A spectre is haunting Canadian roads: the real prospect of actually having to pay a fine for not respecting the speed limit. As speed cameras proliferate, particularly in Ontario, some drivers are showing their displeasure. Many of the cameras have been vandalized and one in Toronto cut down six times.

It’s time for a deep breath.

Speed cameras shouldn’t disappear, they should multiply. The cameras are effective and, because their penalty is so easily avoided, they are fair.

…

In fact, a recent poll for CAA showed majority support among Ontarians for the cameras. Politicians who pander to the minority of drivers who hate them are gambling with public safety.

Those politicians span the ideological spectrum, from Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford to former Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, now mayor of suburban Vaughan, and left-leaning Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

So busy trying to placate drivers, these politicians ignore that speed cameras work. The hit in the wallet is sufficiently unpleasant that it convinces people to slow down. For evidence, consider that the number of tickets issued by any given camera typically goes down over time.

That effect has been further demonstrated by research from a hospital and university in Toronto. According to their findings, referenced in a recent city staff report, the proportion of vehicles speeding went down 45 per cent after cameras were installed near schools and in high-collision areas.

…

A person hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 kilometres an hour has a 90-per-cent chance of surviving. Increase the speed to 40 kilometres an hour, though, and the survival rate drops to 60 per cent. A person hit at 50 kilometres an hour has only a 20-per-cent chance of living.

Globe editorial: Sorry, speed cameras aren’t the problem

Drivers and politicians who rail against them are ignoring the real issue and gambling with public safety

The Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com)

They should be. But they aren’t.
Which is especially egregious with the terrible investment in public transportation. You want poor people to stop speeding? Give them a decent alternative to cars.

Problem with speed cameras is they don’t stop speeding. People know where they are and they slow down for before them and then speed up after. Also getting a ticket is weeks later. Getting pulled over is much more effective and people actually change their driving habits.

A spectre is haunting Canadian roads: the real prospect of actually having to pay a fine for not respecting the speed limit. As speed cameras proliferate, particularly in Ontario, some drivers are showing their displeasure. Many of the cameras have been vandalized and one in Toronto cut down six times.

It’s time for a deep breath.

Speed cameras shouldn’t disappear, they should multiply. The cameras are effective and, because their penalty is so easily avoided, they are fair.

…

In fact, a recent poll for CAA showed majority support among Ontarians for the cameras. Politicians who pander to the minority of drivers who hate them are gambling with public safety.

Those politicians span the ideological spectrum, from Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford to former Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, now mayor of suburban Vaughan, and left-leaning Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

So busy trying to placate drivers, these politicians ignore that speed cameras work. The hit in the wallet is sufficiently unpleasant that it convinces people to slow down. For evidence, consider that the number of tickets issued by any given camera typically goes down over time.

That effect has been further demonstrated by research from a hospital and university in Toronto. According to their findings, referenced in a recent city staff report, the proportion of vehicles speeding went down 45 per cent after cameras were installed near schools and in high-collision areas.

…

A person hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 kilometres an hour has a 90-per-cent chance of surviving. Increase the speed to 40 kilometres an hour, though, and the survival rate drops to 60 per cent. A person hit at 50 kilometres an hour has only a 20-per-cent chance of living.

Globe editorial: Sorry, speed cameras aren’t the problem

Drivers and politicians who rail against them are ignoring the real issue and gambling with public safety

The Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com)

From your link, it sounds like the camera wasn’t tricked at all and was working perfectly as intended, the city just modified the programming of a nearby traffic light to shorten the length of time the light was yellow so that more people technically ran red lights that the camera then recorded. That’s a completely different, yet related, thing.

Either way, I’m sure you get my point.

effective city planning would be better like a lot better. Having environmental clues and enforcement techniques is way more effective as it prevents and not punishes. Person injured from speeding incident is not going to be saved by $500 or whatever fine. When driver physically feels unsafe crossing certain speed limit - there’s no reason to monitor or fine him/her. “More cameras” is a cheap brand bandaid that peels off two hours later. It is trying to save people “after the fact”, when it’s way too late

A friend of mine was literally ripped apart a few weeks ago on his motorcycle. He was hit by a speeding texter. He lost his leg, his eye, had facial reconstruction both his arms And remaining leg are in traction. Won’t be out until October. I was for speed cameras before his accident. Even more so now.

I do wish they would be more wary of Cameras at traffic lights due to asshat peops who keep turning on left way past the light changing making it look like you ran it not the asshat.

A spectre is haunting Canadian roads: the real prospect of actually having to pay a fine for not respecting the speed limit. As speed cameras proliferate, particularly in Ontario, some drivers are showing their displeasure. Many of the cameras have been vandalized and one in Toronto cut down six times.

It’s time for a deep breath.

Speed cameras shouldn’t disappear, they should multiply. The cameras are effective and, because their penalty is so easily avoided, they are fair.

…

In fact, a recent poll for CAA showed majority support among Ontarians for the cameras. Politicians who pander to the minority of drivers who hate them are gambling with public safety.

Those politicians span the ideological spectrum, from Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford to former Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, now mayor of suburban Vaughan, and left-leaning Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

So busy trying to placate drivers, these politicians ignore that speed cameras work. The hit in the wallet is sufficiently unpleasant that it convinces people to slow down. For evidence, consider that the number of tickets issued by any given camera typically goes down over time.

