Hundreds of people have thrown their signatures behind a petition calling for “the immediate removal” of all speed enforcement cameras in Brampton while the city is set to add more by the end of the summer.
To be fair speed cameras are a terrible way to address the problem of speeding. The solution isn’t speed limit enforcement, it is road design. If you build a wide straight open road that feels like you’re driving on a highway, drivers will naturally tend to drive on it at highway speeds. Slapping a low speed limit on a road like that will make following said speed limit extremely uncomfortable and drivers will naturally tend to go too fast the moment they stop monitoring their speedometer. Hiding a speed camera on a road like that is essentially tricking people into paying an extra tax and speed cameras are often being blatantly used in that way.
The real solution to keeping speeds low is narrowing the street and also if possible making it windy. Use the space to add trees and protected bike lanes. Suddenly drivers will feel comfortable driving a slower speed without the need for a speeding camera. As a bonus it improves the safety for cyclists and pedestrians far more than a stupid speed camera ever would, and it makes the road far more enjoyable to use for everyone, including the car drivers.
I find it very predatory how where I live, there are fully unmarked, tinted windowed SUVs parked on the least suspect places on the side of the road just for secret speed cameras, and it’s even worse when the roads are as you mentioned, not designed for the speed limits imposed, but also the fact that the fines here are around $220 AUD (~€130 / ~$140 USD) is even worse.
To be fair speed cameras are a terrible way to address the problem of speeding. The solution isn’t speed limit enforcement, it is road design. If you build a wide straight open road that feels like you’re driving on a highway, drivers will naturally tend to drive on it at highway speeds. Slapping a low speed limit on a road like that will make following said speed limit extremely uncomfortable and drivers will naturally tend to go too fast the moment they stop monitoring their speedometer. Hiding a speed camera on a road like that is essentially tricking people into paying an extra tax and speed cameras are often being blatantly used in that way.
The real solution to keeping speeds low is narrowing the street and also if possible making it windy. Use the space to add trees and protected bike lanes. Suddenly drivers will feel comfortable driving a slower speed without the need for a speeding camera. As a bonus it improves the safety for cyclists and pedestrians far more than a stupid speed camera ever would, and it makes the road far more enjoyable to use for everyone, including the car drivers.
I find it very predatory how where I live, there are fully unmarked, tinted windowed SUVs parked on the least suspect places on the side of the road just for secret speed cameras, and it’s even worse when the roads are as you mentioned, not designed for the speed limits imposed, but also the fact that the fines here are around $220 AUD (~€130 / ~$140 USD) is even worse.