Marty Golden: I’m Sorry I Speed So Much, But I Swear I Support Speed Cameras

NY1’s Josh Robin did something no one else could do: He got State Senator Marty Golden to apologize for being such a bad driver. He also caught Golden telling more than a few whoppers on street safety issues.

In Thursday night’s debate between the eight-term incumbent and his Democratic challenger Andrew Gounardes, moderator Robin asked Golden about his mixed record on speed camera legislation, which Golden has long claimed to support despite actively working against speed cameras with his own bill.

“You have long resisted speed cameras at schools,” Robin said. “Only when New Yorkers protested recently did you reverse yourself. At the same time, you’ve racked up numerous driving violations, including for speeding near schools. What do you say to your critics who believe that your personal driving records shows a hostility to those who aren’t in a car, who are walking and cyclists?”

Here’s Golden’s answer, in full, with our fact check below.

Obviously I had to vote for the first bill that allowed those cameras to exist in the first place. So I wasn’t against them then. I’m on the bill now for additional speed cameras. And yes, you’re right. Were there a number of summonses? Yes, I have a number of people who drive my car, but guess what, it’s still my car. [I’m] still responsible and one summons is too many. So I do apologize for that. But as far as standing in the way of speed cameras? Not true. We were there the first time. And two bills are there right now. One to give the original cameras the ability to go forward … and one to add additional [cameras].

Fact check:

Golden did vote for the bill that created the city’s school zone speed cameras four years ago. But…

One other fact check is worth doing.

Later, in a lightning-round question, Golden was asked “Have you ever ridden a bike in a bike in a bike lane?” His answer: “Yes.”

That answer seemingly contradicts Golden’s answer to Streetsblog’s candidate questionnaire. We asked Golden, “How often do you bike to the office?”

Golden’s answer? “Never. The injuries that caused me to retire from the New York City Police Department make it difficult for me to ride a bike.”

It should be pointed out that the injuries Golden cited above did not prevent him from jumping out of an airplane over the summer, as the Daily News reported.