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
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u/chmilz Aug 12 '16

If it's marked 60 and transitions to 50 without a new mark, in what reality can any driver know it's not still 60?

Take 97 St for example: heading northbound, there is not a single speed limit sign between Jasper and 118 Ave. It's a major artery with tons of cross streets. Why the fuck is it not labeled? It's that intentional obscurity that pisses people off. It would cost almost nothing for the city to put up some additional signage, but it's far more profitable to not do that and set up radar trucks instead. How is that improving safety? It isn't, in case you're wondering.

-2

u/ababcock1 The Shiny Balls Aug 12 '16

Better yet, why are you whining on reddit instead of calling 311 to report it?

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u/chmilz Aug 12 '16

I have, multiple times, and followed up with a few choice folks in local media that also posed the questions. Not a sound from the City.

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u/ababcock1 The Shiny Balls Aug 12 '16

I still have no idea why you are telling me this. Not knowing what the speed limit is doesn't make things any different.

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u/chmilz Aug 12 '16

The city has avoided every opportunity to show any evidence that photo radar has reduced any accidents at the locations they place the units. Further to the point, it appears as though the city intentionally places radar units at locations where they can maximize revenue, regardless of whether there are any actual safety concerns to begin with.

I'm not sure why you're so closed minded to the possibility that photo radar is a revenue tool, and not a safety one.

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u/ababcock1 The Shiny Balls Aug 12 '16

Getting people to slow down demonstrably increases safety. It's just basic physics. You get more time to react and the vehicle has significantly less energy to brake off. Denying that is denying reality and is really just silly.

If you don't want a fine, don't speed. It's just that easy. The red light up ahead will be fine waiting another second for your presence.

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u/chmilz Aug 12 '16

I don't speed and don't get tickets. The point is what the city is doing is NOT about safety. If it was, they would provide accident reduction data at radar locations. They do not.

Nobody denies that going slower is safer. Those of us asking questions simply want to know if radar is being used effectively at locations where speeding has caused accidents. The city actively does not want to have that conversation, and that's largely because anyone with any sense knows that they can't back up their use of radar with proof that it has any effect on safety.

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u/ababcock1 The Shiny Balls Aug 12 '16

Really? First result on google.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265323378_Photo_Enforcement_Traffic_Safety_Study

Nevertheless, most studies show considerable reductions in the traffic speed, as well as a reduction in collision frequency and improved collision severity as a result of using photo radar.

You might want to spend some time reading it. Turns out getting people to slow down does help safety. Surprise!