Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- Reckless, red light running drivers threaten everyone.
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Think for a moment. When you're driving, how often do you notice homeless individuals? Unless they are obstructing your view, direction or path, most likely, they just pass through your mind.
I wondered what some of our guests staying at Joy Junction Homeliness Shelter in Albuquerque, N.M. thought about this issue.
"I have witnessed dozens of drivers using bullying-type driver tactics towards bi-peds" said Ted Davenport, a Joy Junction guest. "It seems many drivers have forgotten the 'pedestrian right-of-way.'"
However, that can be deadly for individuals who cannot move too quickly. Once they have ventured across a cross walk, and reached the critical decision point of "turn around" or "keep going," they are now in harm's way.
Red light cameras, just by their existence, give many drivers pause, and make them adjust their speed.
With that in mind, the impact of a car traveling slower will obviously produce less damage. That translates to less hospital time, less pain, and fewer bills.
So while the issue of whether or not to allow red light cameras is a political hot potato in Albuquerque and other cities around the nation, these cameras could help cut down the number of lead footed drivers and precious homeless individuals could be spared additional pain and perhaps stay alive.
Note that I am focusing purely on safety in this article, and not the operators, and who benefits from the fines, and a number of other issues.
"It would make me feel safer and I wouldn't worry so much about my family's safety," said Carlos, a Joy Junction resident.
He added, "And people need to realize, just because we are homeless, does not mean our lives are less important than theirs."
It's tragic that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Albuquerque leads the nation in pedestrian deaths. Statistics indicate that Albuquerque's red light program has reduced serious accidents by 50 percent in the places where it's used.
With that in mind, I hope people who care about Albuquerque's homeless will at least participate in the Oct. 4 election which includes a referendum on the Red Light Safety Cameras program, regardless of whether they support or oppose photo enforcement of traffic laws.
However, wherever you live, I encourage you to investigate the facts about red light cameras and make your position known to your local officials, no matter how you feel.
| Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter,http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City." Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity. |  |
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