First we had red light cameras. Now the Texas DOT is going to test speeding cameras. But, unlike some used in Great Britain, etc. that are just radar guns with cameras, these will take a pic of you at point A, then another picture at point B (usually 5 to 10 miles down the road). The computer will then calculate your average speed over that distance, and will send you a ticket if the average speed is more than 3 mph over the limit.

Ron -
Can you tell me where you got this info, and what roads these cameras will be on ?

Thanks -
Thom

IIRC, AZ already has something like this

I swear that is total BS. They shouldn't be able to do that. However, I did get a red light ticket once, and I contested it because you couldn't see it was me. They had to dismiss it 4e

Thom: They had about a 1 hour discussion of this on WBAP this morning. I'm not sure where they will be testing it (they mentioned the freeway between Abilene and El Paso).

They also had a State Representative come on that said that if TxDot tried to actually implement this, they'd get a bill thru not allowing it. A bill was already passed outlawing these in cities.

Funny that TxDot announced this the week after the legislature went on hiatus.

Sounds like the state rep likes to drive a little over the limit I hope they don't try anything like that up here as our traffic is already bad enough. I can just imagine how slow people will go through something like this.

Thanks for the details Ron !

I've got one that's worse- heard on the news the other night that they're trying a new system on I-66 here in VA., that uses cameras+computers+software to make sure your plates belong on that vehicle. I sh*t you not, nearly fell out of my chair. I was going to wait for my MD plates to expire, since I just moved to VA. & wound up going to the DMV for new Antique plates for the LE, the following day.

They have it in AZ, it is a 5-10 mile section on hwy 101 in scottsdale. They radar you and take the picture at the same time. They show photos on the news every so often with people doing 100+mph. One person was getting a ticket everyday with a new car (no plates) and the paper plate was either not on the car or not visible from the camera. Finally the cops outsmarted him - they zoomed in on his license plate frame which of course had the name of the dealership - he was finally caught.

They have signs everywhere for this photo radar, everyone hauls ass up to the cameras and then slow down. I don't see it as anything more than a revenue generator.

At one time, the Oklahoma Turnpike between Tulsa and OKC would calculate the time between toll booths, based on your in-and-out receipts, and send you a speeding ticket if you made it too fast.

Bingo.

That is exactly what I am waiting for on our toll highway. Regular users all have electronic transponders and they could easily calculate your average speed between entry and exit points and just stick your fine on the bill. The only saving grace is that the highway is no longer owned by the Province.

Next will be On-Star monitoring your speed. Hello Batman? This is Steven your On-Star representative, do you think you could keep it under 80 on the Interstate please?

Hehehe.

Colorado went ahead and spent the money on cameras all up and down I-25. And they can't use 'em because of a similar bill.

Douchebags.

That's silly. THP and city cops won't bother with 3 over the limit unless they want to pull you over for something else they suspect, so why should a camera?

Big brother already has his hand so far in your pocket you can't play pocket pool without asking for a reach around. I once heard "no taxation without representation" how about "Officer must be present to issue ticket to violator".
They are banking on the fact that no one will take the time to file a lawsuit until they get lots of money in the bank. Time to start wearing the ski mask while driving......wait. Don't they call that terrorism? Wait, thats what they will say to justify it. There are terrorist out there speeding along on their way to blow something up and by god we want pictures this time..
Osama Bush Laden wins, we lose.

i'm all for a red light cam on every god damn intersection. the god damn fine should be doubled as well. you're not driving your car when the infraction occurs? ts. if you're letting a maniac drive your car/truck/mc, putting other people's lives in danger, that the price you pay. consider it a 'stupid' tax. slow down, stop for the lights and there will be no tickets.

k

I would have to agree with you Kevin, but only if they truely ran a RED light. I know of people that have got tickets for going through lights thaqt went yellow to red rather quickly. I was with one of my friends on such an occasion. The light turned yellow right before we entered the intersection and red before we were out. All followed by a nice flash.

unfortunate. the redlight issue is so bad down here, even if the light is green to you, you're taking a big risk by proceeding without looking both ways. not just cars either, 10yd dump trucks pulling pony trailers roaring thru, semis, concrete trucks....i saw a huge concrete pump truck go thru a red at about 50 in a 35 last week. to me, if you're in the intersection and the light is red the whole time or the instant before you exit it's ticket time. of course stomping on the gas to make the yellow prompts the 2 tone. people exiting a parking lot talking on a phone get it too. they cannot implement that law quick enough for me.

k

Shit, here in PA they give you a ticket for "running a yellow light." Can you believe that?!

Sweden is real big on these cameras.. But there's always ways around it.. Since we were among the first to get the cameras some companies have come up with several ways to beat the system.. retractable license plates, a layer of shiny material that makes it impossible to photograph your plate #. and then we have the guys who remove them the plates or place them in the window, oh yea they dress up like a robber as well so they can't be identified.. These cameras are no fun, let me tell you

No, I call it driving a 914 in winter, w/ headers instead of heat exchangers !

US Constitution.. Amendment IV


"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. "


You are being accused by a camera. Subpoena the camera to face you in court. If they don't go unbolt the camera and bring it to court, move for a dismissal based on this amendment.

Here in San Diego, the company that ran the camera's for the city moved the trigger points and cut the yellow down to 2 seconds. They got $75 from every tickets. Sure it's all about safety, KIA.

3 mph over ticket, that's bull, most speedo's have a + or - that's larger than that, new tires over old tires will change the speedo that much.

Kevin, do you really believe more camera's will make people drive better, look around. Most are doing everything except driving, cell, texting, reading, make up, eating, kids, etc.

The truth in today's world is if the government wants it, it's not for your benifit, it's for theirs. And It's ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY.

