Safety cameras. Safety device or police racket?

Question

It is obvious that well thought out speed limits help reduce accidents.

There is, however, more than a hint of suspicion that the police are using speed cameras to generate revenue rather than improve safety.

If the police were not able to keep the direct revenues from fines, surely this would help restore confidence that the police are genuine in their efforts to improve public safety.

I think the police cannot keep revenue from criminal offenses, but (in the example) speeding in now a civil offense so the police force responsible for it can keep the money.

I know of people with fines for 2 or 3 miles above the limit...

Answer 1

Over the years I have written literally thousands of tickets and have never personally benefited from a single one (except for the occasional perverse satisfaction derived from writing an ***hole who richly deserved it). The simple truth is, failure to control speed is the single most common factor in accidents. The public should be on board for whatever measures help control it. Odds are that you will be involved in an accident caused by someone failing to control their speed. My guess is that at that point, unless YOU are the one causing the accident, the measures taken won't seem like they were enough. It's an old tired phrase, but speed really does kill people. The forces experienced by your body in an accident are measured in TONS per square inch. If everyone realised this, and took the responsibility to control their actions to minimize the effects of accidents on others and themselves, then I would have less to do when I am at work. Guess I'll always have a job though. I say, do whatever it takes. Anyone who thinks a speeding citation is ugly has never seen a dead toddler at an accident scene.

Answer 2

Maybe speed limits do reduce accidents but how does that make speed cameras work?
If you get snapped by a camera you are not brought to task at the time and so by the time the little brown envelope comes throught the door the impact has gone.
Its ok to speed and get a picture taken of you killing someone rather than actually stopping the speeding?
They don't work they are just like every other falsely claimed issue now. Make the motorist pay cos they are easy targets and don't stand up. If you do argue even a genuine case you are bullied into submission by the fact that you WILL get a greater sentence and the technology is flawed and there have been suggestions that hand held devices can be targeted to one vehicle and used against another......

Answer 3

I suspect similar, but I believe the decisions for those kinds of devices come from others in the city or county structure, above the police. It is very surely a revenue-generator and anytime a city latches onto something that puts more money in the til, they will find some way to embrace it as innovative and life saving in some way or another. There are probably some benefits of the program (as you've noted) but I also believe that the money generated in uncontested fines has a big influence on using it too.

Answer 4

Another person without a shred of knowledge by ready with a solution.

Try this. Police contrary to popular myth are an enforcement arm, not the safety arm. You on the other hand by not breaking the law (speeding) are contributing to public safety.

The police do not keep the fines, they normally go into the general treasury of the town/city/state.

Answer 5

They have used cameras to catch speeders in Germany for years. A radar unit is attached to two cameras. When the speed is registered as excessive, pictures are taken of both the front and back of the vehicle, as well as the driver. It works well.

Where did you get the idea that the police keep the money from fines? That money is put back into the community.

Answer 6

I believe the process for installing permanent cameras is lengthy and drawn out. The cameras are allegedly only installed in "accident black spots" although I am sceptical of this. If the public were shown how the revenue is spent, ie. if the revenue was spent in a way which is beneficial to the community like actually seeing beat policing being resumed then it may reduce ill feeling towards what seems is money making system.

Answer 7

Friend!
Police is meant to look after Law and Order, Traffic Control , Crime Inteligence, Vigillance etc.

The VehicularTraffic movement is controlled by certain highly trained policemen. The training here means two type:
1. They know exactly about the subject - they know the all the loopholes in the rules. They help the authorities to punish a voilator or an abuser.
2. They misuse the value of the uniform they wear for their personal means.

Answer 8

I don't think the speed cameras reduce accidents - in fact, due to the fact that once noticed, drivers slam on their brakes, they are more likely to cause accidents!

However, unfortunately, a large number of motorists in the UK REFUSE to abide by the speed limits - thus CAUSING the necessity for speed cameras to torment other road users!

So, each time you see a motorist speeding, it is his/her fault that speed cameras have been installed!!!

Answer 9

The speed limits are there for a reason. If you're not speeding you don't get caught.
There is no way to stop people acting like jerks. If no one was speeding there'd be no revenue from the fines.

Answer 10

you want to live in Malta we have traffic wardens that the Nazi would have been proud of, they hide and jump out on unsuspecting motorist. before coming to live here I had never been fined for any traffic offence now I've been fined 3 times in two years. but having said that