NRI got three speeding tickets in the mail costing $270 each showing pictures at going 76 in a 65 on Highway- Worst two days holiday trip to Arizona

Do speed cameras make you feel safer?
or
Are politicians squeezing us for cash.?

One NRI's email:

Hi,

Because all though you may be looking for a police man to catch you, don’t worry – a speed camera will. I don’t think I was speeding too much. Going 76 in a 65 on Highway 101S. I live in California so speed limits here on the highways by me are 70. I went there to visit a friend along with my husband. About a month later, I got three speeding tickets in the mail costing $270 each showing pictures of my speeding twice and my husband speeding once in the rental car we rented.

Since, both of us never got a speeding ticket on our licenses in over 10 years, this came as a shock and we were very mad and upset. We thought, had a police officer stopped us once I am sure we wouldn’t have gotten a ticket and let off with a warning because of our impeccable driving records. Or even if he did give us a ticket, we would have stopped speeding – you learn your lesson.

But this left us without a chance to do anything. Bamn! 3 tickets in a row the span of two days. Apparently, everyone in Scottsdale, Arizona knows not to speed on that highway because it was heavily advertised when they decided to install those cameras. The people there were even mad and thought it was an invasion of privacy and a way for the city to make money. But the city mayor still installed them. But at least they know about them. How do out of town people know? They don’t, which is exactly how Scottsdale makes millions in a year.

How does it work? They look like little minivans standing on the side of the road and they take your picture when you are going 11 or more over. And of course, we were given our tickets going exactly 11 over.

I feel, along with many others that I spoke to – it’s a way for Arizona to make a ton of money off of poor unsuspecting souls that are visiting from out of town. Visitors think they had a great time over there, but when they get back to California or wherever they are from, they get speeding tickets in the mail. You can’t fight them, because who wants to go all the way back to their court. It is a shame what they are doing and very wrong. Be careful. It left me not wanting to go back to that city again.

Sincerely,

A fellow NRI Indian

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Dear Readrs:

The Government says "It's not revenue raising, it's for the saftey." The government say they slow drivers down, cut accidents and help enforce the law. The reason why people think it is revenue raising is that fact that monies collected seem to go to general revenue instead of all the monies go back into road safety.

The local authorities are placing them where they are likely to catch the greatest number of offenders and so generate the greatest revenue. Aren't local authorities squandering a "valuable road safety resource"?

Motoring groups argue that speed cameras are no substitute for a strong police presence because they cannot detect offences such as drink-driving, dangerous overtaking and driving while disqualified.

Speed cameras cannot detect inappropriate speed for the conditions. They can only enforce an arbitrary limit. We need human beings on the road to judge what’s dangerous and what’s not.”

• Texas Looking To Ban Speed Cameras?
  There are all sorts of problems with things like speed cameras and red light cameras, starting with technical problems and moving on to the more serious questions about whether or not they make the roads any safer
• More than 45,000 drivers in the Australian state of Victoria are on the verge of losing their licenses, with blame being centered on the number of speed cameras that dot the highways.
• Currently in Britain, getting 12 points means losing your license. With 6,000 cameras nabbing two million speeders annually
• July 05, 2007: Although the Canada Safety Council and at least one Ontario police chief are pressing for the return of photo radar to nab speeding drivers, Kingston's top cop is strongly against the practice
• July 05, 2007: The Ohio Supreme Court will hear lawyers' arguments Sept. 18 in an Akron woman's challenge of automated traffic speed and red-light camera enforcement systems around the state. Akron began using the speed cameras on a trial basis in October 2005. A public outcry resulted, as about 3,000 motorists received speeding tickets in the mail in the first few weeks.
• February 7, 2006, Canada - Alberta Transportation Minister Lyle Oberg. is putting his foot firmly on the brake when it comes to allowing photo radar on provincial highways."I'm against photo radar on highways," Oberg said, "I think that's a non-starter and I think that's something that the public in Alberta simply does not want." The minister says many Albertans view photo radar as a method for police forces to raise additional revenues.

Onr NRI argue that speeding does not cause accident, bad drivers DO! 2 millions speeders annually, do we have 2 millions accident annually? Speed limits is just another way goverments rob your money!

This is the best way for politicians to squeeze us for cash. Lemme guess - most of these politicians pushing for this either own or have a large stock interest in the same companies that make the cameras... I'm sure they do.

It's your government, you tell them what to do. If enough people get burned by these tax generation devices then things will change. Until then, write your member of parliament.

Keep in mind, the legal requirement for the tolerance for the speedo is 10%. You should watch it not to go 11%.

The owner of the vehicle got a picture of his vehicle and a ticket. If some body else is driving your car, you as the owner could pass it on to the driver and have him or her pay it themselves. As an owner of the vehicle, it is your responsibility of whom drives and how they drive it. It was the car that got the ticket

I can only say that it is a cash-cow for the Government and nothing else.

Gary Singh
NRIinternet.com