The Man in the Monkey Mask

[shovel]

The problem I have with the speed cameras is that their *effect* is crippling, and wastes both time and fuel. On a clean 65mph highway in good weather with typical traffic density, 'most everyone will go 65-75mph, then when they approach the speed cameras they will slow down to 53mph, which of course jams up everyone behind them... then rocket back up to a few mph above the posted limit again right after the camera.

Same when someone gets flashed because they were speeding, regardless of whether or not makes logical sense (duh you ALREADY GOT POPPED) they will almost universally slow down to way under the speed limit.

Maybe that isn't what people SHOULD do, but it's what they DO do.

And that is why the cameras suck and I hope their implementors and supporters die of colon cancer. They waste countless hours of countless peoples' lives, every day. For revenue, NOT for safety. Causing traffic to rapidly change speed because of a money trap is NOT safer.

Same with the red light cameras... I don't have a link handy but one gentleman actually brought the case up before a Scottsdale judge and was able to prove that yellow light duration was reduced by half at the same time that a red light camera was installed. How the hell is that in the interest of safety? Sounds to me more like the city is gaming the intersections for maximum payout. Cha Ching! Well, I hope whoever gets that money at least spends it on domestic goods and services...

As a last note, whenever someone suggests that increased domestic surveillance is acceptable, citing "if you aren't doing anything wrong why would you mind being watched" , I tell them that's an excellent idea, I'll be over tonight to watch their wife shower - after all she's doing nothing wrong so she certainly shouldn't mind my presence in there watching her.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by shovel

The problem I have with the speed cameras is that their *effect* is crippling, and wastes both time and fuel. On a clean 65mph highway in good weather with typical traffic density, 'most everyone will go 65-75mph, then when they approach the speed cameras they will slow down to 53mph, which of course jams up everyone behind them... then rocket back up to a few mph above the posted limit again right after the camera.

Same when someone gets flashed because they were speeding, regardless of whether or not makes logical sense (duh you ALREADY GOT POPPED) they will almost universally slow down to way under the speed limit.

Maybe that isn't what people SHOULD do, but it's what they DO do.

And that is why the cameras suck and I hope their implementors and supporters die of colon cancer. They waste countless hours of countless peoples' lives, every day. For revenue, NOT for safety. Causing traffic to rapidly change speed because of a money trap is NOT safer.

Same with the red light cameras... I don't have a link handy but one gentleman actually brought the case up before a Scottsdale judge and was able to prove that yellow light duration was reduced by half at the same time that a red light camera was installed. How the hell is that in the interest of safety? Sounds to me more like the city is gaming the intersections for maximum payout. Cha Ching! Well, I hope whoever gets that money at least spends it on domestic goods and services...

As a last note, whenever someone suggests that increased domestic surveillance is acceptable, citing "if you aren't doing anything wrong why would you mind being watched" , I tell them that's an excellent idea, I'll be over tonight to watch their wife shower - after all she's doing nothing wrong so she certainly shouldn't mind my presence in there watching her.

Haha... you said Do Do...

You have no right to the expectation of privacy when you're in a public place. You have a right to the expectation of privacy when you're in your own home, or in another private place, such as a public restroom, INSIDE the private part of said restroom.

Try to watch MY Wife shower, she'd probably rub soap in your eyes, then attempt to kill you in the most painful way possible.

[wdb]

The City of Philadelphia put up some red light cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard, a notoriously bad piece of road on which dozens of people are struck by cars each year and hundreds of people are involved in accidents. They appear to be working very well as the number of incidents has decreased markedly. What's really interesting is that the intent of the cameras appears all along to have been safety, specifically improving the safety of pedestrians. Also, lengthening the yellow light time period was tried first, then the cameras went in.

Study Evaluates the Effectiveness of Red Light Camera Enforcement in Philadelphia

That seems to be a very clear incidence of red light cameras improving safety, as well as a case where it would be hard to argue that they are there solely for revenue generation. Given that violations have gone to nearly zero, they can't be generating much cash flow.

I work in Burlington County NJ, and there are quite a few multi-lane roads with wide grassy medians separating the lanes. This makes for very wide intersections. Despite the size of the crossings, I almost never see an accident at them. The yellow light duration is considerable, and I think that plays a huge role. No red light cameras are present.

I present these as two instances where government appears to have done the right things for the right reasons. The Arizona situation does not remind me of either. Instead, the Arizona situation reminds me of the speed trap I drive through on another part of my commute. Nothing whatsoever to do with safety, just a bunch of cops in shiny new cars patrolling the only road in their area that sees substantial traffic. It's a revenue generator.