If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know I have no love for speed cameras, red light cameras, or other kinds of automated ticketing machines. The revenue generating potential is just too great, they quickly become moneymakers instead of road safety devices. In many cases, road safety SUFFERS as cash becomes the primary driving force in the placement and operation. Very little recourse to appeal, as obviously you can't face your accuser in court, and they make fighting the ticket many times more expensive that just paying up. Also takes real police off the street, as they don't have to monitor dangerous driving anymore. The vendors of these devices even get a "cut" of each ticket. Dirty, filthy, backhanded. I really dislike the growing incidence of these devices.

Britain has a few years on us Americans, they've been using "Gatsos" in ever increasing numbers there. Road safety has suffered, and increasing hatred toward the things has fuelled a growing vigilante trend of burning the damn things ( Apparently an old tire, filled with gasoline and hung over the offending thing does a wonderful job... not that I'd want that sort of information getting out...Oops).


Here's a few pages of speed camera antics to think over before you allow your elected officials to "increase safety" in your neighborhood by installing these things. Just say no.