Traffic Cameras and helpful info

[CapitalCycle]

So an interesting statement that shocked me on the news has led to the creation of the following post

DC

DC has added more cameras to a program that already brings in more than 10 million dollars a year from drivers. The police say these cameras are here to reduce the number of injuries and accidents. There have been 28 cameras added in the DC area since September to date which issue fines in the range from $75 yo $250 so be careful. AAA spokesman Lon Anderson says "So, if traffic safety isn't the issue, we must conclude that the city is more concerned that the $43 million netted last fiscal year in automated speeding enforcement was insufficient. This bold comment was responded to by Chief Cathy Lanier saying “I find it astounding that AAA Mid-Atlantic would criticize a program that has been successful in reducing traffic deaths. Additionally, we constantly receive requests from residents and Councilmembers for increased enforcement in their neighborhoods and we move our resources to new sites to accommodate those requests and reduce speeding, fatalities and crashes.” The question to the argument here is if the number of increasing speed cameras has gone out of control to now be working for money versus the general safety of residents. The following link will take you to further information and the hard facts given directly by the Metropolitan Police Department: http://mpdc.dc.gov/mpdc/cwp/view,a,1240 ... av,%7c.asp. This site even allows you to access the images taken by providing the ticket number and pin from your offence.

Here are the 50 locations in the district
Locations District(s)
12th Street N/B & Constitution Avenue, NW 1
14th Street N/B & C Street, SW 1
14th Street N/B & K Street, NW 1
14th Street S/B & U Street, NW 3
16th Street N/B & Oak Street, NW 4
16th Street S/B & Colorado Avenue, NW 4
16th Street S/B & Irving Street, NW 3
3rd Street S/B & New York Avenue, NW 1
Benning Road W/B & Minnesota Avenue, NE 6
Bladensburg Road N/B & New York Avenue, NE 5
Branch Avenue N/B & Alabama Avenue, SE 6
Connecticut Avenue N/B & Calvert Street, NW 2
Connecticut Avenue N/B & Military Road, NW 2
Connecticut Avenue S/B & Nebraska Avenue, NW 2
Connecticut Avenue S/B & Porter Street, NW 2
Constitution Avenue W/B & 15th Street, NW 1
East Capitol Street W/B & Southern Avenue, NE 6
East Capitol Street E/B & Texas Avenue, SE 6
East Capitol Street W/B & Benning Road, NE 6
Florida Avenue E/B & North Capitol Street, NW 5
Georgia Avenue S/B & Missouri Avenue, NW 4
Independence Avenue E/B & 3rd Street, SW 1
Independence Avenue E/B & Washington Avenue, SW 1
K Street E/B & 27th Street, NW 2
K Street W/B & 25th Street, NW 2
M Street W/B & Whitehurst Freeway, NW 2
Military Road W/B & 14TH Street, NW
Mt. Olivet Road E/B & West Virginia Avenue, NE 5
Nebraska Avenue NE/B & Fessenden Street, NW 2
New York Avenue E/B & Bladensburg Road, NE 5
New York Avenue W/B & 4th Street, NW 1 & 3
New York Avenue W/B & Bladensburg Road, NE 5
New York Avenue W/B & Florida Avenue, NE 1
New York Avenue W/B & Montana Avenue, NE 5
New York Avenue W/B & New Jersey Avenue, NW 1
New York Avenue W/B & North Capitol Street, NE 1 & 5
North Capitol Street N/B & Riggs Avenue, NE 4
North Capitol Street S/B & Gallatin Street, NW 4
North Capitol Street S/B & H Street, NW 1
North Capitol Street N/B & Harewood Road, NE 4
Pennsylvania Avenue E/B & 27th Street, SE 6
Pennsylvania Avenue E/B & Southern Avenue, SE 6
Pennsylvania Avenue W/B & Minnesota Avenue, SE 6
Rhode Island Avenue W/B & 1st Street, NW 5
Rhode Island Avenue W/B & Reed Street, NE 5
South Capitol Street Ramp S/B Before I Street, SW 1
South Dakota Avenue S/B & Bladensburg Road, NE 5
Suitland Parkway E/B & Firth Sterling, SE 7
Suitland Parkway W/B & Stanton Road, SE 7
Wisconsin Avenue N/B & Brandywine Street, NW 2

MD

“Work zone cameras helped write nearly 400,000 speeding tickets for going 12 mph or over since January 2011, according to the AAA” (nbcwashington.com). If you have ever been around the Baltimore beltway and seen a small SUV just sitting there, most likely it’s a mobile speed camera. I first thought it could have been a cop or construction worker’s vehicle until reading these articles! These vehicles seem to be Jeeps mounted with all the hardware onto the front of them. So on the same topic of conversation, a man was said to have approached one of these vehicles and left only after causing damage to it. This unknown man was said to be wielding a hammer and shotgun while a contractor was in the vehicle. Luckily nobody was injured, however the man is said to still be on the loose. Some notable information, these cameras are supposed to only be triggered wen a vehicle is going over 12 mph. http://www.stopbigbrothermd.org is a site dedicated to stopping speed cameras in Maryland alone. Just take a look at how many speed camera locations there are in Maryland and DC. Hard facts from this website state that there has been “approximately $77million worth of speed camera revenue in one year, or the equivalent of approximately 1.9million citations”.

This state has cameras for red lights, speeding, and even rail crossings. If caught by camera, the fines can go as high as $100 whereas speeding fines will max out at $40. These fines can be as five times pricier if caught by an actual officer rather than the camera.

