Speed Cameras: Unsafe At Slow Speeds?
Speed cameras are one of the most contentious issues in Ottawa.
Are they a good idea? Opinion is mixed. Do they work? Results are mixed.
In my experience, I find I spend too much time looking at my speedometer in those zones so I don’t get a ticket. That’s a really dangerous distraction.
Do speed cameras lower driving speeds? Most studies say they do.
Are they a municipal cash-grab? Oh sure.
A CBC Ottawa report is not conclusive but it appears to show that speeding is reduced with the cameras. However, sometimes collisions increase at speed cameras.
My guess? Because people are doing what I’m doing. Staring at their speedometer to avoid getting a ticket. It would be interesting to see how many of the collisions around speed cameras are rear-enders when people are checking their speed instead of what is in front of them.
Here’s a CBC report that examines the issue and emphasizes the data they have is inconclusive but does show indications. To see the report, click here.
Speed cameras aren’t just controversial in Ottawa.
For You:
City Council Backs Fairness Campaign
Want Feds’ Money, Your Worship? Do A Whitton
Will City Campaign Against Libs? PATTON
Bookmark The Bulldog, click here
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
– The Bulldog – News Feed Enter 
I personally use my cruise control in areas where I feel vulnerable. Perhaps I got the idea from motor racing where they have pit lane speed limits with pretty draconian penalties for speeding. So they have pit lane speed limiters set. That’s what I use my cruise control for.
Snow tires will change your speedometer by 3km/hr, and your speedometer needle is about 2 to 3 km thick. So our threshold to get a ticket is around 4km/hr. So although you think you are going 1km under the limit, you may still be over. The real impact is on businesses. On my community page discussion about speed cameras, people just avoid those areas where there are cameras and drive and shop elsewhere. This disadvantages those smaller shops in communities where the cameras tend to be and advantage the Loblaws and Walmarts that tend to be on major roads without cameras. The impact on smaller strip malls businesses within communities would be an interesting study
“Question Everything”, what a great name for a TV segment in the 21st century, when generation Z and millennials have been raised with a “shut up and do what you’re told or suffer the consequences” approach by people in authority positions. When I was in high school in the late ’60s, our teachers told us to “Always question everything”. Maybe things will begin to straighten out again if people are encouraged to question individuals and groups in authority positions (like Ottawa city council for example). Anyway, the solutions at the end of the segment both have merit. Jay Bieber’s concept of proper road design is insightful, although it would cost a lot of money to rip up existing city roads and rebuild them; it could work moving forward into the future provided a long-term city plan exists for new neighbourhoods (Ottawa is oftentimes criticized for having no such plans). The gas pedal solution seems like a good idea in this day and age where people are caught up in the idea that technology can solve anything, although I’m sure someone from the dark side would be able to figure out how to make this technology inoperable. As long as someone is looking into technological methods to make driving safer maybe they can expend some effort on disabling cell phones in cars while they’re being driven; if it’s absolutely essential that someone use their cell phone while in their car they can always pull off the road to do so (although that would likely cause safety issues too). Making everything completely safe for everyone is a slippery slope – nothing is foolproof, the fools are ingenious!
C, I agree that the impact of speed cameras on surrounding roads/alternative routes would be interesting. Having said that, this is a city that implements changes (e.g. traffic calming) on a regular basis but makes no efforts to follow up on whether the changes are actually successful.
To illustrate, when I asked a traffic management engineer project manager what the target speeds would be after the estimated quarter of a million dollars of paint and concrete were installed he advised me that the city doesn’t do that sort of thing. Set tangible targets? Not on the radar (pun intended). Measure impact of changes? Can’t be bothered.
So much potential for improvement, squandered by a culture that doesn’t just tolerate incomplete work. It is a culture that rewards incomplete work.
Ron. Too many of the things the city says it does for a reason are no more than checkbox items.
Speed camera tickets are rising? This would indicated this program is not working… we just keep in speeding.
It’s all a cash grab, especially the ones in front of our schools, in the morning and afternoon when kids go to or leaving school the traffic is so heavy no one can drive over 10 km/h because of the congestion.
Also a very sneaky move by the city, the city has contracted out the collections of these fines. This way we’re not paying the city directly and they have washed their hands of payment enforcement.
Speed cameras are an adjustable revenue resource. Need (but really WANT) more cash twist the dial a little more to the plus side. These cameras should not be confused with red light cameras which are completely reasonable because when you are proceeding through a green light the red light could T-bone you. Fact: lots of traffic deaths are being T-boned on the drivers side which is the first lane you cross passing through an intersection. Do the owl, even with a green look to see who’ll kill you. Let’s contrast that with speed cameras which started as a programme to keep school zones safe but not only when students are present but 24/7. Now the city is just sticking them everywhere the traffic volume is high. High volume = more cash. Speed limits are 100% politically decided. They may do a smarmy study but those always confirm what they want. The city has invested in a traffic control system that one city manager told me the control room looked like Starwars. Funny I’ve lived here for since 2008 and the traffic lights follow the exact same timing even though COVID has changed traffic patterns dramatically. The only intelligent change I’ve seen here is around 3am all traffic lights default to green for the major roadway. It is possible to drive to the airport from Bayshore without stopping once. Victoria, BC installs traffic sensing loops at the stoplines and 10+ car distance back. This indicates which direction has more cars waiting ever see anything that clever in Ottawa? Not likely as the traffic mayhem created is good for speed fines as driver try to avoid the redlight to redlight to redlight which is the norm here. For shites and giggles pay attention to all the various safety blitzes that the various police forces carry out in a year. Targeted are; Drunk, distracted etc it doesn’t matter what the claim is by a massive degree the most captured/fined are speeding vehicles. Why because that action is the easiest to determine….by far. You simply point a radar gun at a vehicle and zap you have money. Drunk driving you have to observe 1st or stop at a road block. Same with distracted driving which is an epidemic in the NCR. Next time you are stopped at a traffic light (you’ll have lots of time to do this) look to the drivers left and right and see who’s staring at their crotch, lots are more blatant. Wonder why some drivers are so slow to react to a green light? It’s hard to see that light change looking at your crotch. Speeding is a good ways down the list of traffic deaths as the cause for accidents. Pure speeding not driving too fast for the conditions in snow/ice, rain. That is not an action that is likely to get you fined. But drive above a politically created speed limit on dry, straight road with no intersections, buildings or traffic and zap ticket. In fact those are the favorite places for speed traps….where it is safe to drive above the speed limit. Ponder this, the 400 series highways and the US interstates are designed for speeds around 75mph. That is 120kph in the 50’s. Most cars has horrible brakes, super soft suspension (scary) and shite tires. Today we have vehicles that orders of magnitude better in all respect to safety but silly speed limits.