A morning rumination on speed limts

[flynrider]

I trust in Aus they rely a lot more on speed cameras than on leo with radar guns. Here there are thousands hitting the highway in the morning and evening commutes where speed tends to be quick and en mass. Catching offenders is like quail hunting in that they might get one, but the rest of the covey gets thru. As such each individuals chance of getting caught is pretty small. A lot of time, ne most of the time, they don't even try and catch speeders during these periods. Instead they wait until the people get out to the burbs, are by that time far spread out, and where it's much easier to hide and nailem one at a time. I have never seen a speed camera in the U.S... Not true.. I have seen them, they have been challenged, and basically found unconstitutional ( because the guilty party cannot face his accuser aka the camera in court for a challenge) and a money grab.

Here in AZ, the state ran a network of speed cameras on the freeways. Motorcyclists wearing helmets were technically exempt, since enforcement required a clear picture of the driver's face. I used to deliberately trip these cameras, accompanied with a left handed "greeting" to the folks that reviewed the pics.

Eventually, a combination of voter referendums and legislation banned all use of camera enforcement in the state. The basis being that private corporations in the speed camera business lacked the credentials to present evidence in a court of law.

The fact that the camera companies typically receive up to 40% of the fines generated and tickets are virtually uncontestable, means conditions are ripe for corruption (which has happened).

I'm not a habitual speeder. My last traffic ticket was in 1992. Nonetheless, I'm glad to see the cameras gone. The notion of a private corporation being in the law enforcement / revenue generation business, never sat well with me.

[Cormanus]

America really is a fascinating place.

[the Ferret]

But they don't mind pulling over a whole rally of CBers to make sure everyone has a m/c license.

[Cormanus]

That was only cause popgun tipped them off to the presence of a couple of aliens.

[Capo]

Red light cameras were recently found unconstitutional (state constitution) in NJ. As stated above, over 60% of the revenue was going to the private company that installed them, the yellow light timing was shortened, and rear end collisions went UP due to people slamming their brakes to avoid fines. Traffic and speed cameras...bad.

[Stichill_imp]

Haven't read extensively on the subject, but I've heard commentary that the main legal obstacle to cameras in the US is the right to face your accuser in court. It's not clear, in the case of a robot camera, who exactly the accuser would be.

[Cormanus]

They're proliferating in Australia and can, I think, be combined in a single unit with speed cameras. I've not heard of them being cited as a cause for accidents though.

[offroadfx4_imp]

Cameras are bad in Chicago I got a ticket several months after the fact for a rolling right hand turn my son got one in the mail over a year after running a toll Road checkpoint.

What's scary is with the black boxes in cars and GPS and how all cars are starting to be communicating with the internet they will be able to track your every move and every second that you might break the speed limit.

Which brings up a good question do our CB 1100 have a black box?

[ClassicVW_imp]

Nah, no black boxes yet. I don't think they even put them in the lowest priced cars either.

[Elipten_imp]

In New Mexico examination of stop lights with cameras determined the the yellow light time was reduced after camera install and less than non camera equipped lights.

Funny how that worked.


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