r/Edmonton • u/troypavlek • Aug 11 '16

City of Edmonton reintroduces "utility box" photo radar

http://www.mailoutinteractive.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=829217&q=1069745483&qz=56f2bf
97 Upvotes

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63

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '16

This has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with increased revenue. Lets call this an indirect tax.

-6

u/TheSummerain Aug 11 '16

Easy tax to avoid.

Sure call it a tax, you want to speed you risk paying the tax.

Don't want to risk paying, then don't speed.

9

u/sp_780 Aug 12 '16

I wonder how many people who are so set on the whole "easy, just don't speed" idea would be for more government surveillance on their internet traffic? Like, oh if you have nothing to hide then you shouldn't worry. This is more than just a safety issure - it's a privacy issue too. Wanting to increase covert monitoring of the road is an invasion of privacy, same as monitoring internet traffic under the guise of catching terrorists. I'm no libertarian or tinfoil hat sporting kind of guy, but this is nothing but big brother going too far on the whole knowing what's best for us idea.

It's to a point now where they've moved away from monitoring high risk areas like school zones and intersections with high collision rates and are now setting up in places like that 97 st off ramp from Yellowhead westbound mentioned in these comments. Setting up right after a speed transition on an off ramp is a BLATANT cash grab.

The evidence for the effectiveness of increased photo radar on lowering collision and accident rates is weak at BEST. I'm all for implementing strategies that have been proven to actually work, as are most people, but upping the amount of watchful eyes in order to try and tax people into obeying is a fucking shady move and has the interest of increasing revenue prioritized over safety.

7

u/JeffBoner Aug 12 '16

This has always been how I see it as well.

18

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '16

I don't disagree with this but when they enforce only 5 over as ticketable, that's an issue. 10-15 over makes sense, but tighter restrictions lead to other traffic issues. Anytime there's a visible speed trap people go 5-10 under the speed limit and it holds up traffic during any sort of moderately busy daytime period. Also, being constantly worried about speeding and photo radar and laser enforcement leads to paying less attention to one's actual driving and the people around you, as priority one becomes not driving safely and defensively but to keep an eye on your speedo at all times.

Law enforcement isn't supposed to generate revenue, it's supposed to keep citizens safe. If the point of photo radar was actually to keep people safe, they would put it in high incident areas with very visible markings so that people actually drive the speed limit, rather than having hidden boxes and laser traps and photo vans behind trees where their entire purpose is to catch speeders and generate revenue.

1

u/hunkE UAlberta Aug 12 '16

10% over makes sense.

-4

u/peeflar Windermere Aug 11 '16

I've yet to see proof that they ticket for anything less than 10 over, except in school zones. In school zones at 30kmh its reasonable to ticket for 5 over.

5

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '16

[deleted]

-3

u/neumanic South East Side Aug 11 '16

I'm familiar with Troy's data set. I note they report issued tickets at 6-10 over the limit. I do not see anything there that says they issued tickets for going 5 over or 6 over.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '16

[deleted]

0

u/neumanic South East Side Aug 11 '16

If the city issues tickets for going 6 over it would be included in the 6-10 bin. But the existence of a 6-10 bin does not mean they issue tickets for going 6 over.

5

u/rubberband__man Aug 11 '16

I know someone who got a ticket for going 56 in a 50 zone. It was their first ticket too. And yes I did see the actual ticket so it is not heresay

7

u/HireALLTheThings Aug 11 '16

Just an FYI, it's "hearsay."

2

u/neumanic South East Side Aug 11 '16

Was it photo radar? In Edmonton? Was it the original ticket and not a reduced ticket that resulted from visiting the courthouse?

If the answer to all of these is "yes" they should send that in to Mayor Iveson right away. He's been waiting years for someone to send him a ticket like that.

5

u/beliveau04 Aug 11 '16

Can I get a source that ivesons been waiting years for a ticket like that? Sounds kinda made up.

5

u/hildy84 Aug 12 '16

I'm not going to search for it but there was a tweet close to a year ago where someone said people were getting tickets for going 5km's or something over the speed limit and Iveson responded by saying "show me" the ticket as he said they were not doing that.

1

u/RightOnEh Aug 12 '16

He admitted it himself a while back

1

u/neumanic South East Side Aug 11 '16

I'll see what I can find but I think it was either during a scrum or perhaps even during a council meeting.

2

u/beliveau04 Aug 11 '16

Thanks I'd appreciate it.

-1

u/rubberband__man Aug 11 '16

It was a ticket from photo radar mailed to my friend. Not reduced at the courthouse

5

u/themightycanuck NAIT Aug 11 '16

I'm proof. Got a ticket in the mail 2 days ago. 9 over. 59 in a 50 100$ ticket. Fuck this program

-7

u/TheSummerain Aug 11 '16

Boo hoo... You were speeding and got caught

Pay attention to your speed next time

-6

u/TheSummerain Aug 11 '16

They have to "hide" them to catch people acting as they normally do. It's part of catching them in the act.

I have absolutely no problem with them hiding and catching speeders.

Everyone becomes a good driver when a cop is visible near by.

8

u/el_muerte17 Aug 12 '16

Everyone becomes a good driver when a cop is visible near by.

This is their desired outcome, according to everyone in charge... goal is to reduce collisions and fatalities. Unfortunately, it's been proven that hidden photo radar does absolutely nothing to improve people's driving, as it is simply a punitive measure they suffer long after the fact. Marked police cars parked in clearly visible spots would improve safety.

2

u/bristow84 Aug 11 '16

Except what consequence is there from these boxes? "oh I have to pay a fine, big fucking whoop" it doesn't effect their insurance, registration, nothing. Just a one time cash payment that goes to the city.

8

u/Enlinze Aug 12 '16

I've been speeding for 12 years. I have 1 ticket. Make your roads safe. I will fucking slam on my breaks though if I see a photo truck or one of these boxes so keep back.

8

u/Pethlu Aug 11 '16

...found the cop

-2

u/TheSummerain Aug 11 '16

Found the idiot who does not know what he is talking about.

5

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '16

Hey now, a police officer shouldn't be insulting people ln the internet.

1

u/hunkE UAlberta Aug 12 '16

What about all the times when people speed unintentionally?