Poll on automated traffic enforcement

[Thymeclock]

Are you in favor of automated traffic surveillance and enforcement?

I-95 cameras snap speeders, spark controversy - Yahoo! News

[Arragonis]

The poll options leave us in no doubt of your view. Have you considered a career in the market research industry ?

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

The poll options leave us in no doubt of your view. Have you considered a career in the market research industry ?

As a matter of fact, I haven't voted in the poll. I'm glad you have clairvoyant abilities to foretell my POV. Have you considered a career as a fortune teller?

If you dislike the poll options or find them inadequate, feel free to suggest others or initiate discussion of other possible reasons, for or against. BTW, it's a multiple choice poll; you can choose more than one answer.

[fjasper]

I have no problem with camera enforcement, provided it's actually effective. I've seen just about enough (it only takes a couple) dead bodies cut out of mangled cars because someone "didn't have time" to stop for the red light. If cameras make people obey the light, I say use 'em. (In a state that's banned them because the legislators like to speed, run lights, and drive drunk.)

Delay works for a little while, but then people just rely on the delay to let them run red lights longer after they turn.

I heard the other day that they're doing a traffic camera lottery (in Sweden or somewhere, I can't remember), and they send a percentage of the fines generated to a lucky law-abiding driver caught on camera obeying the law. (Daily? weekly? I don't remember). A little of the carrot+stick approach. So if you speed, you get a ticket, but if you don't speed, you might get a prize.

[dcb]

I'm against it because traditional traffic control/rules are completely ignorant to efficiency and traffic in motion.

If they had smarter controls that could allow you to make all the lights with zero cross traffic, and/or that would turn green for you if there was no cross traffic before you get there, rather than money hungry cameras watching brain dead lights, then I would think they have their priorities straight.

[Piwoslaw]

If everyone obeyed the law then traffic enforcement wouldn't be a problem. In fact, it wouldn't be needed at all.

I have no problem with it. In fact, I like it, because if other drivers know that there is an automated "photoradar" somewhere close by, then they have less of a problem with my driving at the PSL. And if that saves the life of at least one innocent pedestrian or driver, then it was worth it.

Now, if a speed trap is located in such a place that it does not increase safety, but only generates $$$, then it should be protested. We had problems with that here: some cities were getting up to 40% of their annual budget from speedtraps in really dumb places, so the law was changed and now the police must approve each placement, plus the money from tickets doesn't go into the city's budget, but instead must be invested in improving safety.

[NachtRitter]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

As a matter of fact, I haven't voted in the poll. I'm glad you have clairvoyant abilities to foretell my POV. Have you considered a career as a fortune teller?

It's the wording you use that kinda gives it away...

I mean, an option that says "Anything the government does is OK by me"? C'mon...

I'm generally for the automated traffic controls provided tricks aren't played to make them "pay out" more. Examples I've read about are shortening the yellow light time where the red light cameras are placed, or putting speed cameras in an area that has very little history of accidents due to speeding.

[fidalgoman]

Though useful it can be argued that most traffic enforcement type can be categorized as revenue enhancement. Having known a number of police officers and a few police chiefs the concept of increasing a departments operating deposits by citations is a very common one. Often such enforcement is in areas of few accidents but where speed limits transition and catch people unaware or are inordinately slow for a given area. There are exceptions of course.

This is no slam to the officers. It is decided on a local political level and you do what you are told to do if you want to keep your job. Placing electronic traffic monitoring/enforcement devices in England for example has made imperceptible statistical differences in accidents and fatalities in most areas. They were so costly to maintain that with the public’s knowledge were shut off without an increase in accidents. For me though the whole Orwellian thing of a perfectly monitored and centrally controlled society (1984) is a bit creepy.

By the way, I think what one poster meant was that you can shape public opinion and/or get the answer you're looking for simply by how you present the question.

[SVOboy]

I personally have never understood the (justification of the) philosophy whereby people won't complain about the speed limits being ridiculous but will go to extreme lengths to whine about the enforcement of it. All laws should be judged as if they were enforced perfectly, so if you have a problem with the enforcement of the law, then perhaps the real problem is the law.

Sure, there are some issues of who's driving, etc etc, but from what I know you can mainly say "wasn't me!" and unless they have a good photo of you doing it they can't say much.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

As a matter of fact, I haven't voted in the poll. I'm glad you have clairvoyant abilities to foretell my POV.

Nope, I just read the questions.

Anything government does is OK by me
This one is a little like "When did you stop beating your wife ?"

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

Have you considered a career as a fortune teller?

I work in IT and development management, the nearest you can get to fortune telling without needing a real crystal ball and a dodgy head scarf

I have been prosecuted by one of these schemes and yeah, it was annoying but I did the crime and paid the fine. Seems to me that the guy who was 13 over the PSL is just whining. If you have a strong case then go and fight it, if not then tough.