Hill Gets Speed Cameras Right: BENN
What would be an appropriate compromise on operating hours for speed cameras?
These cameras are run by a computer operating system. It should be a relatively simple to alter the coding to be make the cameras active during school days, and inactive at all other times. The only meaningful question to solve once that decision is made is the operative hours. Given the range of start times and noting that schools often offer after-school programs, Perhaps they should start with 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, and fine tune the range thereafter.
Next, add some traffic management features, per Premier Doug Ford’s recommendations.
Flashing signs indicating the speed of an approaching vehicle are effective at alerting drivers of their speed, but leave it to the driver to decide whether to ease off the throttle, which limits their utility.
Where existing crossovers already exist, raise them and they become de facto speed bumps. Otherwise, add a set or two of speed bumps. They slow the traffic on the approach, only to see the vehicle in front of me accelerate once the speed bump is cleared. Again, limited utility.
In short, rather than adopt a take-it-or-leave-it or if-you-are-not-with-me-you’re-against-me attitude, why not focus on how to achieve the stated goal (safety for school children) while addressing the concerns about the abuse of authority?
Ron Benn, a finance executive, has been a member of the Centrepointe Community Association for the better part of three decades.
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I remember Cathy Curry mentioning she was fighting to keep those signs that indicated your speed in the area of the photo radar but the city staff would not allow it. Instead they moved the speed indication signs far away from the radar camera. Her point was that the aim of the cameras was to enhance safety not supposed to be just the cash grab and the speed indication signs would add to safety. Her point is that the city seemed to be more interested in revenue than safety.
Couldn’t agree more with you Ron. Ultimately the Community Safety Zoning was intended to be in School zones and they are now being used on major arterials and collector roads rather than in school zones where they could be used to increase school safety.
Hope things are well in Centrepointe!
I do not understand the hours active proposal. I see schools used for sports and general children based activities at all times.
Yes, there is a high concentration of children during school hours, but the yards are normally active during summer and weekends/evenings also.
That brings the question: Are our speed limits optional (as some suggest)? If so, when do the driving laws start being enforced?
Waba:
Don’t jump to the conclusion that I’m censoring your comments.
Sometimes it take a bit of time to get to comments because I have a life outside The Bulldog.
Sorry but I’m not at my post all the time.
cheers
kgray
waba, I accept your observation that some school yards do double duty as playgrounds during non-school hours. However:
> the number of children using the playground is materially lower than the school day population; and
> most school playgrounds have fences between the play area/sports fields and the road.
Thus, my suggested hours of operation being a larger bracket than just school hours. Perhaps instead of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm the time frame should be extended to 9:00 pm. That is the kind of fine tuning that comes after accepting the concept of hours of operation.