Philadelphia considers speed cameras on Route 1

[acemcmac]

http://cbs3.com/local/local_story_297234156.html

Politician Pushes For Speed Cameras On Boulevard
Image

Valerie Levesque
Reporting

(CBS 3) PHILADELPHIA There is a new move to crack down on speeding on a notorious deadly roadway in Philadelphia.

More cameras could soon be coming to the Roosevelt Boulevard, not to catch red light runners, but speeders.

Some arguing for the high-tech change say it will rev up safety, following a rash of pedestrian accidents.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is hoping to get a green light on legislation so it can install speed cameras along Roosevelt Boulevard.

The cameras would be similar to the red light ones that are already being used on the busy highway.

"I definitely think it could save lives, no doubt in my mind," said Vince Fenerty of the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

In the last 60 days, five people have been killed on the stretch of roadway while several more people were injured in accidents.

"Roosevelt Boulevard has become a super-sonic speedway," said Fenerty.

As a result, that is why State Representative George Kenney introduced the bill.

Here's how it works, the cameras use Doppler radar to determine if someone is speeding. If you are going over the 40-miles-per-hour posted limit, the cameras will take a picture of your license plate.

Anyone caught speeding will get a ticket in the mail and they would start at $125 and go up to $500, depending on how fast you were driving.

"We hope that if someone gets a violation, it stings them a little in their pocketbook that they will change their driving habits and hopefully that fine will save a life," said Fenerty.

The program would fund itself; all profits would go towards creating pedestrian bridges across the Boulevard.

If the legislation is passed, the speed cameras could be up and running in four months.

I pray to god, if there is a god, that this falls on it's face. People who get hit by cars while trying to cross freeways deserve to die.

 

[fbrdphreak]

And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

Speeding cameras have been used in DC for quite some time now.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

Speeding cameras have been used in DC for quite some time now.

I thought they only had red light cameras?

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

I know that they're using it in Scottsdale Arizona without any problems except for some really really pissed off commuters.

 

[Pantoot]

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

I know that they're using it in Scottsdale Arizona without any problems except for some really really pissed off commuters.

They aren't on anymore. A "traffic expert" is reviewing the results and will decide whether or not to start it back up again. Really, it isn't such a big deal to commuters, everyone knows where they are. The sucky ones are the vans that the city pd uses on side streets, they move around are a pain in the ass.

 

[Joemonkey]

I thought pursing traffic violations were at the discrection of the observing officer? For example "ok, i clocked you at 80 in a 65 but i'll write you up for 70." With no observing officer, how can anything like this stand up in court?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

6 lanes in each direction, but divided into 4 groups of 3 lanes each.

It's not a freeway though, there are frequent stop lights. I imagine part of the problem is that pedestrians have to cross 12 lanes of traffic and 3 median strips to get across the road.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
I thought pursing traffic violations were at the discrection of the observing officer? For example "ok, i clocked you at 80 in a 65 but i'll write you up for 70." With no observing officer, how can anything like this stand up in court?

http://thenewspaper.com/news/13/1348.asp

Arizona got it to work.

 

[Vic]

All about the corruption and the fascism. The private companies that make and maintain the speed cameras (right down to issuing the tickets and collecting the fines) get a captive market from which to profit, the state gets a cut, and politicians get to lie to people for votes that they're working to make the roads safer while drunks and cell-phone texters still cause most of the accidents.
It's a win-win-win for everyone involved except the common people and the economy.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: Vic
All about the corruption and the fascism. The private companies that make and maintain the speed cameras (right down to issuing the tickets and collecting the fines) get a captive market from which to profit, the state gets a cut, and politicians get to lie to people for votes that they're working to make the roads safer while drunks and cell-phone texters still cause most of the accidents.
It's a win-win-win for everyone involved except the common people and the economy.

qft. It's disgusting the kickbacks and the complete end run around the judicial process that comes with cameras.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
I thought pursing traffic violations were at the discrection of the observing officer? For example "ok, i clocked you at 80 in a 65 but i'll write you up for 70." With no observing officer, how can anything like this stand up in court?

In Oregon, they get around this by putting a monkey... uh, I mean, police officer... in the photo-radar van to sign off on all the tickets.

 

[EGGO]

I usually only drive at the stretch of route 1 between 76 and Longwood Gardens. Speeders aren't the problem, it's those who I catch on their cellphones cutting other people off and aggressive drivers. Like 76, that road would benefit more by having more lanes (both 76 and at that part it has 4 lanes, 2 on each side). I just saw it on the news and I think it's pure crap. Especially since it's no-negotiation. I guess they need the money for the Magnum and Charger police I've been seeing driving around (I know, an arrogant statement but it felt good to say it).