Here in San Diego, the company that ran the camera's for the city moved the trigger points and cut the yellow down to 2 seconds. They got $75 from every tickets. Sure it's all about safety, KIA.

3 mph over ticket, that's bull, most speedo's have a + or - that's larger than that, new tires over old tires will change the speedo that much.

Kevin, do you really believe more camera's will make people drive better, look around. Most are doing everything except driving, cell, texting, reading, make up, eating, kids, etc.

The truth in today's world is if the government wants it, it's not for your benifit, it's for theirs. And It's ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY.

Get a Clue

Not to get too political, but that paragraph does not mean today what it used to.

I don't think speeding fines have ever been about anything except revenue generation. With the cameras, maybe more cops will be able to focus on solving crimes instead of working to generate extra revenue.

Cameras will just make the crazy drivers even more wreckless as they fly along at 100+ only to slam on their brakes at the warning signs. We'll also get people shooting at the cameras (I've seen that this happens some areas already).

i do have a clue.

what's your solution? hire enough law enforcement to station a cop at every light? obviously a dif approach has to be taken to ensure the public safety. i'm not looking for a BIG f.y. arguement here. i'm old enough to remember when people KNEW that a yellow light ment prepare to STOP. the population in wa increases approx 100k per year these days. guess where the bulk of the exodus is coming from?

k

Often the businesses that do these things were started by retired law enforcement or their family. We have a situation here in California were a CHP officer who is in charge of procurement is on administrative leave because a company that makes the license plate reading software that is being used in VA belongs to his daughter. Hmmmmmm.... He gave her a no-bid contract.

After living in England for 3 and half years, "revenue generator" is the only way to describe 90% of the speed cameras. The things are everywhere. People hated them so much that there was a band of people going around the countryside and burning the cameras. The worst part is everyone in the local area knows where they are at and on approach slams on their breaks to avoid the ticket. After the UK put up all the cameras there was a drastic reduction in traffic police to save money. Speeding, dangerous driving and drunk driving went through the roof because nobody was around to stop them. I still go back to England a lot and just in the past year it seems they are finally going away from the cameras after some debate in the higher court system. The only ones that are justified are in the small villages that people love to speed through. You have to slow down some time.

Flow of traffic. If everybody is doing 75 and the speed limit is 70 then you are breaking the law by doing 70 and obstructing traffic. if the camera tickets everybody for speeding the court system will be so backed up that criminals will have to wait for years instead of months for a trial.

I sorta see both sides to the issue in this way - the cameras guarantee that everyone is driving a "safe" speed, so It would be good to have the cameras to keep the nut cases in check.

But the flip side to that is that I recently moved to CO from CA and lemme tell you, CO is a complete f'in JOKE when it comes to how they set up their speed limits. They make NO sense whatsoever, there is a single road here behind where I work that goes from 35mph thru town, to 45mph by some farm houses, then drops to 40mph, then goes to 35mph where there is NOTHING around, then back up to 45 thru some more residential area. All within 10 miles. Why the fuch is it 45 in one residential area, 35 in another, and then in the most open space with no cross traffic or houses, it is 35. If 45 is okay in a residential 3 miles away, why isn't it 55 in an open, safe area?? And of course everyone including me drives 50-55 thru there. I have seen two lane streets divided with an island set at 25mph, but then be 35mph just down the road with no divider, etc. Faster where less safe.

In SoCal, especially the newer developments in south OC there are roads that are 55mph and it's completely safe to do that. Out here they would make that road 30mph for Lord knows why, then when it narrowed down and went thru town it would suddenly be 35 or 40. You would have to experience this to really understand how f'd up they are here

So I speed like a mofo out here in some sections frankly, such as the section that is 35mph in the middle of nothing and the flow is rolling 50. On the flip side, in a residential area with a high speed zone where it is a tight street with houses I drive a little slower just to be safe with kids and all. I dunno, it is just weird out here how they set the limits.

My best friend is from TX.

He said that somebody will simply pull up on the other side of the camera, and either steal it or blow it to hell with a shotgun....

Here in N.W. Ohio we have had red light camera's for some time. They argue all the time about the legality,constitutionally of them ,there on for a while then off.

Remember when they first hit the the seen ,sprays and clear covers were touted

as the ans. Has any one had good results with eather? Or are they scams.

If they do work on red light cameras, why not speeding ones?

Dave

Most places that have the cameras, also have a law making blocking or covering the plate with a object or substance illegal.

Here someone went around and unbolted the cameras (held down by 4 bolts) and pushed them over, smashing them to bits.

I always love the addage... Safe speed. NO SUCH THING. There is safe drivers, and ones that are just asking for an accident. I know drivers I would be more comfortable with while they are driving 130, and I know drivers I will not ride with. These cameras don't do anything other than create revenue for our wonderful law makers . I think if they want to make a difference they need to enforce a tougher driver training that must be completed every 10 years or no license. Driving is a privelege not a right. Tat would make things much better.

It would be a snap for them to do this on any of the local tollways here in DFW. You do use the toll tag scam dont you. It tells them when you go through the booth simple math and WHAM instant speeding ticket

'specially if it's on the highway from San Antonio to Corpus Christi -- talk about a "whole lotta nuthin'!"

i noted a fresh scattering of glass at one of the 'bad' lights near my house this am. excellent!!! i only can hope the 'runner' is maimed for life. not dead, just in a great deal of pain.

k

We had the cameras up here in Ontario Canada for a year or so as a test...They did produce revenue...but also produced costs as everyone fought their tickets.

Eventually the project was abandoned as they could not PROVE who was driving. (un constitutional).

I have no problem with enforcing driving laws, but I think the police should be looking for all infractions rather than just the "easy" ones to catch and generate revenue...How do we cut down on those weaving through crowded traffic....or the "Left lane Bandits" that drive too slow in the passing lane....