Town bans speed cameras

[Spectre]

Yeah, there are speed cameras in America. Mostly in the "blue" states, strangely enough.

Texas is an exception, as one of the makers of such equipment is here. Though we banned them before any significant numbers were installed; this was because of the huge uproar over the red light cameras, which lead to Texas citizens melting down the Legislature's phone system with demands that the next logical step, speed cameras, be banned *immediately* before some bright boy thought that was a good idea and the things were entrenched.

As it sits, there are NO speed cameras in the entire state of Texas on public roads.

Even the red light cameras are coming under fire, both literally and figuratively. Seems they're not reducing the number of intersection accidents OR generating the revenue their makers promised - to the point that Dallas has turned most of theirs off and is taking some down. Other cities may follow suit.

[Rumer]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Yeah, there are speed cameras in America. Mostly in the "blue" states, strangely enough.

Texas is an exception, as one of the makers of such equipment is here. Though we banned them before any significant numbers were installed; this was because of the huge uproar over the red light cameras, which lead to Texas citizens melting down the Legislature's phone system with demands that the next logical step, speed cameras, be banned *immediately* before some bright boy thought that was a good idea and the things were entrenched.

As it sits, there are NO speed cameras in the entire state of Texas on public roads.

Even the red light cameras are coming under fire, both literally and figuratively. Seems they're not reducing the number of intersection accidents OR generating the revenue their makers promised - to the point that Dallas has turned most of theirs off and is taking some down. Other cities may follow suit.

I live in a "blue" state and we don't have speed cameras. I know we have red light cameras, though, and like you said, I don't think they're as effective as they were touted to be. An impatient twat will be an impatient twat, camera or no camera.

Beats living in the Toronto area, though. When I lived there, it was a frequent site to see about four cruisers all parked together at the base of a blind hill, each one taking a turn with the radar gun while the others wrote the hapless victims (and there were many) up.

[Mineworksfine]

I got caught years ago by a State Trooper doing 85 on a 70mph stretch between Dallas and Shreveport on the way to a wedding. I just gave him the full High Grant stammering English fop and claimed I couldn't get the hang of cruise control. When he handed me the let-off by saying "An' Ah giss y'all ur used ta keelomiddaz too?" I could barely refrain from PMSL - had to wait until I was back in the hire car and he'd driven off before I and my best pal collapsed into a fit of giggles. Granny Hersworkedonce (my mother) who was sat in the back was less amused.

Worst thing was I lost the written warning he gave me as I planned to frame it when I got home.

[Ironlord]

Originally Posted by katwalk

We have speed cameras in america?

I saw two in Manhattan. One on York Street - somewhere near the East 80th Street junction or there abouts - one on the Lower East side. I was amazed they were there at all...

If the same area had been London there'd have been more like two hundred. And 20,000 CCTV cameras.

Originally Posted by Mineworksfine

I got caught years ago by a State Trooper doing 85 on a 70mph stretch between Dallas and Shreveport on the way to a wedding. I just gave him the full High Grant stammering English fop and claimed I couldn't get the hang of cruise control. When he handed me the let-off by saying "An' Ah giss y'all ur used ta keelomiddaz too?"

Ah giss y'all wud be used ta keelomiddaz if y'all were from Ire-land. And that'd be a genuine excuse...

[Spectre]

A more common name for "speed cameras" in the US is "photo radar".

Originally Posted by Mineworksfine

I got caught years ago by a State Trooper doing 85 on a 70mph stretch between Dallas and Shreveport on the way to a wedding. I just gave him the full High Grant stammering English fop and claimed I couldn't get the hang of cruise control. When he handed me the let-off by saying "An' Ah giss y'all ur used ta keelomiddaz too?" I could barely refrain from PMSL - had to wait until I was back in the hire car and he'd driven off before I and my best pal collapsed into a fit of giggles. Granny Hersworkedonce (my mother) who was sat in the back was less amused.

Worst thing was I lost the written warning he gave me as I planned to frame it when I got home.

Actually, the joke is on you. You went to all the trouble to put on an act when it was totally unnecessary.

Texas "State Troopers," aka the DPS, have a policy that anything up to 99mph on rural freeways in unincorporated areas is a warning-only offense unless you're a total asshole to the officer, blaze past him on a regular basis or it really was unsafe. I have a nice big folder of those written warnings. They don't even go on your license as a notation that you were warned.

I doubt that you fooled the officer for a second. "I can't get used to the cruise control" is one of the top 10 foreign tourist excuses for speeding. "I'm used to kilometers" is one of the top 10 foreign tourist excuses for driving under the limit and getting pulled over for obstructing traffic.

[Mineworksfine]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Actually, the joke is on you. You went to all the trouble to put on an act when it was totally unnecessary.

Texas "State Troopers," aka the DPS, have a policy that anything up to 99mph on rural freeways in unincorporated areas is a warning-only offense unless you're a total asshole to the officer, blaze past him on a regular basis or it really was unsafe. I have a nice big folder of those written warnings. They don't even go on your license as a notation that you were warned.

I doubt that you fooled the officer for a second. "I can't get used to the cruise control" is one of the top 10 foreign tourist excuses for speeding. "I'm used to kilometers" is one of the top 10 foreign tourist excuses for driving under the limit and getting pulled over for obstructing traffic.

