By Robert Zirgulis
Re “Corlin Scolds Zirgulis for Lack of Evidence”
In response to Alan Corlin's scolding of me, I wish he would get his facts straight.
First, you got the quote wrong. I was just conveying and printing what an anonymous source said about the full accounting of the red light money collected during the eight years Mr. Corlin was in office — estimated at $10 million.
Yes, it would be nice to know how that money was collected and spent.
“I voted for the red light camera system,” Mr. Corlin states, “because I was made aware that it would cut down on the number of accidents at certain intersections in Culver City. It did.”
I would like Mr. Corlin to bring out that specific data. How many accidents were caused by red light runners before the cameras were put in?
How many red light accidents were caused by red light runners after the cameras were put in.
I am betting that Mr. Corlin's data is statistically not significant or it may not exist.
That is why I am going to file a Public Information Request with the Culver City Police Dept.
I want to see how many accidents were caused 16 years prior to 1998 at intersections where the red light cameras were installed.
I want to compare that data to the present, from 1998, when the red light cameras were installed, to the present day.
If the data is there, and I am proven wrong, I will acknowledge it.
As for my empirical data on red light cameras in Culver City, let me give you a definition, Mr. Corlin: “Empirical evidence is information that is acquired by observation. Empirical evidence is information that justifies a belief in the truth or falsity of an empirical claim.”
In 2010 when I was running for City Council, my main focus was trying to stop the infernal red light cameras. For over 12 weeks I protested red light cameras at red light camera intersections, two to three hours a day, at least three or four times a week.
Most people in Culver City saw me at these intersections. I was known as the “anti-red light camera man.” National Public Radio, KFI radio, and TV stations did stories on my protests.
I spent a minimum of 120 hours observing thousands of cars in traffic going through all these red light intersections.
Conservatively, I observed more than 20 red light camera flashes during this period. Not once did I see a dangerous red light runner go through the intersection. Nor did I see any accidents.
However, the red light camera flashes were made on cars going with the flow of traffic where it would have been dangerous for them to slam on the brakes when the red light camera came on.
The point is that most of the drivers were not really at fault for going through the red light. Still, they were charged an unnecessary $486 fine. The red light cameras are not going to stop or deter a reckless drunk driver.
I challenge Mr. Corlin and City Council members to sit at a red light camera intersection for only three hours. Observe how ridiculous and despised these cameras are by motorists. The intersection of Jefferson and Overland was where I noticed the majority of red light camera flashes.
Changing the Subject
As for my mentioning the Natatorium, I wanted to show that I have no axe to grind with Mr. Corlin because I like most people who are for fixing the Natatorium. I shamelessly want to plug fixing the Culver City School Natatorium swimming pool any chance I get, as in this letter.
Mr. Zirgulis may be contacted at zirgulisr@yahoo.com
