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Big Brother Plays in Traffic

by Paul Jacob

One of my favorite uncles used to jokingly tell us kids to “go play in traffic.” In reality, not so good for kids. Or for politicians.

Maryland's recent Senate Bill-277 brought this to mind. It authorizes the installation of cameras to monitor and ticket for speeding near highway work zones and schools. Legislators insist that the cameras will slow down traffic and bring in needed revenue.

How do voters feel? Well, according to a report at TheNewspaper.com “no photo enforcement program has ever survived a public vote.”

Voters tend to regard speed cameras as simply another scam to grab yet more money. The cameras also remind one of Big Brother.

So, how come legislators don't listen to the people? Maybe one reason is that as TheNewspaper.com also reports, “[P]arties with a direct financial interest in automated ticketing showered members of the Maryland General Assembly and the governor with $707,725 in gifts and campaign cash.”

Oh.

Fortunately, Maryland voters have the right to referendum: They can petition to place this legislation to a vote of the people.

And that is exactly what the group Maryland for Responsible Enforcement is now doing.

Similar battles are being waged in other states. There's an effort to take away the 200 speed cameras now on Arizona roads; Montana legislators just banned such cameras in Big Sky Country.

Maybe Big Brother should “go play in traffic.”

Paul Jacob's "Common Sense" is published by the Citizens in Charge Foundation. Their website can be visited at www.citizensincharge.org.

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Comments

If there is something wrong with the speed limit law than we should change the speed limit law. If there isn't, than what is wrong with enforcing the speed limit law?

We have way too many laws on the books that remain there because most people can normally get away with whatever and will never be charged. But the laws are wrong none the less and they turn into something which is selectively enforced and hang over all our heads all the time reminding us that we are living at the privelage of the state. Oral Sex laws come to mind. Or local ordinances which make it a crime to walk around without cash.

I'm not sure that speeding in a construction zone is one of them however. Perhaps the law should be more flexible, but providing a safe workplace for construction crews seems like a reasonable exercise of police oversight on the highways.

# posted at by Morgan

Nothing is wrong with enforcing speed limits - with COPS! Unlike cameras, cops 100% identify and cite the actual driver, every time. Cops also get a chance to check for other violations (DUI, insurance, etc.). Cameras also malfunction. When cameras malfunction and/or identify the wrong person, it puts a tremendous burden upon the wrongly accused to prove their innocents. Cameras are inneffective and burden the innocent and cannot meet our country's high standards for justice.

Second, government officials are now pretending to be traffic engineers. No TEs were hired to do studies to truly examine the root cause of traffic problems in target areas. Instead, the politicians think they know what the problem is and coincidentally, what the coffer-filling solution is.

All very good and valid points. But aren't they arguments for improving the technology and the law rather than doing away with cameras?

Right now we have sporadically enforced speed limits which cause law enforcement to put the speed limit well below what it should be because they think that a 45 mph limit in an area that should be 60 will keep people from going 70.

So people who are going a safe 55 in a zone that should be 60, sporadically get ticketed.

Wouldn't it be better if we had 100% enforcement at 60?

By the way, I'm going to take " our country's high standards for justice" as meaning the ideal rather than the reality.

# posted at by Morgan

Morgan has a point. However:

Making law enforcement too easy (i.e., speeding cameras) is a giant temptation to increase the number of niggling laws.

Also, speeding cameras should not be used to generate revenue! This is a giant conflict of interest. To the greatest degree possible, revenues from speeding tickets should be separated from the enforcing authority. The reason for enforcing speed laws is that you don't want speeders in your neighborhood.

# posted at by Carl