cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/44712264
These up-eds usually complain that photo radar would be fine if the radar worked properly. This one doesn’t even do that. It just complains that speed limits aren’t fair and now drivers have to change their behavior. jfc
It is true that drivers can avoid such tickets by sticking to the posted speed limits, but it is also true that drivers are hardly ever expected to strictly observe those limits.
…
It’s like the generally accepted contract between drivers and police – just drive at a reasonable speed and you’ll be fine – has been broken.
The goal should be to improve safety, not benefit financially.
Placing speed cameras is a tool in your belt to achieve that, but it’s not the only one.
Other alternatives are narrower lanes, speed bumps, trees and objects closer to the road, etc.
But if more cameras means more revenue for the institution in charge of road safety, then that pushes them to not actually fix the reason why people are speeding in the first place. Because that would lower their revenue.
Edit: Here in the Netherlands it is the public ministry who determines where the cameras are located. And the police issues other traffic fines.
However the money from fines is going into the general national budget (just like a tax). Neither the public ministry, nor the ministry of safety who runs the police, gets more money for more fines issued.
This means that their priority is to improve road safety and not maximize revenue.
We need money to vastly overhaul the dangerous design of roads. I’m not too upset if that is partially paid for by people breaking the speed limit.