I received an unwarranted red light ticket and at first I was going to plead not guilty and request a hearing and the whole nine yards because I was livid, I still am, but then I realize the car is in my fathers name and Id rather not drag him through the mud so I wrote them a letter with my money and now I will put it here for the public to see, To whom it may concern, Im writing this letter to vent my own frustration, disappointment and disgust with this entire situation. I received one of these red light camera citations and I have a few things to say. At first I was furious. I still am furious but I realize the car is in my fathers name and he has done nothing and Id rather not cause any trouble for him so instead of making the big to do I almost did but minutes ago I will instead write this letter, as Jonathan Collins the now infamous red light violator. The fiend, the outlaw, the rock star supreme. Id love a response but I know I wont get one because you dont care about my story or me. I received a ticket and I immediately called your customer support and had to wait a good while to speak to someone because Im sure Im not the first to receive an unwarranted ticket from a camera that can only asses a situation so much, and I certainly wont be the last to receive one Im sure. I made a right turn on red and did not come to a complete stop and maybe thats wrong. However thats all the camera knows. The camera doesnt know the intersection or its nature. The camera doesnt care that the light was yellow but a second ago, nor does it care that eastbound traffic would not be coming yet because there are turning arrows that always go off on Jericho at that particular intersection. Always. So maybe I was a little hasty on my turn sure fine but is this what it comes to a camera? No human analysis at all because you need mental care if you think that Im the only one in all of Suffolk county that would make that turn in that exact fashion. Im sure the very representative that I spoke to who had clarified my misdeed, because my citation certainly didnt explain it, would make the same turn. While Im on the topic of the representative, who was very nice and is probably very underpaid for the awful phone calls she must receive on a daily basis, one thing she couldnt clarify was why I have to also pay an additional 30 dollars because this occurred after April 1st 2013. Theres nothing on my citation other than that its an administrative fee. The entire back of the paper tells me all the convenient ways I can pay my ticket but says nothing about additional arbitrary 30-dollar administrative fees. All she said was something about program funding she clearly didnt want to have this conversation and was scared it might escalate and Im not a fan of yelling at underpaid phone workers who really deal with the dregs of society on the daily so I took it at face value and I suppose that would be it. Im now paying you more money to keep the program going which is nonsense. First of all Im already paying 50 dollars that go straight to you. I caused no damage nobody had to stop short and ruin a tire, literally nothing bad happened so that money is going to the program anyway. I never agreed to this program in the first place there was no vote and there was certainly no information given. I never received a phone call from Suffolk County saying that if you receive a violation after April 1st 2013 you will have to pay more money. There was zero communication on that because believe me Id remember hearing that because of how ridiculous it is and if an extra 30 dollars was on the line who knows maybe my stop would have been a little more firm. Another question Id like to ask you is if this program is so desperate for funding why not say take that money from the police department? Because these cameras are doing their job for them yes? Or a small part of it at the very least. 30 dollars small Id say. I believe traffic violations fall under police jurisdiction so why arent they paying 30-dollar administrative fees for cameras that do their job for them? Ive heard many times that Suffolk county police are paid quite well for what they do especially after they put in a few years regardless of what they make Im sure they make more than me, a 20 year old, full-time student, who works at a Starbucks. I know Im sure youre asking yourself how Im not rolling in money in my mansion on the water because I sure ask myself that every day and you know I probably would be nestled up in a cozy place somewhere but these administrative fees are rough. So thats my piece, thats my story and frankly I know you dont care but I care. Im a citizen, I pay taxes and fees for services I will never receive and systems I never asked for. Id love a response. Id love some of your time because you sure as hell are getting my money. The return address will be on the envelope that you likely threw out after opening. Have a fantastic day; Ill be here holding my breath. Sincerely, Jonathan Kyle Collins Age 20 Frustrated student, hopeful brooding artist and barista to the stars
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 18:54:28 +0000
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