Watch the speedometer, it's getting costlier

[si_uk_lon_ok]

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

Hey gang, I heard that the state of Maryland will be using alot of "Speed cameras" all over the state. (I guess they are installing them this year)[xx(]

The Brits have speed cameras along dual carriageways and at many intersections.  They're used to ticket speeding motorists and those who run redlights.  According to Transportation Alternatives in NYC, intersections equipped with cameras have seen a 56% reduction in pedestrian deaths and injuries.  The figure for dual carriageways is more problematic due to inconsistent data, but overall there's been a reduction of 10-20 percent, if I'm reading this properly.

So while some may complain of speeding tickets as a revenue enhancement, another way of looking at them characterizes them as a tax on stupidity.  Then again, if cameras can reduce speeding and red light running, thereby saving 10% of those lives lost every year, we'd have another 4,000 citizens.  

Terrorists killed 3,000 Americans in 2001.  As a nation we were incensed.  But every year since then, Americans have killed 42,000 of their fellow citizens.  We yawn and turn the page.

Interestingly also in the UK there are 6.1 road deaths per 100,000 people, while the US has 15.8. Sweden has even lower figures and has introduced a zero tolerance of road deaths and is aiming to reduce road deaths to zero.

If you do a study pick a sensible speed limit and ensure people stick to it you can save a lot of lives.

[EricP]

I generally go as fast as conditions will reasonably and safely allow.. and I guess you are right, the hardest speed limit to follow is certainly 55mph on a highway. I can safely go 55 down Aspen in Broken Arrow.. gimme a break.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by EricP

I generally go as fast as conditions will reasonably and safely allow.. and I guess you are right, the hardest speed limit to follow is certainly 55mph on a highway. I can safely go 55 down Aspen in Broken Arrow.. gimme a break.

yes, I fail to see when you'd want to go 35-40 on a multi lane street.  2 lane residential....that's different.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur


Traffic engineers conduct speed studies on roads to determine speed limits.  When you see a double strip across the road, that is a speed study.  They will usually leave the speed strips out for a certain amount of time, then take the 85th percentile of how fast the cars that drove on that street during that time frame and use that as the speed limit.

Now that I know that, I am sooo throwing the curve next time.

[cannon_fodder]

1. We yawn at traffic deaths because driving is a necessary part of living in the USA and 99.99% of those deaths were not intentional.  Flying planes into buildings is not a natural part of living in America and certainly intentional killing.  Comparing the two is dubious.

Furthermore, of those killed at least 50% were probably within the law and the remaining 50% were outside the law.  You would not be deterring the former 50% with harsher penalties, and no matter the fine you probably are not going to stop the guy speeding from Beaver to Woodward Oklahoma.  So some reduction is a logical goal, but realistically it is beyond the power of the legislature to rectify the problem in total.

2. Speed limits are set both for safety and for efficiencies.  It was reduced to save gas.  It was raised to increase the speed of commerce and by popular demand.  If safety was the primary measure stretches of turnpike in Oklahoma would be much higher and parts of Memorial would be down to 30mph (one of the most dangerous roads in America for some reason).

3. The fines really are set such that if you are going 11 over you may as well go 20 over.  It's just an extra $15.  

I would like to see some variance though.  11 over in a 75mph zone is not really that much, but in a 35 is sure as hell is.  Maybe some kind of percent modifier?  Dunno.

I operate at about 80mph on the turnpikes (kind of follow my tac so I don't guzzle gas) and otherwise stay in the 10 over range with the theory that they won't waste time on me.  If I ever got pulled for 2mph over and fined $180 I'd be PISSED!  Of course, there is a 5 MPH variable on the guns so...

Generally the fines are high, but not THAT high.  The intent is to deter, and I think they are high enough to do that.  Fines are an addiction for revenue though...

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

1. We yawn at traffic deaths because driving is a necessary part of living in the USA and 99.99% of those deaths were not intentional.....  

Perhaps not intentional, but 100% preventable!  43,000 every year is a waste, but it gets pooh poohed because 'it's not intentional.'

Sad.

[TeeDub]

I don't know about other places, but in Tulsa, 86 in a 65 is a mandatory court appearance.

[Juan Mad Okie]

quote:Originally posted by si_uk_lon_ok

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

Hey gang, I heard that the state of Maryland will be using alot of "Speed cameras" all over the state. (I guess they are installing them this year)[xx(]

The Brits have speed cameras along dual carriageways and at many intersections.  They're used to ticket speeding motorists and those who run redlights.  According to Transportation Alternatives in NYC, intersections equipped with cameras have seen a 56% reduction in pedestrian deaths and injuries.  The figure for dual carriageways is more problematic due to inconsistent data, but overall there's been a reduction of 10-20 percent, if I'm reading this properly.

So while some may complain of speeding tickets as a revenue enhancement, another way of looking at them characterizes them as a tax on stupidity.  Then again, if cameras can reduce speeding and red light running, thereby saving 10% of those lives lost every year, we'd have another 4,000 citizens.  

Terrorists killed 3,000 Americans in 2001.  As a nation we were incensed.  But every year since then, Americans have killed 42,000 of their fellow citizens.  We yawn and turn the page.

Interestingly also in the UK there are 6.1 road deaths per 100,000 people, while the US has 15.8. Sweden has even lower figures and has introduced a zero tolerance of road deaths and is aiming to reduce road deaths to zero.

If you do a study pick a sensible speed limit and ensure people stick to it you can save a lot of lives.

talk about apples and oranges... In the US you almost have to drive, in the UK and Sweden you dont as they have a great public transportation system (partly because unlike the US, they are more compact) and gas quite a bit more expensive

[patric]

When I read claims from politicians that fees are being raised for this-and-that to "eliminate crime,"  Id just once like to see some sort of performance guarantee condition attached to it.

If the new fees dont meet the promised expectation in, say, six months, eliminate the increase that wasnt working anyway.

Chances are that whatever would work propably couldnt be milked for income...

[sauerkraut]

Indeed, looking at the USA as if it's like Europe is apples & oranges. Europe has great mass transit systems they also have $7.00 a gallon gasoline BUT a big chunk of that fuel cost is gasoline taxes. In Europe gasoline is taxed to the hilt so people don't drive as much. I guess in many areas in Europe parking is also a bear, many streets are narrow. The USA is wide and very spread out we have to drive to get around.[]