Photo Radar Snapping Shots of Speeders (freeway speeders)

Channel 5 News ^ | 23 Jan 2006 | Unattributed

[Ben Mugged]

Photo radar enforcement on the Loop 101 is underway with the start of this workweek.

In the first 24 hours since the cameras started snapping photos of drivers going 76 miles per hour and faster, there were more than 2,000 flashes along the freeway.

Warnings will be going out to drivers for the next 30 days. Tickets will start being sent to speeders starting at the end of February.

Scottsdale is believed to have the first digital speed enforcement in effect in the nation. If this nine-month test is successful, the city's photo radar system could become a model for the entire country.

[Ben Mugged]

I saw this on Fox news this morning. They have speed loops embedded in the freeway to measure speed and if you are speeding they take your picture and eventually will send you a ticket. They have warning signs well in advance and yet folks continue to consistently exceed the 65Mph speed limit. They estimated income from the camera at $5M a month. It covers all three lanes in one direction.

[Mathews]

Cool. I'd only need one ticket to learn my lesson!

[Roverman2K]

This is utter money making Crapola!
notice how they use loops to prevent radar detection.

[ErnBatavia]

and if you are speeding they take your picture and eventually will send you a ticket.

Now, that's weird because Arizona does not require front license plates, and I'd think the pic needs to be snapped from the front to ID the driver.

[Roverman2K]

FYI, they have positioned them on a stretch of freeway that lends itself to going faster, downhill etc. Just like the light ones where they trim down the yellow to get more, they impact safety to make more money claiming the entire thing is for safety. This is a boon for taxes and do not forget the insurance companies and traffic school revenue.

They are really pushing the limits of America with this, time for a Scottsdale "tea party"

[TexasTransplant]

I wonder how many warnings will be sent to those folks employed by Law Enforcement?

Riding with a Sheriff I quote "Yea, well who is going to pull me over?"

We were doing 85 in a 70, and we did it both ways (to and from the Courthouse which was about 60 miles round trip, and no I wasn't sitting in the back, it was for his reelection). Sheriffs don't do Traffic and Troopers don't do Sheriffs and I doubt it if the Photo Radars will do Sheriffs or Troopers.

This all amounts to just another TAX to fight.

TT

[6SJ7]

A well placed wad of chewing gum should take care of things.

[randog]

I read a story last week about a clear spray you can coat your license plate with that defeats these traffic cameras. The stuff is flying off the shelves to areas that have these cameras.

[Gay State Conservative]

Looks like the city/county/state involved has found a new revenue stream.

[1Old Pro]

If this nine-month test is successful, the city's photo radar system could become a model for the entire country.

One can only hope that the cameras are destroyed on a daily basis making the test toally unsuccessful.

[MadCharity]

I wonder if Johnette Lesbiano had any involvement in this idea?

[Antonello]

Just out of curiosity - can anyone give me a logical reason why this might be considered an invasion of privacy or otherwise unconstitutional?

[1L]

Great, except pictures without testimony aren't valid evidence in court. If people fight this, the state can't win.

[Antonello]

FYI, they have positioned them on a stretch of freeway that lends itself to going faster, downhill etc. Just like the light ones where they trim down the yellow to get more, they impact safety to make more money claiming the entire thing is for safety. This is a boon for taxes and do not forget the insurance companies and traffic school revenue.

When a yellow light is 'trimmed' to increase revenue from a red light camera, there is an increased risk factor. How did placing speed cameras increase the danger level? Did they tilt the freeway a little more to speed people up?

[Antonello]

Great, except pictures without testimony aren't valid evidence in court. If people fight this, the state can't win.

So someone filmed on a convenience store surveillance tape killing all the witnesses during a robbery has nothing to fear?

[dirtboy]

How did placing speed cameras increase the danger level? Did they tilt the freeway a little more to speed people up?

Cars on freeways tend to move faster on a downhill than on an uphill. If drivers see flashes and stomp on the brakes, you get into a similar safety problem as people slamming on bakes at a red-light-camera intersection.

Varations in speed in the same traffic flow are more dangerous than everyone going 10mph over the speed limit.

[Antonello]

Varations in speed in the same traffic flow are more dangerous than everyone going 10mph over the speed limit.

So would a variation in the speed of traffic flow going from, say, 65 to 85 and back to 65 would be more dangerous than if everyone stayed at 70 for the entire stretch?

[dirtboy]

So would a variation in the speed of traffic flow going from, say, 65 to 85 and back to 65 would be more dangerous than if everyone stayed at 70 for the entire stretch?

Generally, yes. And sudden speed changes (such as in a response to a speeding camera flashing) are the most dangerous.

[Fierce Allegiance]

If they wanted, they could do the same thing using your toll transponders like FASTPASS or EZ-Pass. It will not be long beofre they do this!