The numbers are coming in and just guess what happened... not only did accidents not go down, in a number cases they actually went up (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required). What's more important is that APD cannot support the 30 to 40 percent decrease that's touted on the city's website.
APD spokesman John Walsh conceded Monday that he didn't know whether crashes decreased at red-light camera intersections in 2006 and said his department is conducting an analysis to answer that question.
He said the percentages quoted on the department's Web site and at numerous news conferences were based on an estimate of how many crashes would occur in the final three months of 2006 at two of the city's 20 red-light camera intersections.
We told you about the effort to cook the books going on down at APD. Our Eyes told us that Chief Schultz wanted the statistics "analyzed" to exclude accidents that are outside the crosswalks of the intersection, effectively eliminating almost all of the rear-end collisions at the intersection.
[L]ast weekend, Albuquerque police employees were called in to work overtime, looking at every single crash reported at the intersections.APD spokesman John Walsh seemed to be saying that the PRC is incapable of analyzing the data that was given to them because it was "raw" and of a "different level" than the numbers that APD has. Now they're "re-analyzing" the data.
The analysis will examine the causes of each crash to determine whether it was related to red-light running. Other factors such as weather, driver inattention and construction, are included in prior analysis.
For the past year, city officials lined up in front of TV cameras and the city council to tell us about the "success" of the program. The numbers were not originally presented as an estimate, they were presented as fact.
APD has already, well... LIED about a decrease in accidents. Now they're claiming the numbers were only an "estimate." Why would anyone believe anything the city has to say?
Let's review... The mayor and council have set up a system that increases accidents while raking in MILLIONs of dollars. They then proceed to lie about crash statistics and complain about lowering the fines. In addition, they set up a "judicial" system that denies due process.
The mayor and his entire administration have a credibility problem. They've proven that they can't be trusted to tell us the straight truth and in so doing, lost the trust of the public.
The mayor has seemingly staked his political career on a scam-era program that is ineffective and becoming more unpopular with every photo taken. It leaves us wondering why. Why would a politically savvy mayor spend so much of his political capital on a system that looks to be threatening his political future?
10 comments:
ANSWER: M-O-N-N-E-Y
THE KIND THAT GOES IN YOUR POCKET
Herr Marty's henchmen are doing the full-court press on one of the most vocal opponents, Jim Villinucci of 770 KKOB. Shultz was on this PM and practically had Jim convinced that the short yellows were legacy timing from the 1950's. Then the idiot traffic engineer, Castillo, came on to say that the (increased) timing changes that The Nucch has had documented was in the works all along. I nearly screamed at the radio when the T.E. explained that they allow 1 second for human reaction and the 1 second for each 10 mph of legal approach speed that would effectively require ~5 seconds for Montgomery and several other RLC-equiped intersections. Which is what The Nucch was saying last Tuesday. So what has Castillo and crew done??? Cranked up the times from a documented 3.125 seconds to about 4.0. Yeah...and it's all about safety!!!!!!! NOT!!!
Why they are sticking their necks out is the real question. The Mayor has so much to lose. the Chief and the Traffic engineer are just doing what they are told so they dont lose their jobs. I find it hard to believe that the Mayor is just doing this for the bucks that come in. It is a lot of money, but it isn't that much money. Is there a kickback or payoff that is going to be revealed if this thing goes south?
As far as the nubers game, the Chief has always had a problem with the numbers. I think that during one election cycle it was referred to a "fuzzy math". How many Officers are working for APD? How much have the accidents gone down? I think I have heard this story before.
WHY indeed. I think you nailed it.
KICKBACKS ?? I hope so.
Why else?
I couldn't believe it when Mayor Marty said there was no fooling with the lights and then said "if anything, we elongated them". Well, that was the whole issue idiot. I'm sure he knew exactly what he was saying and his staff had the worked on that spin the whole night before. Such audacity...
Check out my new site http://www.photoextortion.com about these red light cameras. Join us on the message board and let your voice be heard!
Great web site. Spread the word
I must say that these cameras are nothing but a money making scam. Oh, I know, they are installed to "reduce accidents and protect people". Well, if that's really the case, then why are they only at certain intersections? Why not have them at the Big I? (not the store) Or why not just have them placed arbitrarily on the streets and freeway? OH YA! They're too expensive. Yet the city has made how many millions already?
The only reason these are at the intersections that they are, is because they are high traffic areas with a high chance of someone running the light. If they really cared about safety, they would put in round-abouts. Those have been proven to reduce the number of accidents. OH WAIT! That would not generate more revenue for the city.
Oh ya, there is also the "it frees up officers time, so they can respond to high priority calls" excuse. Well, have the cops responded to accidents, burglaries or any other incidents any faster? From personal experience the answer is no. I witnessed a man run over my mailbox and the cable box, then swerve down the street and almost hit a small child. He then crashed into a tree. I called the police, ran to the man to see if he was ok and subdued him until the police arrived.... 45 minutes later!
That's because they've been oredered to write so many citations per day for licsense plate covers, seat belt violators, cell phone violaters, smokers droping butts out the window, extra officers riding the bus so the drunks don't pee on other patrons, or grab womens breasts.
A Credibility Problem? Hell the only credibility problem I see here is with the "Lie on Albuquerque".......
"A Credibility Problem? Hell the only credibility problem I see here is with the "Lie on Albuquerque"......." - oopppsss, one of his flying Monkeys' has spoken.....
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