>From a policy point of view - to promote safety - I think speed cameras make good sense when you have a specific limited area of concern: school zone crossings; bike path (or pedestrian) crossing. From this perspective locating them on Paint Branch where the bike path crosses, or by Riverdale Elementary is a good use of a cost-saving tool. The one on Connecticut Avenue in the postage stamp-sized "Village of Chevy Chase View" (just happens to be a specific one I'm familiar with, between the Beltway and Kensington) is clearly a revenue-collection device. <br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Sarah Wayland <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:sarah.wayland@gmail.com">sarah.wayland@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div class="im">> I would say that the reason these<br>
> camera are spreading like monsoon frogs has nothing to do with a desire to<br>
> invade our privacy; it's all about the money.<br>
<br>
</div>And safety - the speed limits are on these roads for a reason. Red<br>
lights turn red for a reason. If people are regularly driving 55 mph<br>
in a 35 mph zone, and running red lights, that's not safe. Because our<br>
police can't be everywhere all the time, these cameras help them to<br>
enforce the law.<br>
<br>
We could hire more police who could then enforce the laws in person,<br>
but that costs a lot of money. So yes, it is about the money - but I'd<br>
argue that it is in part because it's a cheaper way to enforce the<br>
law.<br>
<br>
-Sarah<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
Sarah Wayland<br>
<a href="mailto:sarah.wayland@gmail.com">sarah.wayland@gmail.com</a><br>
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