Sometimes you have to just sit back and scratch your head and wonder what the hell is going on? At this point, there is no doubt in my mind that our government officials and law enforcement officials, in reality, do not have the safety of the citizens in mind when they come up with bogus laws and really bogus ways of "enforcing" them.Consider the "school zones". On the surface, designated school zones are something just about everyone would agree with having. Instead of the school zone being utilized for the safety of our children, the only purpose that I can see for having any such zones at this point is that it is just another disguise as a revenue generator. Think about it.......we have 55mph speed limit signs on the Baltimore Beltway yet the overwhelming majority of vehicles there are maintaining a steady 65-75 mph unless there is a backup. There is no way that police can stop everyone and give them a ticket. No way possible. It is also true that there is no way possible to ticket every vehicle that speeds through a school zone.....regardless of how many signs are posted. The question is......how do we get everyone to slow down for the kids that may be present near a school? The answe is a simple one. No need for a "study"........no need to waste taxpayer money.......especially in these current times. But think about the issue for a moment........how many years now have we had schools and cars on the same streets? For me......I cannot remember any time when cars and trucks and children were not using the same neighborhood.
As long as there have been vehicles on the road, there has been a great number that speed by...... well over the posted limits. Nothing has stopped them and nothing ever really will. There will never be a day when all drivers obey the rules. Out of the blue.......somebody decides that having speed cameras at intersections will discourage drivers from running a red light. Maybe it does discourage a few, but I contend that those few are the decent folks who ordinarily wouldn't run a red light. So instead of the cameras doing what they were initially designed to do, the money grabbers realized that with the slew of habitual drivers with poor driving skills....there is a consistent flow of money being generated via citations that are mailed to each "violator". As I think about it, I cannot recall ever seeing any news reports declaring that traffic light camera fines are decreasing and that the cameras are actually effective. None..........ever.
Holy George Orwell, Batman!.........this camera stuff is getting ridiculous. Our politicians decided that they want cameras also in construction zones.......more money. Of course the reason they give for wanting them is always an honorable excuse............we don't want highway workers being run over. I agree with that.........but I also am smart enough to know that a vehicle that hits a highway worker at 40 mph isn't something I would consider being a benefit for the worker as opposed to being hit by a vehicle cruising at 55 mph............duh!...........but we have those cameras anyway..........more money spent.....more money made.
So now we are going to have speed cameras in school zones. There's gonna be alot of cameras......there are schools just about everywhere...........and there is no telling how many "school zones" that will be expanded into larger surrounding areas.........more money........more money. This is nothing but a money grab. Once again, the cause is a good one.....we want our kids to be safe...........but don't we also want our kids to be safe EVERYWHERE and not just in a school zone?................uh oh......I may have jumped the gun here.......if we say that kind of stuff then the politicians will just cut to the chase and put these cameras everywhere.....once and for all! It seems already that this is the ultimate target......to have cameras everywhere. Big Brother.....Orwell......1984...........this ain't no science fiction anymore.I just do not believe that these politicians, that enact such laws and mechanisms, really, really have our best interests at heart. Think about it..........school zones are all considered "Drug Free" zones as well. The idea was that our kids would be safer if school zones were declared drug free.......yeah right...........you gotta be kidding me. The only result of the "drug free" designation is that when anyone caught with illegal drugs in a designated "drug free area", they would have an extra charge against them and a heavier fine and penalty. Sounds all well and good, but the reality is....it hasn't stopped the illegal activity and our kids are still very much at risk while at or near a school. Somebody, though, makes alot of money out of the deal. Let's face it.......the gun laws are the same deal. Thugs, thieves, , murderers, drug dealers, speeders.......all sorts of criminals.......none of these people ever just stop dead in their tracks and say....."Uh oh......I guess I won't be doing this anymore because they have a new law." Good people are having laws thrown at them left and right and they already are not breaking any laws. Lawbreakers could care less about the law or the rules.
If our leaders were really serious about getting vehicles to slow down in school zones, they would order some signs similar to the following:
I noticed that they had them in Mexico............we were in a bus that was traveling down a highway to get us to some Mayan ruins, and the bus would have to almost come to a complete stop at various points along the road.......even though I could see no apparent reason for them to stop.....they surely did because they had some effective "speed bumps" unlike any that I had ever seen.
You run over these babies at any speed over 5 mph and it gets your attention.
I had not seen them in use here at home.......we have those asphalt humps......as they call them "traffic calming devices"...........which really doesn't do very much to slow anyone down. My son tells me that the federal government uses the metal one in front of government facilities......imagine that.......they must want to be safer than the rest of us.
These bumps are effective. They do the job. Who cares what it costs? The objective is to make our kids safer?.........right? Forget those speed cameras.......they won't benefit the kids at all.Let's put some people to work....other than illegals......and do it right.
I personally will not vote to re-elect any boneheaded political candidate that has approved or intends to approve speed cameras.
The money grabbers need to go......its about time we make things right.
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If camera's at intersections prove to keep red light running down, I'm all for it. If it proves otherwise, take them out! Inconsiderate persons, cell phone talkers, text'ers, and so on, will never stop committing these acts as long as nobody catches them. Even with police AT THE SCHOOL ZONES, they keep on doing it. You know, send them a few $150 citations, and then maybe they'll start paying attention. I watch this happen every single day when I drop off my two little ones. As a parent, I will do anything necessary to ensure their safety. If I was asked to stand at the sections with a club to enforce the zones, believe me, I would! I'm all for your suggestions about bumps and so forth. Because of the nature of the average human being, I firmly believe that cell phones are the worst invention ever. No one needs one. You simply cannot drive while in a conversation. It's not possible to focus on several tasks equally, and from what I've seen, the priority is NEVER the driving task.
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