Virginia Harford: Caught on Camera

Paw: Look who got caught on camera.

Virginia Harford who is quick to criticise people for not parking a shopping cart to her satisfaction got a ticket for running a red light in Grand Terrace. She writes as if it was some sort of shock that camera enforcement would be used on HER... by golly... and the cost of the ticket was also a shock to her. She further suggested in her writing that the Camera Enforcement was done without public hearings, or meetings.

Well, the fact is.
The City Council had the Camera Enforcement on the Agenda at meetings Virginia attended. Did she object.... NO
At the Meeting the cost of the ticket was discussed, did she object ..... NO
The Finances of the Camera Enforcement were discussed, did she object .... NO

Does the camera show her going through a red or a yellow light? Bet it is RED.... she stopped looking or paying attention when it was yellow.... and did not care to pay attention to the fact it had turned Red. GEE...

Her statement, we all make errors at one time or another and we all don't get tickets. She is right, some times we KILL People with our cars, some times we cause hundreds of dollars of property damage. Some times we shock ourselves into being better drivers. If you run a red light and say... gee I am lucky there was no police officer to give me a ticket, there is something WRONG with your thinking, and you should park your car and walk. IF you run a red light you should say, wow, I have better be more careful, and be darn glad no one is dead or hurt by your carelessness.

Red lights are for the safety of everyone. Once upon a time the Corner of Mt. Vernon and Barton Rd only had a stop sign. As a matter of fact it was the only 4 way stop in town. Things have changed. Camera Enforcement is one of those changes.

If anyone has a problem with Camera Enforcement it is a statement that they feel they should be able to get away with breaking a law if a Police Officer HUMAN is not at the time and place they break the law. This is wrong headed thinking. It would be nice if SPEED Enforcment could be done by Camera.

Virginia Harford... the picture of you breaking the law was done on a PUBLIC ROAD... That is not an invasion of your Privacy. Now if you want Big Brother to stop telling you can't have a chicken in your back yard, I'll take your side on that one. Your back yard, Your HOME should be free of Big Brother... but, our roads belong to ALL of us.

Shame on you Virginia Harford,
Shame on you for driving badly.
Shame on you for being pretentious.

The COURT RECORS show SHE SPENT $240.00 not $340.00 and that she did ask for a payment plan... but paid in full just after the court date..

TRAFFIC SCHOOL RED LIGHT
$210.00
DMV LOOK-UP FEE
$30.00
Total:
$240.00

You do not have the FREEDOM to RUN RED LIGHTS....
JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE Virginia Harford.

She can offer the Citation Number and her car licence plate number so we all can check the picture of her violation on the County Court's Web Page... IF she wants to PROVE she was not running a Red Light.


09:17 PM PST on Tuesday, November 11, 2008


By VIRGINIA HARFORD
More and more cameras are being installed at intersections.
I've noticed a couple in Grand Terrace and several in Loma Linda, San Bernardino, Riverside and Redlands. Five will be coming to Corona ("Locations debated for cameras," Nov. 11).
I suspect these are moneymakers and not entirely attempts to thwart speeders or red-light violators. After all, they seem intended to catch average drivers making minor errors. But then, I may be exhibiting sour grapes.
One day, I was driving south on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Grand Terrace and came to Barton Road. I was planning to turn right, but the light was yellow, and as I punched the accelerator, the light turned red and the cameras caught me.
Was it really worth a $390 fine, not to mention the time lost going to court to try for a reduction? The judge asked if I wanted to go to traffic school ($50). I said, "Yes," thinking that perhaps I could learn how to avoid a violation in the future.
More hours were lost trying to decipher the lessons. The court reduced the fine by $100, but with the $50 charge for school, I still ended up owing $340. What would the judge have done to me if I had been broke, put me in jail?
Loma Linda has also decided to fine anyone seen smoking in the city. Is Loma Linda offering free help for people who want to stop smoking?
I have not smoked in 25 years. Quitting was the most difficult thing I ever did. But can we serve as judge and jury over the poor smoker? Isn't his nicotine addiction enough of a burden?
Someone decided without my permission or yours that we will need a converter box for television sets that do not have digital or high-definition capabilities. Experts say we will be delighted with the superior reception. What if we are satisfied with our current reception? What about those who can't afford a box? You can apply for a price reduction, but the box is still going to cost you.
We are having to give up more and more freedoms. Are these deficits justified?
I love my country. I know from experience that it is the best country in the world in which to live. But Big Brother lurks, and that worries me.
Virginia Harford is a resident of Grand Terrace.