VA

The state of Virginia allows red light cameras, but prohibits speed cameras. In Virginia, “counties, cities, and towns may operate cameras at no more than 1 intersection for every 10,000 residents; requires local ordinance; the exception is the Washington, DC metropolitan area, it permits up to 10 camera sites or 1 site per 10,000 residents, whichever is greater”. This information was obtained from the insurance institute for highway safety. If caught going through a red light on camera, $50 is the maximum fine and carries no additional costs or criminal offenses.

References
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local ... 07918.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/mds ... story.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/man ... story.html
http://www.safezones.maryland.gov
http://www.stopbigbrothermd.org/
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/d ... ras-112311
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2644498
http://www.iihs.org/laws/automated_enforcement.aspx#VA

Helpful Links and apps
http://www.photoenforced.com/ - allows you to search by type of camera, state, city, and even street name!
mobileyes iphone app (http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/video/1643.html)
trapster iphone app (http://trapster.com/)
Beat the traffic (http://www.beatthetraffic.com/mobi.aspx)
http://www.trafficland.com

[Unity]

Excellent. Thank you.

--John

[Flash!]

Yes, John thanks you, and I thank you. After his last little "photo shoot", or insurance rates went waaaay up!

Jody

[Unity]

Yes, John thanks you, and I thank you. After his last little "photo shoot", or insurance rates went waaaay up!

Jody

No, that was for a flesh-and-blood stop.

--John
(Seemed like a reasonable speed to me. )

[henwin]

So an interesting statement that shocked me on the news has led to the creation of the following post

DC has added more cameras to a program that already brings in more than 10 million dollars a year from drivers.
<<snip>>

“Work zone cameras helped write nearly 400,000 speeding tickets for going 12 mph or over since January 2011, according to the AAA” (nbcwashington.com). If you have ever been around the Baltimore beltway and seen a small SUV just sitting there, most likely it’s a mobile speed camera. <<snip>>

Did you see Fred Rau's most recent "Contact Patch" in the January, 2012 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News? It covers exactly this. How jurisdictions are using "construction zones" and other areas as speed traps. It's a real eye-opener. I can't see how it's legal, but more importantly it's destroying any citizen respect for a construction zone (and whatever that means). As Fred points out, the only way it's going to stop is when people start complaining about it...BIG TIME. SO FIGHT ANY TICKET YOU GET.

[Chiba]

Lots of construction zones seem to have clearly marked signs, some even with "fines higher in construction zones" reminders. Seems like a great place for a speed trap.

I've never felt that speed cameras are about safety, but rather about revenue generation. With budgets down across the country, it's not surprising to see local police forces turning to technology to issue tickets - a camera is going to be a lot cheaper than an officer in the long run AND the camera can operate continuously, while even the best/fastest/most efficient cop can only stop so many cars per hour.

[henwin]

Lots of construction zones seem to have clearly marked signs, some even with "fines higher in construction zones" reminders. Seems like a great place for a speed trap.
I've never felt that speed cameras are about safety, but rather about revenue generation. With budgets down across the country, it's not surprising to see local police forces turning to technology to issue tickets - a camera is going to be a lot cheaper than an officer in the long run AND the camera can operate continuously, while even the best/fastest/most efficient cop can only stop so many cars per hour.

I couldn't agree more. Instead of speed cams--if it were about safety--rumble strips properly constructed would force people to slow down a lot more effectively...

[STATMATT]

Rumble strips would even be cheaper. When I was last in Kansas, I noticed an ingenious idea, they put rumble strips on the painted lines along the road, so if you changed lanes you would 'hear' that you are chaging a lane or forbid that you fall asleep at the wheel you would wake up quickly after crossing one line, not all the way into oncomming traffic!

These camera's piss me off, and I'm tempted to vandalize them myself, however I have too many misdemeanors pending the way things stand... And the way DC works, you wouldn't just have to pay for the repair of the vandalized item, but "LOST REVENUES AS WELL!" It shouldn't be too hard to organize 50 people to vandalize all 50 simultaneously or within 24 hours of each other. That would be a classic and well deserved F-you to this whole rackett!

You wait, it won't be long until police are using UAV's like used in Iraq and Afgansitan to monitor and issue citations. Then you won't be able to just see a photo of your violation you will be able to watch live video feed!

-STATMATT

[Maria V]

But rumble strips make noise, and especially in neighborhoods that is not a popular choice.

Several years ago I was on the Board of my Elkridge area HOA. Based on complaints about speeding,we explored several options. Howard County police were very helpful with neighborhood meetings, explaining options, etc. We set up a display board that showed speed but did nothing else; that wore off after a few days. Police set up radar and issued warnings; most violators lived within the community or were visiting someone in the community. People wanted speed humps unless they were installed in front of THEIR house. No one wanted rumble strips. End result - nothing changed because people did not want a trade off for the perception of added safety.

[tatort]

People wanted speed humps unless they were installed in front of THEIR house.

some folks install their own speed humps, like this guy

[henwin]

nothing changed because people did not want a trade off for the perception of added safety.

Well that's just it...there is no added safety. There is only added revenue!

[shelion]

The interesting thing is that cameras only slow down some of the traffic, whereas other physical calming devices slow down most, if not all, of the traffic. So if it was really about safety, the cameras wouldn't be the first thing to be installed.

I'd like to see someone stand up and admit that the point is about making money. I'd vote to re-elect them because at least they'd be showing a shred of honesty about something!

[henwin]

It occurs to me that if you're driving in MD and you're over the limit, but not 12 MPH over the limit and you get stopped, you might be able to argue that you're within the "window", since in MD you have to be going over 11 mph HIGHER than the posted limit in order to get an automated revenue enhancement certificate.

What do you think?