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Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Mont. Co. Council: Nancy Navarro Responds to Complaints about School Bus Camera Scheme

E-mail sent out by Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro regarding complaints received about Montgomery County school bus camera scheme.  

Note Navarro's e-mail does not explain how Maryland distance requirement of 100 feet for yellow flashing warning lights is reconciled with bus camera video information.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Thank you for your correspondence expressing your views on school bus
cameras.   I have made it available to my Council colleagues, and I am
pleased to respond on their behalf.

The Council has recently received complaints about school bus cameras, where
drivers are concerned that they are not given enough warning before a bus
turns on its flashing red lights. 
  School bus drivers are required by State
law to turn on flashing yellow lights 100 feet before stopping, and then to
activate their flashing red lights when stopped. 
  The flashing yellow
lights function similarly to yellow traffic lights, alerting drivers to slow
down and stop.    

School bus camera tickets are reviewed twice -- once by the vendor and once
by civilian staff in the Police Department.   If the reviewers determine an
actual violation occurred, the ticket is then signed by a supervising sworn
police officer.   Approximately 20% of all tickets are rejected as not being
in violation of the law.   The video tickets show a yellow circle in the
upper left corner, which turns to red when the bus driver has activated the
flashing red lights.   This allows all viewers, including the Police
Department, to understand the timing of the flashing yellow lights and red
lights as they relate to the actual violation.   When someone has a concern
about a specific ticket they have received, they can contact the automated
traffic enforcement division of the Police Department.   The staff will then
review the ticket again.   I hope this addresses your concerns about the
automated cameras.  

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this important
matter.

Best regards,
 
Nancy Navarro
President, Montgomery County Council 

4 comments:

  1. "School bus drivers are required by State law to turn on flashing yellow lights 100 feet before stopping, and then to activate their flashing red lights when stopped.”
    In that case, have a police officer ride shotgun, in every school bus, to enforce the “State law” because currently this is not happening!

    ReplyDelete
  2. https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2019/07/why-every-public-school-bus-in-montgomery-county-md-will-soon-have-a-camera-system/
    “It’s better to err on the side of caution, Council Member At-Large Craig Rice said, adding that if you’re not sure, just stop."
    Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wisdom? Really? So why didn't the Council err on the side of caution and put out a RFP for this scheme? Why didn't they let the competitors bid?

      So anyone within eyesight of a bus should stop because citations are being given out to people not required to stop. All because the Council did business with a company the FBI shut down!

      Delete
  3. In the county of the blind, one-eyed men sit on the Council.

    ReplyDelete

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