This too is Yonkers-By Eric Schoen
It’s Howdy Doody, oops I meant Red Light Camera time! Friends, I have said it before and I will say it again. The City of Yonkers Red Light Camera program is a sham. Its goal is to balance the City of Yonkers Budget and screw motorists who travel through our city.
The lobbyist in Albany that obtained the program for Yonkers was the same lobbyist for the firm that ultimately received the contract to provide Red Light Cameras to our fair city. This lobbyist has connections with one of the officials charged with running the city of Yonkers. But you know all that. Now let’s get to my Red Light Camera episode.
A friend received a Red Light Camera ticket in the mail. The images on the ticket were so dark it was impossible to see if an infraction actually occurred. There was a picture of her license plate. That was the only thing clearly visible. So she wrote to Yonkers Parking Violations Bureau (PVB) that based on the images she received from them, no violation occurred and she was not guilty.
Now with the cockamamie Yonkers system, the Parking Violations Bureau says that you should view the video clips online which supposedly give a better picture of whether or not a violation occurred. At this point they are counting on you to say, hey, it’s not worth the waste of time dealing with his foolishness and pay the ticket.
A lot of people don’t have computers where they can view the video clips. So they have to schlep down to the PVB and pay $3 to park in the City Hall garage to use a computer there. Or go to the Riverfront Library and pay to park in the Buena Vista Garage (where parking for library patrons use to be free) or find a street meter. Again at this point many give up and pay the ticket.
Now these tickets are supposed to be reviewed by a law enforcement official to determine if a violation took place. As I have in the past I requested to view this process and got an email back from Yonkers Communications Director Christina Gilmartin saying, ‘Those who are issued red light cameras are provided the video in which they are seen running a red light. They have the right to dispute any ruling based on the video.’
I wrote back to Ms. Gilmartin, ‘When the contract was awarded it was stated that after the infraction occurred a Police or COY official would review it to determine if a summons should be issued. I believe it was also in the initial legislation. That is the process I would like to review.’ No response.
Then I learned that the reason why the pictures on the violation notice are so dark is that in some neighborhoods residents complained that the bright flash, like a flash on your camera that simultaneously goes off with the Red Light Camera was annoying and it was turned off. So I asked Ms. Gilmartin, ‘if neighbors are disturbed by the flashing that occurs at the Red Light Intersection, what must they do to get the bright flashing light turned off? Apparently it has occurred in certain red Light intersections upon request from neighboring residents.’
You guessed it. No response. By the way, I have been in Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where at Red Light Intersections bright flashing lights don’t go off. Is the Yonkers system out of date or in need of replacement?
Let’s get back to my friends ticket. She receives a letter in the mail from the Parking Violations Bureau with Big bold letters at the top that say, ‘NOTICE OF HEARING.’ She had sent in her plea of Not Guilty on time because the images presented to her did not show any violation occurring. The purpose of the letter was to avoid a hearing.
Interestingly the notice had a $25 penalty on it (making the ticket $90) with a note to that if she changes her plea to guilty she could avoid the necessity of an appearance by calling 377-6629 for the ‘correct amount due’ and returning the note to the PVB 3 days prior the hearing date.
Total due is listed on the notice as $90. So what does ‘correct amount due’ mean. Are they sending notices out with the incorrect amount listed as ‘total due?’ This mess gets more confusing by the minute! Suppose someone at this point in the process sent $90 and less was due. Are they going to get a refund. If you think so, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.
I reviewed the video clips on my iPad, a device many people around the world use that lets you obtain access to the Internet and they were as dark and unclear as the pictures on the violation notice. The picture that is supposed to show the car going through the light is just a bunch of hazy lights. No way anyone with good vision could determine if the subject car was going through a red light.
Bottom line is that an Administrative Law Judge at the Parking Violations Bureau reviewed the ticket and his decision was, ‘Omit Penalty. Guilty Pay original fine. The online video has been reviewed and clearly depicts the subject vehicle proceeding through a solid red light at the subject intersection.’
How the Administrative Law Judge could make this decision I will never figure out. Maybe he viewed the video on big screen at RKO Proctors in Getty Square. Oops, that’s closed. Maybe he viewed the video on the big screen at Radio City Music Hall? Doubt it. Maybe his eyes are better than mine? Doubt that one too!
There is a note at the bottom of the Hearing Officers Decision Sheet’ that says the decision is appealable for $10. The Notice of Hearing says ‘this will be the only hearing for these violations.’
So my friend decided to pay the $65 (yes, don’t forget the $15 Administrative fee for the work the PVB does to drive you nuts, oh I mean process the violation notice) the City Council added 2 years ago. It’s just not worth the time when the stack of cards is against you.
I still have hope that the City Council will pass legislation requiring the postage of signage at the approach to Red Light Camera intersections alerting motorists to their existence. The signage has proven to be just as effective as the cameras themselves in stopping motorists from running Red Lights. If it’s good enough for New Rochelle and Mount Vernon, it’s good enough for Yonkers.
And let’s hope with the Senate led by our own Andrea Stewart Cousins that the Senate and Assembly will hold hearings to and find out more true horror stories of how the little man or woman can’t win in the world of Red Light Cameras. And if municipalities are following the law.
I’m sure you will send me your Red Light sagas. Cc or Copy them to risingmediagroup@gmail.com and give your permission to have them in print and space permitting you too can have your voice heard!
By the way, here’s the web address that lists the 25 sites where Red Light Cameras exist: https://www.yonkersny.gov/live/parking-transportation/parking-violations-bureau/red-light-cameras-how-it-works-locations.
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM or go to WVOX.com and click the arrow to listen to the live stream.
