235 speed cameras Back On Monday
- Thread starter dmclone
- Start date
Obviously didn't actually turn the cameras off, now did they. Yes you succeeded in causing a temporary and unnecessary slow down in traffic.
Pretty sure we've had threads on here off and on since they were installed. Some lawmakers have been trying to get them taken down the entire time through a law banning them. I must have missed the court case that allowed them to go back into action.
I never got the big concern over these cameras. The red light cameras and the mobile speed camera as much worse. You have to be going over 70 to get a ticket and most of the time the speed of traffic doesn't even allow you to surpass, and if you did in those conditions, you should probably get a ticket for being a danger on the road.
Someone else mentioned, but the real solution if you don't like it would be to get the speed limit increased, but I don't think that really helps anything with the limited distance on I-235, which is about 13 miles. The difference in time between driving 69 mph (the fastest you can go without a ticket) and 80 mph (the speed most people travel when a speed limit is set to 70+) is about a minute and a half over the whole distance of I-235 from east mixmaster to west mixmaster. Cut that in half for most people since they only go downtown, and that's about 45 seconds of time saved by going 80, which can easily be negated by just hitting lights wrong once you get off of the Interstate.
Someone else mentioned, but the real solution if you don't like it would be to get the speed limit increased, but I don't think that really helps anything with the limited distance on I-235, which is about 13 miles. The difference in time between driving 69 mph (the fastest you can go without a ticket) and 80 mph (the speed most people travel when a speed limit is set to 70+) is about a minute and a half over the whole distance of I-235 from east mixmaster to west mixmaster. Cut that in half for most people since they only go downtown, and that's about 45 seconds of time saved by going 80, which can easily be negated by just hitting lights wrong once you get off of the Interstate.
Cedar Rapids ones are the worst. The speed limit drops 10 miles an hour just before the cameras. So if I'm driving my typical 4 mph over and forget the speed limit change then I'm 14 over and boom I have a ticket. Fairly certain they designed it that way, not for safety, but for money. The 235 camera never bothered me because I'm never 11 over on that section of road. Like others have pointed out they're kind of a joke as far as safety is concerned because everyone slows down just before the camera and puts the pedal to the medal the second they are past. Perhaps they could put them every mile or so along the interstate system. I wouldn't mind, again I go about 4 over. That might actually slow people down, but once people adjust to having to drive slow there won't be any money to make off of them and since we've established its all about money they won't be adding too many cameras.
With the 10 mile an hour cushion allowing you to exceed the posted speed limit and still not get a ticket, I guess I have a very hard time getting bent out of shape over speed cameras. I certainly think police officers have better use of their time than pulling over speeders.
As others have alluded to, the discussion shouldbe whether or not the current speed limits make sense or not. Also, with technology, how close might we be where speed limits become adjustable throughout the day as volume and weather conditions dictate?
As others have alluded to, the discussion shouldbe whether or not the current speed limits make sense or not. Also, with technology, how close might we be where speed limits become adjustable throughout the day as volume and weather conditions dictate?
This is how I got my ticket in CR. I was pissed at myself because I thought I was so careful in CR but I got one anyway.
I tend to speed a lot - generally 9 over on highways. I don't get too bent out of shape when I get a ticket because if I am going to speed, I better be willing to accept the consequences.
If they think an 11mph cushion is safe, why not increase the speed limit by 10 mph?
The speed limit is 60mph in this section, would it be ok if they gave tickets at 69mph? How about 65mph? Why not 61mph? All examples are breaking the law.
If they raised the speed limit to 70mph would you be ok giving tickets at 71mph? 75mph? 81mph?
If you're comfortable with them giving tickets at 11mph over, than you should be fine with 1mph over as well. Maybe we could put devices on cars that won't allow you to exceed the speed limit?
Also, if it's all about safety how about they donate the proceeds to charity. I assume this also reduces the amount of work for police, so would the police department be ok with a reduction in staff since this is doing their work?
The speed limit is 60mph in this section, would it be ok if they gave tickets at 69mph? How about 65mph? Why not 61mph? All examples are breaking the law.
If they raised the speed limit to 70mph would you be ok giving tickets at 71mph? 75mph? 81mph?
If you're comfortable with them giving tickets at 11mph over, than you should be fine with 1mph over as well. Maybe we could put devices on cars that won't allow you to exceed the speed limit?
Also, if it's all about safety how about they donate the proceeds to charity. I assume this also reduces the amount of work for police, so would the police department be ok with a reduction in staff since this is doing their work?
The big picture part of the problem is that eventually we may have the technological ability to penalize any trespass against the code of laws, and tens of thousands of laws on the books. Since the whole system is basically a construct of what we as a people want society to be, I think it's a necessary conversation for us to have and a question that we as a people should ask ourselves: do we want to live in a society where every violation of law is penalized automatically?
Can't speak to DSM, but I think the data in CR did show it was a bit better for accidents. Personally, I feel much safer on I380 in downtown CR with the cameras. It absolutely does reduce the overall speed by about 5mph, and cuts way back on the number of crazies who think they are Dale Junior going 75mph. This makes merging on and off a lot safer too, which is a really big deal in downtown CR on the 5-in-1. And it's not that bad to (almost) obey the speed limit for 3 miles there.
As far as the money grab - I guess I'm OK with others giving $$ to the government instead of me. Just like the Lottery. It's a tax on yourself, but you choose to pay it.
And I say this all as someone with strong libertarian, small-gvmt leanings...
The person going 75 mph isn't causing near as many accidents as the person going 55 mph. The person going 55 mph is causing everyone behind him/her to make decisions to pass him/her. The 75 mph person is the only one making a decision. The more people on the road making decisions = more accidents.
A valid question. Especially since a lot of times the law is built with some level of violation in mind.
For example, look at every time they ever discuss raising the speed limit. There are always legislators saying "well, people go 10 over now, if we raise the speed limit they'll just go 10 over that" (which isnt actually backed up by the evidence, but whatever). The speed limit thus often ends up being set 5-10mph the speed they 'want' people to be going with this in mind. Enforcement tends to follow that.
That's incorrect. The speed limit on I-380 drops to 60mph as you enter town, right before Hwy 30 going north, and at Boyson (I think) going south. Then it's 55mph for those 3 miles from Diagonal to H Ave.
Yeah, I see laws (and the enforcement thereof) as a way to create an orderly society, as opposed to creating a society of order, if the distinction makes sense. I think there are too many people (but not a majority) that would like nothing better than create the latter.
A little allowance in speed limit enforcement probably has more to do with mechanical limitations than anything else. Just by changing from all weather tires to snow tires a speedometer can be as much as 10% off so you could be going 66 in that 60 zone while your car is telling you are right at the speed limit.
This already exists. I drive through variable speed limit zones all the time in Seattle on I-5 and I-405. Dont they do this in Chicago too?
FMVSS also allows for a +/- 5mph variation at 50 mph in the speedometer.
