A wreck just before 9 p.m. on Lakeview Boulevard–the road that continues north from Belle Terre Parkway, past Matanzas Woods Parkway–sent one person to the hospital and closed Lakeview between London Drive and Laramie Drive.
According to a preliminary Florida Highway Patrol investigation, a woman was driving north on Lakeview, at the wheel of a Toyota Camry, when an individual–whose identity was not yet known at the time of the preliminary investigation–at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta appeared to have blown through a stop sign at La Mancha Drive, making a left turn south onto Lakeview. The Toyota’s left-front struck the Ford broadside.
The woman driving the Toyota was not injured and was at the scene. But 45 minutes after the wreck, she was still going through bags and possessions to try to produce her insurance and driver’s license papers to a Florida Highway Patrol trooper–who could not verify her identity until then. The driver of the Ford was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler with non-life-threatening injuries by Flagler County Fire Rescue.
The Palm Coast Fire Police diverted traffic north on Lakeview onto London Drive, and south on Lakeview onto Laramie.
Brian says
And people wonder why we need MORE red light cameras! It is the complete ignorance of stupid people who lack courtesy on the roadways! Stop signs are there for a reason! They do not mean SPIN TIRES ON PAVEMENT…..they mean STOP YOUR DAMN CAR AND LOOK BOTH WAYS!
You stop and look both ways before crossing at a crosswalk even if you have the crossing signal, right? Of course you do! You are worried about some lunatic behind the wheel more concerned with texting their BFF or changing the radio station or CD they are listening to.
You look both ways before backing out of your driveway don’t you? Of course you do! You do not want someone to slam into you from behind and wreck your car!
You stop and look both ways on your bicycle don’t you? Of course you do! You do not want to get run over by someone who possibly is not paying attention and does not see you crossing!
Considering all of the above reasons why you actually do stop at stop signs…….why is it appropriate in your own logic to blow through a stop sign in a car and become that one thing you fear when crossing the street while walking or riding your bike, or backing out of your driveway in the morning? If a Flagler County Deputy Sheriff or FHP State Trooper was there at that intersection, you would surely come to a complete stop to avoid getting a ticket. These red light cameras I hear everyone complaining about are simply 24-hour law enforcement officers, at a fraction of the cost of an actual deputy or trooper! Just imagine the cost to the tax payers of Flagler County and the city of Palm Coast if they were to actually have a deputy at every intersection 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Plus, you would need one facing each direction, so two deputies at each intersection is close to $240,000 per year per intersection! Now, with the city COLLECTING $700 per month per camera ($14,000 annually), with 50 cameras, that is a savings of $700,000 per year to the tax payers! American Traffic Solutions only gets paid a percentage of the fines collected!
The only people complaining about these red light cameras, are the people who have received citations in the mail, along with their picture as proof of them running the light! Now, if you do not want a ticket, simply slow down when the lights turn yellow rather than flooring it and praying you beat the cameras! Yellow means slow, and not magically turn into Dale Jr. at Talladega headed for the checkered flag!
If you are so worried about all the fines the city will be collecting as a result of these cameras, all you need to do is obey the traffic laws and STOP! The sooner we all use our heads for something other than a hat rack and follow the laws as they are written, the city of Palm Coast will not be collecting any money from these cameras, and in the long run they will end up COSTING them money rather than generating it faster than Bernie Madoff with a new Amway account! Trust me…..if the city ends up having to shell out money because the cameras are not overstuffing the pockets of those running them, they will be the first ones to vote to take them all down! If you want these cameras to disappear, why not make the city pay for them? All you have to do is obey the law and use your brain! It really is rather simple.
Ogreagain says
Fact of the matter is the red light camera do nothing to improve safety. I just a cash cow for the city. by brian’s thinking we should have 24 hour watch on everything and nobody will do anything wrong. Look at bunnell’s police state on the south side of town, thiers still unsolved crimes that go on, and yet it’s being recorded 24 a day. if it wasn’t about money for red light cameras, why don’t they offer community service instead of 158$?
Joe says
Glad everyone seems O K, stop sign camera’s will be next!
Gia says
Take the driver license away. No sympathy, + heavy fine.
Billybob says
Brian says “The only people complaining about these red light cameras, are the people who have received citations in the mail, along with their picture as proof of them running the light!”
I drive for a living and have been a professional driver for over 20 years. I drive throughout Palm Coast on a daily basis on my routes. I have never received a red light camera ticket, have never had a speeding ticket, have never caused an accident, and have never had any points on my license. Yet I am VERY much opposed to the red light traffic cameras.
At face value, I understand how you could think those opposed to the red light cameras are a bunch of speeding law breaking maniacs. But if you would actually take a few minutes to educate yourself as to the reasons WHY people are against the cameras you will find out that we are good drivers, law abiding citizens, the vast majority of whom have never received a ticket from these cameras. I’m not going to re-hash all of the reasons why we are opposed to the cameras, it has been covered many times before.
Google: Why Red Light Cameras Don’t Work
I realize you were ranting and often this leads to grandiose statements for emphasis rather than a presentation of facts. I hope underneath it all you do realize that the majority of good drivers in Palm Coast are strongly opposed to the red light cameras, and the many reasons why we are opposed have nothing to do with speeding recklessly through red lights.