Yeah, all right Mr SmugknowitallcosIlivethere. I was on my first ever trip to the US, had been there not much more than a day, was still jetlagged and a guy who could've been a freshly shaven Wookie with a Howitzer on his belt had just got out of a cruiser the size of Belgium with so many lights on the roof it could have rivalled a July 4th fireworks display!!!!!

Without wishing to sound all "Come over here and say that" trying copping that smartarse attitude with a British traffic officer and you'll be in a cell with a latex covered finger up your poo chute faster than you can say "What special relationship?" and they don't bother with any lube either!!!! Trust me, getting fisted by Her Majesty's finest is not a memory you want to take back across the Pond!

So to paraphrase Sir Jeremy Clarkson QC "Answer that one and stay fashionable!"

[Spectre]

What attitude? If you are simply polite to the trooper, you get a warning, that's all.

My point is that you didn't need to put on an act, you didn't need to make an excuse, and there's no reason for you to laugh at my state's law enforcement officers.

[Seasonone]

Originally Posted by Spectre

What attitude? If you are simply polite to the trooper, you get a warning, that's all.

My point is that you didn't need to put on an act, you didn't need to make an excuse, and there's no reason for you to laugh at my state's law enforcement officers.

I have a "get out of jail free card" from Monopoly that I give them with my license and insurance, throw in a "yes sir" and "no sir" and you get away with most things.

And it's not just blue states, Portland is one of the most liberal cities in the country and we don't have any... than again thanks to no sales tax and morons running the city the police force doesn't even have enough money to buy a free webcam.

[katwalk]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Yeah, there are speed cameras in America. Mostly in the "blue" states, strangely enough.

I live in what is probably the most liberally liberal state ever D:
If they dare put them up here I am fucking moving LAST STRAW. I am SICK AND TIRED of this god damn retarded state's driving laws.

[Rumer]

Originally Posted by katwalk

I live in what is probably the most liberally liberal state ever D:
If they dare put them up here I am fucking moving LAST STRAW. I am SICK AND TIRED of this god damn retarded state's driving laws.

You mean to say you live in California?

[katwalk]

Originally Posted by Rumer

You mean to say you live in California?

I think MA could give California a run for it's money.

[Ottobon]

Originally Posted by petarkb

Swindon... fuck yeah? :erm:

no, not really. They still want to reduce speeds on public roads, and honestly thats about as progressive as adding lead to the tap water. The vast majority of People will ALWAYS, nomatter how much they deny it for political or moral reasons, always feel more comfortable and alert when driving quickly, if you want actual peace on the roads then people need to accept speed without loosing emphasis on safety. By no means are speed and safety mutually exclusive, i think this has been proven over and over, but to give one example very southern Italy is one of the safest places to drive on earth, yet by most of our standards they still drive like complete loonys.

Originally Posted by Spectre

Yeah, there are speed cameras in America. Mostly in the "blue" states, strangely enough.

About that, and more importantly about attitude towards speed, severely red states are just as oppressive, Virginia and Kansas for example. What I've noticed is that the best places for speed are usually politically diverse areas, if you have too much influence from one party or another they start feeling the need to "protect people from themselves." I don't know, I will say you make Texas sound nice, but it is worth mentioning that Texans seem to take their right to hurt themselves a little to seriously, I think its only beaten by Wyoming when it comes to road-deaths per capita, which would be one thing if it was a huge congested mess, but is it?

Michigan, more specifically Detriot, works alright because although we vote democratic over and over again, we have a lot of respected and influential people who think otherwise. Not enough to rock a vote of course, but enough to keep it diverse, and more importantly, objective.

[Rumer]

Originally Posted by katwalk

I think MA could give California a run for it's money.

Then no wonder you guys have so many driving laws. Most people I've met from MA think a turn signal is just a myth (amongst many other poor driving habits). And it's not just because I live in Maine and we use other names for people from Massachusetts. I've had people from other states and other countries who've come to Maine via Logan comment, too.

[whodunnit]

cheap and easy way to kill a speed camera:

put a tire on top of it ( heavily used of course) douse with gasoline, and light on fire


tires can be found in bushes, and you dont have to use gasoline to light it, kerosene is just as good and is still cheap

either that or just fill it with building foam after drilling a small hole in it

[knewman]

Never seen a speed camera in my life. Seen red light cameras close to my hometown, but not within (yet).

[matt2000]

Originally Posted by Seasonone

I have a "get out of jail free card" from Monopoly that I give them with my license and insurance...

Seriously?

I can imagine the officer's face when you give them that, and then they turn to you and you have a deadly serious look on your face.

[Ironlord]

Originally Posted by Mineworksfine

Without wishing to sound all "Come over here and say that" trying copping that smartarse attitude with a British traffic officer and you'll be in a cell with a latex covered finger up your poo chute faster than you can say "What special relationship?" and they don't bother with any lube either!!!! Trust me, getting fisted by Her Majesty's finest is not a memory you want to take back across the Pond!

You got away that lightly? Last time I was in trouble with a traffic cop, he stabbed me. In the face. With a machete. Which was rusty. And covered in poison. And necrotising fasciitis. Those pictures I put up on the "Post a picture of yourself" thread are the "before" shots. These days I have no face.

I think I'll move to Portland. And scare everyone.