The Joys of Living Near a Red Light Camera

This article has been on the news since yesterday:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/08/01/l-i-man-complains-of-...

I reported the camera three weeks ago and it is already in the database. The unintended consequences of these devices:

WEST BABYLON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – A Long Island man is seeing red over a red light camera in front of his home.

Daniel McCarthy’s house sits at the intersection of Arnold Avenue and Great East Neck Road in West Babylon where, in May, Suffolk County crews installed a red light camera.

McCarthy said the constant flashing light is annoying and makes it feel like there’s a lightning storm every few minutes.

“I’m worried about the babies not sleeping at night. They think it is lightning or thunder and it’s very distracting. If you’re trying to watch a TV show or trying to play, interact with each other, all they see is bright lights,” Daniel McCarthy told WCBS 880′s Sophia Hall.

The lights set off a maddening, nightly reaction in the McCarthy home, Jessica McCarthy told CBS 2′s Carolyn Gusoff.

“All of a sudden the lights go off, my dog starts crying, and will wake up my son and he’ll start crying and that wakes up my daughter and she starts crying and it’s an ongoing cycle,” she said.

Suffolk County officials said the red light camera was installed because the intersection is dangerous intersection and has been the scene of more than 20 accidents and that on a given day there are more than 70 red light violations.

The McCarthys said the county gave them no notice before the camera was installed three weeks ago, now they want it removed and have campaigned with an online petition, letters to law makers, and signs urging motorists to take up the cause.

“These cameras belong on commercial streets with no houses, nobody sleeping, no kids are being raised,” Daniel, who has never seen a car crash at the intersection, said.

“Well, I would move but who’s going to buy the house? Who’s going to buy a house with a camera in front of it?” said McCarthy. “The camera represents a bad area, so who’s going to want to live in an area that’s bad?”

The county said that it will review the need for the camera annually.