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Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

nytimes.com

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Re: Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

#11

Post by throw310822 »

garciasn wrote: post #7

From the article: It would make California the 19th state to install cameras that would automatically issue tickets to the owners of vehicles that are spotted exceeding the speed limit by at least 11 miles an hour. [...] The fines could be reduced if the vehicle owner is unable to pay. [...] “We’re out to change behavior. We’re not out to be punitive.” --- So: 1. The unintended consequence is that more people may fee…

> Those who can afford the $50 fine (which, knowing CA, is a big part of the population)

That's why fines should always be proportional to income. They are not the price of a product, they are the price that should make a behaviour equally unaffordable for everyone.

Re: Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

#13

Post by mint2 »

garciasn wrote: post #7

From the article: It would make California the 19th state to install cameras that would automatically issue tickets to the owners of vehicles that are spotted exceeding the speed limit by at least 11 miles an hour. [...] The fines could be reduced if the vehicle owner is unable to pay. [...] “We’re out to change behavior. We’re not out to be punitive.” --- So: 1. The unintended consequence is that more people may fee…

It would be really nice to see the fines scale up with income, but as long as the tickets are valid for insurance pricing then racking up a couple tickets is still going to cost a lot more than $50 each. It will also make insurance pricing more fair as currently unsafe drivers mostly speed with impunity in cities like sf where traffic enforcement is nonexistent.

Re: Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

#15

Post by Scoundreller »

I wish they took the French and German (and elsewhere approach) where they use some of the revenue to identify the driver and fine them + penalize their license.

If you just send the ticket to whomever is the easiest to target (regardless of guilt), then it’s more about revenue than safety.

Re: Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

#16

Post by mabbo »

Of all the places I'd expect negative reactions to this, I'm shocked HN is one of them.

This is automation of a dangerous job that is expensive to pay the labor costs of. That's our thing, folks! That's what tech is all about!

If you think the speed limits should be higher so you can drive faster, fine, but that's completely orthogonal to the point here.

Better enforcement of road laws, fewer police deaths from road accidents, lower cost to achieve these goals. I see this as entirely beneficial.

The only people complaining are the ones who want to disregard road laws because they don't care about the danger they pose to others, and like that there's barely any enforcement.

Re: Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

#17

Post by catboybotnet »

hnburnsy wrote: post #9
asdajksah2123 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cameras issuing tickets to people driving 11 miles over the speed limit "on streets that are hot spots for street racing, or are in school zones, or have a high number of collisions" is where you draw the line?

One problem is who defines hot spot. The speed camera companies will gin up data showing that one road section at the bottom of a hill with a with speed limit of 30 is definetly a hot spot. Also politicians will get involved and speed cameras will be put in an area for consituent placation instead of for traffic safety. Dont let the camels nose under the tent.

Seconding this. If you are a private company that makes cameras for this specific use case, it is in your best interest to pull numbers out of your ass to place more cameras, therefore making more sales and money on maintenance and/or service fees.

Re: Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

#18

Post by WeylandYutani »

nullc wrote: post #8
garciasn wrote: post #7

From the article: It would make California the 19th state to install cameras that would automatically issue tickets to the owners of vehicles that are spotted exceeding the speed limit by at least 11 miles an hour. [...] The fines could be reduced if the vehicle owner is unable to pay. [...] “We’re out to change behavior. We’re not out to be punitive.” --- So: 1. The unintended consequence is that more people may fee…

and companies who install the cameras win big, while people who don't have their sh*t together enough to fill out the required I'm-poor forms correctly get screwed.

I don't follow, does being poor give you a right to ignore the speed limit?

Re: Californian Roads Could Soon Have Speed Cameras Issuing Tickets

#20

Post by [deleted] »

garciasn wrote: post #7

From the article: It would make California the 19th state to install cameras that would automatically issue tickets to the owners of vehicles that are spotted exceeding the speed limit by at least 11 miles an hour. [...] The fines could be reduced if the vehicle owner is unable to pay. [...] “We’re out to change behavior. We’re not out to be punitive.” --- So: 1. The unintended consequence is that more people may fee…

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