of writing up reports for T-bones only to replace that time with rear end accidents then I think the cost savings or additional revenues don?‘t really exist.

What I don?‘t want to see is that to make the two intersections with these red light cameras set the yellow time longer to give folks time to get out of the intersection only to screw up the progression of the entire traffic light system up 256. I normally head up 256 around 8:30 AM. I can go about 40 MPH and not get stopped by any lights until I reach I-70. That goes out the window when there is a little rain or snow. Adding a 5 or 10 second delay to only two lights would surly throw the timing off of the entire system and create longer time to get to I-70.

Clearly the manufacture of these lights has looked at the intersections with the current shorter yellow timings and yes there are times we get caught out in the intersection because the traffic slowed unexpectedly after you entered the intersection (especially during bad weather). Can you imagine a city that wants me to double income tax rate paid to the city in exchange for that, they would send me a $100 ticket because I got caught in an intersection doing a small snow storm and the light turned red on me.

On the subject of safety, I would like to also comment on the idiot gene that exists in many of the bicycle riders that travel around our city on their bikes. Many feel they have the right to run red lights and many are oblivious to approaching vehicle and weight of that vehicle that some times is 500 times the weight of their bikes. Yes the law gives them the right to drive down Diley Road when there is a perfectly good bike trail on the east side of the road, but that legal law doesn?’t stack up to the law of physics and the fact that a 3000 pound car can place them in an early grave regardless of who is at fault. I heard an advocate on TV the other day say that bike riders should ride in the right side of the traffic lane because they have the right to ride in that lane, even if the road has a paved berm. I would advise you to drive like no one on the road sees you and if you have a chance to ride on the berm then do so.

By Major Cluster