 

[SP33Demon]

Hell, the real cams should be on 495/95, the average speed on there is 80/85mph.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Hell, the real cams should be on 495/95, the average speed on there is 80/85mph.

5 people haven't been run the fvck over on the blue route or 95 in the last six weeks

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: EGGO
I usually only drive at the stretch of route 1 between 76 and Longwood Gardens. Speeders aren't the problem, it's those who I catch on their cellphones cutting other people off and aggressive drivers. Like 76, that road would benefit more by having more lanes (both 76 and at that part it has 4 lanes, 2 on each side). I just saw it on the news and I think it's pure crap. Especially since it's no-negotiation. I guess they need the money for the Magnum and Charger police I've been seeing driving around (I know, an arrogant statement but it felt good to say it).

That whole stretch is way too congested to speed anyway.

FTI troopers sit outside of wawa's cooperate HQ just west/south of the franklin mint.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Well there are already Red Light cameras at certain intersections that really needed them (Grant, Red Lion), so I would only assume speed cameras are next, there are certain stretches of road on the Boule' at night where extended green lights provide opportunities for people who know the light system to just zoom through a good mile of road in light traffic.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: Vic
All about the corruption and the fascism. The private companies that make and maintain the speed cameras (right down to issuing the tickets and collecting the fines) get a captive market from which to profit, the state gets a cut, and politicians get to lie to people for votes that they're working to make the roads safer while drunks and cell-phone texters still cause most of the accidents.
It's a win-win-win for everyone involved except the common people and the economy.

what gets me is speeding tickets now in CA get as high as $300 for like 20 over on the freeway, but yakking on a cellphone is $50.

 

[wheresmybacon]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

Speeding cameras have been used in DC for quite some time now.

yeah we've had them in portland for a while too. surprising a big city like philly doesn't already have 'em.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: hungfarover

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

Speeding cameras have been used in DC for quite some time now.

yeah we've had them in portland for a while too. surprising a big city like philly doesn't already have 'em.

PA won't let anyone other than state troopers use radar. We pride ourselves on our relatively lax driving laws. The governor was caught doing 95+ on the turnpike and decided not to even bother stopping for the cops! :laugh:

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Hell, the real cams should be on 495/95, the average speed on there is 80/85mph.

5 people haven't been run the fvck over on the blue route or 95 in the last six weeks

They have pedestrian walkways, lol, you're comparing two diff road types (i-state to a blvd). The main point is that if they're going to put cams up on Roosevelt, they should put them up on all the major roads including the Blue Route and 95 IMO. I'm doing 10 over and I've seen a.holes pass me doing 90+ daily. It almost feels like Atlanta.

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: hungfarover

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
And how will that sh!t stand up in court? Doppler radar aimed at dozens of speeding vehicles on a 2-3 lane freeway? How accurate is that crap?

Speeding cameras have been used in DC for quite some time now.

yeah we've had them in portland for a while too. surprising a big city like philly doesn't already have 'em.

Philly is the first city with widespread Wi-Fi though.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Hell, the real cams should be on 495/95, the average speed on there is 80/85mph.

5 people haven't been run the fvck over on the blue route or 95 in the last six weeks

They have pedestrian walkways, lol, you're comparing two diff road types (i-state to a blvd). The main point is that if they're going to put cams up on Roosevelt, they should put them up on all the major roads including the Blue Route and 95 IMO. I'm doing 10 over and I've seen a.holes pass me doing 90+ daily. It almost feels like Atlanta.

I'll be the first person to help burn them down if they put them on the interstates. I am one of those assholes you're talking about.

Did you know that the Blue Route, at speeds over 100 mph feels remarkably like route 100 south of West Chester? It's like a larger scale, river-side road :evil:

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Hell, the real cams should be on 495/95, the average speed on there is 80/85mph.

5 people haven't been run the fvck over on the blue route or 95 in the last six weeks

They have pedestrian walkways, lol, you're comparing two diff road types (i-state to a blvd). The main point is that if they're going to put cams up on Roosevelt, they should put them up on all the major roads including the Blue Route and 95 IMO. I'm doing 10 over and I've seen a.holes pass me doing 90+ daily. It almost feels like Atlanta.

But then they couldn't justify it by saying they're doing it to save lives.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Hell, the real cams should be on 495/95, the average speed on there is 80/85mph.

5 people haven't been run the fvck over on the blue route or 95 in the last six weeks

They have pedestrian walkways, lol, you're comparing two diff road types (i-state to a blvd). The main point is that if they're going to put cams up on Roosevelt, they should put them up on all the major roads including the Blue Route and 95 IMO. I'm doing 10 over and I've seen a.holes pass me doing 90+ daily. It almost feels like Atlanta.

Well, than thats what this road needs, but speed cameras are a slippery slope. I'd rather have higher taxes than speed cameras any day.