Speed cameras approved in a total of 265 locations across NYC and LI

[Ns1]

Clearly these speed cameras and red light cameras need to be recalibrated to target the REAL menaces on the road - cyclists.

 

[smackababy]

Phoenix yanked its high way speed cameras a few years ago; they ended up causing serious safety issues as drivers collectively slammed on their brakes. It would cause traffic on I-10 to suddenly drop to 50mph as the lead drivers hit their brakes, causing everyone else behind them to slam on theirs to avoid collisions. 1000x worse during snow bird seasons. Nobody was sad to see those damn things go.





Uh, no. They did nothing to reduce speeding in Phoenix, just increased accidents and collisions.


And various cities and states got caught red handed setting the camera's threshold below the posted speed limit to generate revenue. So you'd probably get a ticket for driving through a 45mph zone at 45 because the camera was set at 40mph.

So, people in Phoenix are fucking idiots who can't drive? Is that what you're getting at? This isn't about reducing speeding, it is about punishing law breakers. After having to pay $50 because you're in too much of a hurry to slow down from 40 in a 25 might cause you do reduce your speed. Or, it helps generate tax revenue to clean up your damage when you crash.

I have no sympathy for fucks who break the law and pretend it should be okay. Crying over measures to reduce it is even worse. So, if someone a lot smarter than your average driver decides the safe speed for a road is 55mph and people refuse to obey that law, what alternative is there than speed cameras? Police presence? I can hear the "omg police state" cries from here.

Clearly these speed cameras and red light cameras need to be recalibrated to target the REAL menaces on the road - cyclists.

They just need to add lasers that zap those cunts and we'd be just fine.

 

[slayer202]

school zones. fine with me

 

[pauldun170]

Hardly. People speeding and not paying attention while driving is a big problem for the pedestrians of this city. Hardly a day goes by where I don't see someone blow through a red light and way above the posted speed limit.

I hate driving in the city. No amount of cameras or partol units is going to change the fact that NYC grows shitty drivers.

I hate driving in Nassau because thats the migration path of city drivers. They buy out on "the Island" and bring their shitty driving out here.

Now its getting worse in Suffolk.

The issue in this area is that we while have attracted folks from all over the world, its the folks from the countries with shitty driving culture that makes it a nightmare.

 

[smackababy]

I hate driving in the city. No amount of cameras or partol units is going to change the fact that NYC grows shitty drivers.

I hate driving in Nassau because thats the migration path of city drivers. They buy out on "the Island" and bring their shitty driving out here.

Now its getting worse in Suffolk.

The issue in this area is that we while have attracted folks from all over the world, its the folks from the countries with shitty driving culture that makes it a nightmare.

For every "foreign" looking bad drive, I've seen an American looking one driving just as bad. Driving like a fuckwad, in my experience, is universal. It probably stems from the lack of education, lack of consequences, and lack of respect for the vehicle and it's power. And being a fuckwad.

 

[Pulsar]

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/li-speed-cameras-clear-state-senate-1.7878334


http://www.capitalnewyork.com/artic...ly-approves-speed-cameras-long-island-and-nyc

And?

Police budgets and municipal budgets are tight. In most cases, running at a loss. So when a new program comes in and has the ability to slow people down in school zones AND generate a net positive income, it's a good thing.

Showing that they're going to get revenue from it doesn't even come close to proving that 'it's all about the money'.

Adding one of those cameras versus having a policeman sit there 24x7 is a no brainer.

 

[Pulsar]

I hate driving in the city. No amount of cameras or partol units is going to change the fact that NYC grows shitty drivers.

I hate driving in Nassau because thats the migration path of city drivers. They buy out on "the Island" and bring their shitty driving out here.

Now its getting worse in Suffolk.

The issue in this area is that we while have attracted folks from all over the world, its the folks from the countries with shitty driving culture that makes it a nightmare.

Yeah..... because it's all the evil foreigners fault....

 

[MtnMan]

I used to go to Charlotte on business once or twice a week. When they installed red light cameras, people would do a 'panic stop' the instant the light turned yellow, resulting in a major increase in rear-end collisions.

 

[pauldun170]

For every "foreign" looking bad drive, I've seen an American looking one driving just as bad. Driving like a fuckwad, in my experience, is universal. It probably stems from the lack of education, lack of consequences, and lack of respect for the vehicle and it's power. And being a fuckwad.

Folks from countries with shitty driving culture. Not a blanket statement about foreigners

 

[pauldun170]

And?

Police budgets and municipal budgets are tight. In most cases, running at a loss. So when a new program comes in and has the ability to slow people down in school zones AND generate a net positive income, it's a good thing.

Showing that they're going to get revenue from it doesn't even come close to proving that 'it's all about the money'.

Adding one of those cameras versus having a policeman sit there 24x7 is a no brainer.

Stating that speed camera usage is driven by revenue generation does not mean I am for or against the initiative.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

I have no sympathy for fucks who break the law and pretend it should be okay. Crying over measures to reduce it is even worse. So, if someone a lot smarter than your average driver decides the safe speed for a road is 55mph and people refuse to obey that law, what alternative is there than speed cameras? Police presence? I can hear the "omg police state" cries from here.

How do you feel about holier-than-thou law crusaders who act as though anyone who breaks a law they personally don't break should be chastised for it? If you can honestly say that you've never intentionally broken any laws, then at least you're being consistent in your view; otherwise, it's just simple hypocrisy. I'm not saying you can't be for some laws and against others, but statements like "I have no sympathy for fucks who break the law and pretend it should be okay" are pretty absolute.

