Photo Radar
07-18-20, 10:34 AM
#26
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That is exactly what happened to me. I got a ticket in the mail for doing 59mph on I-295 at 0130 in the morning where it crosses from Maryland into DC and the limit inexplicably drops to 50mph. Not being from that area I was unfamiliar with DC's cameras.
The letter provided an easy way to pay and specifically stated that it would not affect your insurance. Apparently DC is making millions with this system.
The letter provided an easy way to pay and specifically stated that it would not affect your insurance. Apparently DC is making millions with this system.
Sorry for you you were caught by DC’s random tax collection on an “interstate”. That stretch must have three different speed limit zones within 10 miles.
07-18-20, 12:27 PM
#27
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So photo radar serves another purpose. It gets speeders off that section of road. If all speeders used waze and similar apps to avoid photo radar traps, they'd all be on the same road where they can't speed because of each other.
07-18-20, 02:24 PM
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A better idea would be a GPS + blackbox data collection system in every car. Instead of gas taxes and car registrations, each month you’re charged for the number of miles driven, if you like to speed there is a extra charge on top of the monthly bill.
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07-18-20, 03:09 PM
#30
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07-18-20, 03:29 PM
#31
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How's that? 
The people running red lights would be getting the tickets. Those are the right people. Same with photo radar. The people driving over the limit would be getting the tickets. Again, the right people.
Say what you will about it being a cash grab or not, but photo radar, especially in areas like school zones, works. I can't think of a bigger disincentive to not speed than getting a 300 ticket in the mail. If such automation were possible for things like distracted driving, it'd be even better.
The people running red lights would be getting the tickets. Those are the right people. Same with photo radar. The people driving over the limit would be getting the tickets. Again, the right people.
Say what you will about it being a cash grab or not, but photo radar, especially in areas like school zones, works. I can't think of a bigger disincentive to not speed than getting a 300 ticket in the mail. If such automation were possible for things like distracted driving, it'd be even better.
https://www.cityofrochester.gov/arti...?id=8589970477
The next step, the same people that can stop at red light and are poor. Won't obey posted speed limits and speed radar will be gone. Course. it will never be installed in the first place.
07-20-20, 10:19 AM
#32
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How's that?
The people running red lights would be getting the tickets. Those are the right people. Same with photo radar. The people driving over the limit would be getting the tickets. Again, the right people.
Say what you will about it being a cash grab or not, but photo radar, especially in areas like school zones, works. I can't think of a bigger disincentive to not speed than getting a 300 ticket in the mail. If such automation were possible for things like distracted driving, it'd be even better.
The people running red lights would be getting the tickets. Those are the right people. Same with photo radar. The people driving over the limit would be getting the tickets. Again, the right people.
Say what you will about it being a cash grab or not, but photo radar, especially in areas like school zones, works. I can't think of a bigger disincentive to not speed than getting a 300 ticket in the mail. If such automation were possible for things like distracted driving, it'd be even better.
People in funeral processions with police controlling crossing traffic all over were issued tickets by mail. There was little re-course or incentive for the private company issuing them to deal with them. Same thing for persons transporting their pregnant wives in labor to the hospital at wee hours of the morning and stopping, but then proceeding through the red light after seeing that no other traffic was coming. Some as ludicrous as ambulances and other emergency vehicles having a ticket sent to them. There are other examples too.
The system just wasn't well created for handling such incidents. I'm not necessarily against using cameras, but we haven't done it well here in the US. I would like to know more about how they implement it in the UK. Seems they are more into CCTV and actually have a person monitoring what is going on in the area and not just a camera reading a license plate and a computer making a yes/no decision on printing a ticket.
07-26-20, 04:34 PM
#33
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I was a firefighter / medic in a rural area for 10 years. We had terrible cell coverage, so nobody drove and talked on their cell. If you wanted to talk you pulled over in one of the known hot spots. If you were from out of the area, you thought you didn't have coverage so your cell was off.
Cell phone usage would be a huge issue in places where there is coverage. Here in Fargo ND I have seen people in the driver's seat who are texting on their mobile. MN made it a primary stop reason and then doesn't seem to enforce it. ND it is lumped in with other "distracted driving" so there is no enforcement.
My experience was that vehicle wrecks were about 70% DUI Alcohol, 10% DUI Meth, 10% adverse weather conditions and 10% inattentive drivers, like the physician who became fixated on a beautiful waterfall and instead of stopping to admire it drove straight off the road when the road made a 30 degree turn. Go figure.
I do remember a couple of bicycle wrecks which were both kids who lost control of their bicycle. One was seriously injured, the other was OK but transported because the parents were on Medicaid and didn't care what it would cost because they weren't going to pay a nickle. We had a fairly large number of cyclists in the area, but because most people were paying attention when they drove, we didn't have a bicycle / motor vehicle collision problem.
For me, the only thing that will lead to real highway safety is to remove the cell phone addicts and the DUIs. Both of those seem to be difficult for a lot of places.
At my new home in the city of Fargo ND, maybe 90% of the drivers are courteous. But the 10% do make up for it. The best thing IMO would be to designate arterial streets about 2 miles apart which have fairly high speed limits, then reduce speed limits on most streets to 20 and enforce the limit until people are in compliance. Make it plain to people that the arterial streets can get you within 2 miles of your destination. The last 2 miles at 20 will take 6 minutes, so Big Whoop. It will never happen.
Cell phone usage would be a huge issue in places where there is coverage. Here in Fargo ND I have seen people in the driver's seat who are texting on their mobile. MN made it a primary stop reason and then doesn't seem to enforce it. ND it is lumped in with other "distracted driving" so there is no enforcement.
My experience was that vehicle wrecks were about 70% DUI Alcohol, 10% DUI Meth, 10% adverse weather conditions and 10% inattentive drivers, like the physician who became fixated on a beautiful waterfall and instead of stopping to admire it drove straight off the road when the road made a 30 degree turn. Go figure.
I do remember a couple of bicycle wrecks which were both kids who lost control of their bicycle. One was seriously injured, the other was OK but transported because the parents were on Medicaid and didn't care what it would cost because they weren't going to pay a nickle. We had a fairly large number of cyclists in the area, but because most people were paying attention when they drove, we didn't have a bicycle / motor vehicle collision problem.
For me, the only thing that will lead to real highway safety is to remove the cell phone addicts and the DUIs. Both of those seem to be difficult for a lot of places.
At my new home in the city of Fargo ND, maybe 90% of the drivers are courteous. But the 10% do make up for it. The best thing IMO would be to designate arterial streets about 2 miles apart which have fairly high speed limits, then reduce speed limits on most streets to 20 and enforce the limit until people are in compliance. Make it plain to people that the arterial streets can get you within 2 miles of your destination. The last 2 miles at 20 will take 6 minutes, so Big Whoop. It will never happen.
