Letters to the Editor

Editor,

The area press has not reported on some of the more egregious problems with the red light camera racket. The cameras, used in the City of Falls Church, the District, and surrounding suburbs, most often trivialize the seriousness of what is normally a dangerous moving violation, by instead treating it as something as petty as a parking ticket. Since the infraction is classified as a civil, and not a criminal offense, owners of cars that are filmed lose their rights in the presumption of innocence and due process (must be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt).

Since the presumption of guilt for a red light camera infraction rests on the accused, the defendant begins with a distinct disadvantage: month old memories are hazy, there is no way for the alleged offender to go back and analyze traffic situations which may mitigate or absolve them of guilt (e.g.,. heavy truck bearing down behind them, or emergency vehicle requiring them to move through the intersection), and there is no officer present that was present at the intersection who can verify or refute the legitimacy of the defendant’s claims.

I have not seen any reports in the local press about how red light cameras have reduced injuries and/or fatalities, and the one study in Fairfax concluded that a majority of intersections actually had an increased number of accidents after the red light cameras were incorporated. The results of studies made from other jurisdictions around the country have been mostly inconclusive in regards to how much safer intersections have become after the addition of cameras.

Rick Rhoads Falls Church

Editor,

Bedo’s Leather is a pretty interesting place. Made even more so by it’s “million dollar” trees. Folks should visit Mr. Bedo and admire his trees and the old pictures in his case by the front door. Within the case are pictures and artifacts of a old family business. The Bedo’s are Armenians, out of Lebanon. Lebanon was once the jewel of the Middle East.

I suspect the Bedos came to American for the same reasons as every other immigrant... freedom and the expectation of equal treatment. Equal treatment... what does that mean in Falls Church? Hard to say today.

When Bedo’s leather was expanding it’s store it meant having to bust butt and jump through various hoops to save the trees on and abutting his property. But that was then...

No, after more that twenty years as a Falls Church business practicing what in other cities would be considered a craft, it looks like there are two “equal treatments” in our little town. One for the little business and one for the big developer... All over trees...

Equal treatment would mean that the new builders next to Mr. Bedo’s business would have to jump through the same hoops as Mr. Bedo jumped through. That doesn’t seem to be happening.

Seems to me that the trees are in fact million dollar trees. The value comes as a symbol of equality; equality of treatment for all folks in Falls Church, big guys and little guys.

William T. Edmonds Falls Church