 

[pauldun170]

Has anyone posted the statistics that were used as justification for speed camera placement? All the speed related accidents in school zones.

 

[Bateluer]

So, people in Phoenix are fucking idiots who can't drive? Is that what you're getting at? This isn't about reducing speeding, it is about punishing law breakers. After having to pay $50 because you're in too much of a hurry to slow down from 40 in a 25 might cause you do reduce your speed. Or, it helps generate tax revenue to clean up your damage when you crash.

Well, we definitely rank up there with the level of idiots who can't drive. We have our share of dumb asses that think its acceptable to cruise on the interstate 15 below the posted speed limit, merge onto the highway at 45, etc. Worse during snow bird season.

You must not do much driving though. Its the people who are driving slower than the speed of traffic that are causing safety issues, not the person driving 5mph over the speed limit.

 

[DrPizza]

If I were a homeless person in NYC, who actually paid attention to the news, I'd get another homeless friend to join forces near one of the speeding cameras. We'd each have a big sign that said "speed camera ahead, slow down!" And, on the back of the sign, "Tips" with a bucket on the ground. One in each direction from the camera; each end warns, and each end requests tips.


edit: heck, there are enough homeless people begging for money that you could effectively render the cameras ineffective. I wonder if someone savy enough could even surreptitiously run it as a business, busing around homeless people for a 10% cut in their profits.

 

[lupi]

Red light cameras are considered safety measures but in many cases have proven to increase accidents or have no minimal effect.


I believe that studies have shown that increasing the duration of yellow lights and delaying when other lights switch to green to be an actual safety measure (in other words, when one light goes from yellow to red, the other doe no immediately change to green. There is a 4 second delay and all traffic is stopped.)

part of the problem with stop light cameras is that when they are actually effective, i.e. people stop running the light, they generate no income and some locals have adjusted the settings on the lights to make it harder for the motorist to navigate under normal driving expectations.

 

[pauldun170]

If they really cared about controlling flow of traffic and slowing people down (aka thinking of the children) they would turn to proven methods that actually work.

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/eng_count/
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/docs/ITErevfin.pdf
http://www.stmarysmd.com/dpw/trafficcalming.asp
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa10001/#c7.1

 

[rh71]

Glad this is just for school zones - I'm fine with that and people SHOULD slow down there. Other public roads - that will create a shit-ton of traffic in already-crowded areas.

The other thing - just 1 per school district where we have at least 7 schools... why bother?

 

[rh71]

CA cities got rid of their red light cameras. Guess NY is behind the times here.

Why did they get rid of them exactly?

 

[pauldun170]

Glad this is just for school zones - I'm fine with that and people SHOULD slow down there. Other public roads - that will create a shit-ton of traffic in already-crowded areas.

The other thing - just 1 per school district where we have at least 7 schools... why bother?

My expectation is that this is phase 1.
I fully expect this to start hitting town roads soon.

I personally would crack up if they start slapping this on the LIE or on the parkways.

 

[mugs]

I was busted by one of these in Denver.

This was the stipulation. : Pay the $50 and it won't go on your driving record. Or fight it in court. If you do so, and lose, it will count as 4 points on your driving record... If you win your court case, it counts as 2 points on your driving record.

I'll believe this is not bullshit when you post proof.

 

[JEDIYoda]

This was the stipulation. : Pay the $50 and it won't go on your driving record. Or fight it in court. If you do so, and lose, it will count as 4 points on your driving record... If you win your court case, it counts as 2 points on your driving record.

That is totally a fabricated lie....there is no truth to what you said!!

 

[The Boston Dangler]

If I were a homeless person in NYC, who actually paid attention to the news, I'd get another homeless friend to join forces near one of the speeding cameras. We'd each have a big sign that said "speed camera ahead, slow down!" And, on the back of the sign, "Tips" with a bucket on the ground. One in each direction from the camera; each end warns, and each end requests tips.


edit: heck, there are enough homeless people begging for money that you could effectively render the cameras ineffective. I wonder if someone savy enough could even surreptitiously run it as a business, busing around homeless people for a 10% cut in their profits.

you don't bus homeless people around for a cut of their tips. you do it to jam public hearings that would otherwise hamper you multi-billion dollar empire.

 

[QueBert]

$50 fine plus how much in court fees? Speed cameras have never been about safety, always about revenue.

About revenues from people who break laws. I have no problem with making people pay for not being able to follow rules. Your comment might have merit if someone like me was getting a ticket when I wasn't even speeding. I will never get one of these tickets, because I don't speed. Not speeding is easy, imho it's as easy as not running a red light. This isn't a racket to drum up $$$, it's a legit ticket given to people who break a law. A law which they good and damn well know they're breaking at that.

 

[datalink7]

It's going to wind up looking like a cable TV bill with all the assorted tack-ons.

Fine: $50
Administration Fee: $15
Paperwork Fee: $15
Mailing Fee: $10
Camera Wear and Tear Fee: $25

Final bill: $115 for a $50 fine.

Yup. I recently got a $25 ticket. Was $117 by the time I paid all the additional fees.

 

[Jeeebus]

Those of you saying this is not about revenue generation are either naive or just borderline retarded. The companies that install/maintain these cameras spend millions of dollars lobbying local politicians to install these because they are huge cash cows for the company and for the State. I've seen some of the lobbying and the "data" and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous.

Speed and red light cameras are legalized extortion because the fines are structured in such a way that , even if you're innocent, it hurts you to fight.