- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
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cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/53463841
Before the cameras were installed four years ago, roughly 17 per cent of motorists followed the posted speed limits. … In the last year before the cameras were banned, compliance reached 87 per cent.
Within a week of the cameras’ removal, that fell to 62 per cent, and three weeks later, it had dropped to 50 per cent.
…
Carlucci says it’s time for drivers to reflect and consider one simple question.
“Why are you speeding in a school zone?”
People drive the speed they feel is safe. Occassionally, they read speed limit signs. Occassionally, they drive slower after a ticket. But mostly: people drive the speed they feel is safe.
If you want people to drive slower, it needs to feel (not be, just feel) unsafe to drive fast.
This is the only correct answer here. You want drivers to slow down? Stop building big, wide, straight roads. You need to add curves with trees and barriers, narrow the lanes, and (gasp!) even remove some lanes. Everything else is theatre.
The city of Ottawa study shows that drivers also slow down when traffic laws are enforced.
We should definitely build safer roads, but while we’re waiting for that, we should bring back speed cameras.
Enforcement is the issue. If you see everyday on your drive to work dozens of vehicles using the HOV lane when they aren’t allowed to, and only ever see a cop pulling someone over once every 4-6 months, how often before you also start using the HOV lane when you aren’t supposed to?
Can we not do the whole mass surveillance thing though?
No, we need to determine if the speeders are safe enough drivers at the speeds they are driving.
This is sarcasm, right? It’s hard to tell sometimes.
As a former speeder (changed only because GAS COSTS, NOT TRAFFIC TICKETS, CAUCASIAN MALE & WANTING TO BECOME A BICYCLIST, FOR THE ENVIRONMENT)! & who never caused a accident, though out of anger with another driver & in the zone, for at least 5-blocks in nearby city, passed people like crazy, along with the other driver ahead me (passed me first). I say hell no, who
Look in nearest mirror!
The stats from the city of Ottawa show that drivers slow down when speed regulations are enforced.
I fully support improving roads to make them safer. In the meantime, enforcement of existing rules seems like a low cost alternative.
Problem is people aren’t good judges of what is, in fact, a safe speed.
Edit: the second problem is that making it feel unsafe while not being unsafe (or unfeasible to maintain or prohibitively costly) leaves very few options.
Absolutely, I have driven with my boss enough to know that he absolutely does not know what a safe speed is.
Especially when a safe speed for you when you were 40 is probably not the same speed when you are 60 but you are used to driving that way.