Mister Mayor,
Regarding the prospect of photo radar and red-light cameras, I am firmly against the establishment of such technocratic terror in this developing conurbation. Just because other jurisdictions are forever finding new ways to abuse their citizens doesn’t mean those ways need to find purchase here.
All things being equal, slower is safer, yet almost everywhere speed limits are safely honoured in the breach in addition to the observance. The instrumental positivity of “you are exceeding the posted limit” does not by itself make one’s vehicular conduct unsafe: other particulars must be considered, such as the condition of the vehicle and the road, and around here it’s fair to say the roads themselves are their own speed mitigation measure, featuring an eclectic collection of grooves, dips, craters, and chasms.
As for red-lights, we’ve all been in situations where we’ve been faced with continuing through the intersection or coming to a screeching halt. Traffic light intersections suck in general, allowing for horrific t-bone and other crashes when people are inattentive, and we should be replacing them with roundabouts wherever possible. (Speaking of roundabouts, I would also suggest turning Welton Street and Grand Lake Road into right-on right-off roads, with periodic roundabouts for people to get turned around.)
I somehow doubt that Your Worship has never exceeded the speed limit nor never had the tail end of Your Worship’s horseless carriage still in the intersection at the moment jaune became rouge. So given that, why would Your Worship foist the prospect of machine-generated infraction tickets on Your Worship’s fellow citizens? Imagine a system of total surveillance, where every discernible infraction resulted in a ticket. How high would Your Worship’s pile be?
Photo radar and red-light cameras are a transparent cash grab for the public coffers (and, especially, any contracted service providers) serving minimal, if any, public good. They are an affront to the realities of driving and the common wisdom of “no harm, no foul”. For areas where unsafe driving acts frequently occur, a periodic police presence will help people mind their carriage conveyance, if they don’t have the sense to drive safely of their own accord.
William Matheson