NYC’s ‘Big Brother’ red light cameras up to 600 as drivers rail that bikes get free rein
Drivers are seeing red.
The city’s “Big Brother” red light camera rollout is complete, putting 600 intersections across the five boroughs under surveillance to ticket drivers — as drivers complain cyclists and e-bike riders are still getting free rein.
The expansion added cameras at 450 intersections to the existing 150, quadrupling a network that sends $50 tickets to vehicles’ registered owners when drivers run red lights.
“They shouldn’t work only for cars. They should work for bicycles too,” Gino Tale said. “They’re not registered. They drive like imbeciles. They got no rules. They’re on freefall.”
Tale, who was pumping gas at a Mobil station at 14th Street and Eighth Avenue Thursday, said drivers were losing street space to bike lanes while still dealing with cyclists cutting them off.
“We got merged to one lane and still we have bikes cutting us off. It’s not safe to drive,” he said.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday the city now has red light cameras at as many intersections as state law allows.
But some drivers questioned whether the expansion was about safety or just to squeeze more money out of motorists.
The city collected $43 million from red light camera tickets issued last fiscal year, up about 36% from the previous year, according to the Department of Finance.
“Absurd! I hate it. Get rid of it. Please save me some money!” said James, 36, who works and drives in the city daily. “I’m a taxpayer. I pay too much to be taxed more for trying to get to work on time.
“How much money does the city need anyways?”
James also objected to the surveillance.
“The camera is invading people’s privacy. What is that?” he said.
Kiera, 28, complained she’s gotten a ticket for being trapped in the intersection when traffic stops.
“If you’re in the middle of an intersection and there’s traffic in Manhattan you can’t necessarily move and they won’t waive it,” Kiera, 28, said.
The Department of Transportation said drivers should not receive a ticket if they entered the intersection before the signal turned red and reviewers examine the images before a citation is sent.
City officials said the cameras reduce dangerous driving and red light running has fallen more than 80% at camera locations.
Steve, 66, driving an Audi Thursday in the West Village, backed the enforcement, admitting he sometimes speeds up at yellow lights.
“If they get me, they get me. It’s probably a good lesson for me.”