Stowe Davison
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On the article Are Speed Camera Tickets Just Another Cost of Driving in Prince George's County?
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On the article AAA Clashes with City, Optotraffic Over Speed Cameras
Stowe Davison
8:40 am on Sunday, August 21, 2011
ReplyDriving on and walking across Paint Branch Parkway is much safer since the speed camera was installed. Previously, cars would often go over 50 mph on that road.
Drivers on Rhode Island Avenue now stay closer to the legal limit; it is far easier to make left turns on to Rhode Island and to cross it in the cross walks.
The cameras make driving and walking safer in College Park. If they bring in additional revenue from speeders, so much the better. The alternative would be more police patrols at greater expense, or more reckless driving that would cause more accidents, injuries, and traffic jams.
Let's install more of these cameras, and remove the restrictions on their use. They improve safety.
Stowe Davison
8:55 am on Sunday, March 31, 2013
For me as a driver, speed cameras are a successful deterrent. Having received three tickets (one each in DC, PG County, and Frederick County) I make more effort to know what the local speed limit is. Also, my subjective impression as a walker is that it is much safer now crossing Rhode Island Ave. and Paint Branch Parkway.
I agree with the previous comment that one reason for repeat tickets is that speed limits on suburban roads are often unexpectedly low. Also, the speed limit signage is often sparse. But I wonder if another reason for the repeats might be the very long lag time between the violation and receiving the ticket in the mail. In the case of my three tickets it was at least three weeks in each case. If you're not aware of the speed limit on a stretch of road you could rack up many violations before you were informed of the first one.
Generally speaking, I'm in favor of speed cameras. But jurisdictions using them should be required to get the notice in the mail by the end of the second day (not second business day, but second day) after the violation. And if a motorist gets several tickets before he/she can have received notice of the first, that fact should be a valid defense if the motorist chooses to contest the fines.