That effect has been further demonstrated by research from a hospital and university in Toronto. According to their findings, referenced in a recent city staff report, the proportion of vehicles speeding went down 45 per cent after cameras were installed near schools and in high-collision areas.

…

A person hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 kilometres an hour has a 90-per-cent chance of surviving. Increase the speed to 40 kilometres an hour, though, and the survival rate drops to 60 per cent. A person hit at 50 kilometres an hour has only a 20-per-cent chance of living.

Globe editorial: Sorry, speed cameras aren’t the problem

Drivers and politicians who rail against them are ignoring the real issue and gambling with public safety

The Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com)

I don’t. All tools can be abused.

Roundabouts are awesome. People are still idiots however.

OK, so what’s the argument against using other traffic calming measures that don’t steal money from people, and are just as, if not more, effective instead?

A spectre is haunting Canadian roads: the real prospect of actually having to pay a fine for not respecting the speed limit. As speed cameras proliferate, particularly in Ontario, some drivers are showing their displeasure. Many of the cameras have been vandalized and one in Toronto cut down six times.

It’s time for a deep breath.

Speed cameras shouldn’t disappear, they should multiply. The cameras are effective and, because their penalty is so easily avoided, they are fair.

…

In fact, a recent poll for CAA showed majority support among Ontarians for the cameras. Politicians who pander to the minority of drivers who hate them are gambling with public safety.

Those politicians span the ideological spectrum, from Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford to former Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, now mayor of suburban Vaughan, and left-leaning Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

So busy trying to placate drivers, these politicians ignore that speed cameras work. The hit in the wallet is sufficiently unpleasant that it convinces people to slow down. For evidence, consider that the number of tickets issued by any given camera typically goes down over time.

That effect has been further demonstrated by research from a hospital and university in Toronto. According to their findings, referenced in a recent city staff report, the proportion of vehicles speeding went down 45 per cent after cameras were installed near schools and in high-collision areas.

…

A person hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 kilometres an hour has a 90-per-cent chance of surviving. Increase the speed to 40 kilometres an hour, though, and the survival rate drops to 60 per cent. A person hit at 50 kilometres an hour has only a 20-per-cent chance of living.

Globe editorial: Sorry, speed cameras aren’t the problem

Drivers and politicians who rail against them are ignoring the real issue and gambling with public safety

The Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com)

I think you just have to commit to it. It’s only a problem when people are unfamiliar with them. Once They’re exposed enough, they’ll get the hang of em pretty quickly. They just need to be fairly ubiquitous.

Cameras at traffic lights

…cause far more rear-enders than people squeezing the light. It’s a different story: more cash grab than even speed cams, with negative goal achievement.

Oh wait. Even speed cameras aren’t the boon as advertised:

Proponents of automated traffic enforcement (ATE) see it as a solution to improving traffic safety and limiting violent interactions between law enforcement and drivers during minor traffic stops. But there is little evidence that either safety goal is achieved when enforcement is predicated simply on the assessment of financial sanctions. Instead, the evidence shows that traffic injuries and deaths continue to rise and officers continue to use traffic enforcement as a pretext for other investigations, all while state and local governments earn millions of dollars in profits.

(Not a great source, but that’s a money quote)

I don’t. All tools can be abused.

Lane width restriction is my preferred method, but speed bumps are probably even more guaranteed to be effective.

A spectre is haunting Canadian roads: the real prospect of actually having to pay a fine for not respecting the speed limit. As speed cameras proliferate, particularly in Ontario, some drivers are showing their displeasure. Many of the cameras have been vandalized and one in Toronto cut down six times.

It’s time for a deep breath.

Speed cameras shouldn’t disappear, they should multiply. The cameras are effective and, because their penalty is so easily avoided, they are fair.

…

In fact, a recent poll for CAA showed majority support among Ontarians for the cameras. Politicians who pander to the minority of drivers who hate them are gambling with public safety.

Those politicians span the ideological spectrum, from Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford to former Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, now mayor of suburban Vaughan, and left-leaning Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

So busy trying to placate drivers, these politicians ignore that speed cameras work. The hit in the wallet is sufficiently unpleasant that it convinces people to slow down. For evidence, consider that the number of tickets issued by any given camera typically goes down over time.

That effect has been further demonstrated by research from a hospital and university in Toronto. According to their findings, referenced in a recent city staff report, the proportion of vehicles speeding went down 45 per cent after cameras were installed near schools and in high-collision areas.

…

A person hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 kilometres an hour has a 90-per-cent chance of surviving. Increase the speed to 40 kilometres an hour, though, and the survival rate drops to 60 per cent. A person hit at 50 kilometres an hour has only a 20-per-cent chance of living.

Globe editorial: Sorry, speed cameras aren’t the problem

Drivers and politicians who rail against them are ignoring the real issue and gambling with public safety

The Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com)

How is a municipal government or authorities going to abuse speed bumps, narrow streets, or other physical deterrents for speeding compared to electronic devices, pray tell?

Perhaps, but it’s much harder to abuse a speed bump for nefarious purposes.