Do You Think Speed Cameras Suck?

_

TriumphantAngel wrote:

scb wrote:

I did some research for school on the efficacy of red light cameras from a public health perspective and found that they decrease t-bone accidents but increase rear-end accidents. There's certainly debate in the public health community about whether or not these cameras actually improve the public's safety.

they don't in Australia. i know, i lived there and worked there as a paramedic. speed cameras actually caused the road toll to increase because they were not being used for their intended purpose. they were initially designed only to be situated at certain stretches of the road where there were lots of accidents, in order to slow traffic, not to be hidden away just to raise revenue. so what you have now is people are driving on the roads, changing their focus from safety, and instead worrying about avoiding the cameras.

revenue raising at it's finest. disgraceful. they don't give a shit about reducing the road toll. it's all about the dollar to them.

Exactly. And the part I bolded above is a particularly excellent point. One thing they made them do around here, for better or worse, is have some kind of warning - either a sign or a few bumps in the road - that warn people they're about to go through an intersection with a camera. Although I don't think it's fair to have the cameras hidden, I know everyone slams on their breaks when they feel the bumps in the road, before they even have a chance to check their speed. Half the time they probably weren't even speeding to begin with.

JR8805

We've had them in our city for several years now. Our city does not make the money. 1/2 the proceeds go to the state and the other half to the AZ company that runs them. They are money makers, but not for any purpose that really helps the city in which the tickets originate. I think they are stupid...they help regulate the intersections at which they're set up, but I swear I see worse driving everywhere else as people feel joy in "beating the traffic cam." Another thing I don't like about them is that I don't think they treat all vehicles equally. I was once about to go through an intersection, but decided to stop. Two other vehicles didn't make that decision. One was a large truck, the other a midsize car. The truck got the camera flash, the car, going through even later, did not. Our current mayor is looking into whether the cams make a safety difference for the city. I think if they really don't (and I think intersection just before and after them should be studied carefully for stats on collisions), the mayor will yank the plug on them.

g under p

TriumphantAngel wrote:

scb wrote:

I did some research for school on the efficacy of red light cameras from a public health perspective and found that they decrease t-bone accidents but increase rear-end accidents. There's certainly debate in the public health community about whether or not these cameras actually improve the public's safety.

they don't in Australia. i know, i lived there and worked there as a paramedic. speed cameras actually caused the road toll to increase because they were not being used for their intended purpose. they were initially designed only to be situated at certain stretches of the road where there were lots of accidents, in order to slow traffic, not to be hidden away just to raise revenue. so what you have now is people are driving on the roads, changing their focus from safety, and instead worrying about avoiding the cameras.

revenue raising at it's finest. disgraceful. they don't give a shit about reducing the road toll. it's all about the dollar to them.

I just came across this article on red light cameras, they can cause more accidents.

Toss Your Redlight Camera Ticket

The Times, of course, recommends this drastic course of action for a good reason. Accidents skyrocketed in Washington, DC and Virginia wherever the cameras have been used. In 2005, The Washington Post proved that accidents doubled at monitored intersections in the District. In 2007, VDOT proved injuries and overall accidents likewise increased in the Commonwealth as a whole, and Alexandria in particular.

Peace

SundaySilence

http://www.phantomplate.com/

(This is not an endorsement, I've never tried this)

gimmesometruth27

if the police are behind this they should change their motto from "to serve ane protect" to "to do nothing to justify me keeping my job, yet raise money for the city i work for"...