Loop 101 Radar Petition

[Shoaz]

In case you're not aware, the City of Scottsdale plans to put photo radar on the loop 101 freeway. I've been arguing that this is probably more dangerous than the inattentive speeders, and doesn't address the real issue which is inattentive drivers.

If you're a Scottsdale resident and would like to oppose this, councilman Bob Littlefield recently sent the following note. I'll be up there to sign tomorrow.
____________

Dear Opponenets of Photo Radar On Loop 101:

As you may have heard a local activist, Mike Merrill, has filed a referendum to put the Scottsdale City Council's decision to use Photo Radar On Loop 101 to a vote of the people. I voted against this bad idea when it came before the Scottsdale City Council and I support Mike's efforts to get this question on the ballot.

Mike needs to collect a lot of signatures in a very short period of time so he needs all of the help that he can get. If you really believe that Scottsdale's decision to use Photo Radar On Loop 101 experiment should be reversed now is the time to take action. If you are a registered voter in Scottsdale you can help by signing one of Mike's petitions. Mike will be collecting signatures at the Bashas on Indian School and Hayden Roads this weekend on Saturday from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. and on Sunday from 9 A.M. until 1 P.M.

Mike will also be collecting signatures on my petitions to run for re-election to the City Council and, if you are so inclined, I would appreciate it if you would sign one of my petitions also.
...
Bob Littlefield
Scottsdale City Councilman
www.boblittlefield.com

 

[1slickRED89]

I can't say it's the same, but they put photo enforced stoplight cameras in Toledo Ohio about 4 years ago. the company that owns/collects most of the profit offers there equipment and service for near free, so it is very attractive for cities to go to this type of system. whether it solves run stop lights or not. all it does is drain money from the poorer parts of the city (that's where they are installed), from what I've seen.

good luck with your petition.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

I can't say it's the same, but they put photo enforced stoplight cameras in Toledo Ohio about 4 years ago. the company that owns/collects most of the profit offers there equipment and service for near free, so it is very attractive for cities to go to this type of system. whether it solves run stop lights or not. all it does is drain money from the poorer parts of the city (that's where they are installed), from what I've seen.

good luck with your petition.

The big issue presented by the Phoenix news is that you could be speeding on the 101 for an extended period (say 75 in a 65). If you are speeding, its probably for an extended period like that anyways. In a matter of 10 miles on the 101 (which is less than 10 minutes at 75 mph) you could get tagged by the 3 cameras being proposed. At 3 points a ticket, you could have a suspended license and several hundred dollars in fines just going to work and not even know it till it came in the mail.

 

[Shoaz]

I have a number of problems with the proposal, the first one being a safety issue. We have radar enforcement in Scottsdale at stoplights, wherever they want to park their mobile vans, and along FLW Blvd in the middle of the motor mile there.

One thing you observe when these things are present is that people brake check when they see them. When the speeds are fairly low that isn't such a big deal, but at freeway speeds somebody brake checking when they see a radar camera can create a very dangerous situation. I don't want to be the guy that gets tagged by some idiot who loses control either because he or somebody near him brake checked for the camera.

The other issue is that it treats a symptom and does nothing to address the real issues of unsafe driver behavior. On FLW there's a section a few hundred yards long where people reduce speed because they know the camera is there. Whoopee, we spend a ton of money to put those up and we have improve safety for a very small section of FLW (supposedly, I've not seen any real statistics indicating that even that is true).

Scottsdale doesn't normally have jurisdiction on the freeway. The city had to gaurantee the state that Scottsdale would assume liability for any suits, etc., that occur due to the photo enforcement. Great. And what benefit does the city get for taking over the state's job of enforcing speed on the freeway? They claim that it's not revenue, since the system will only break even (once the vendor gets their substantial cut). So as far as I can tell the city takes on liability for no real gain. The vendor, however, gets a revenue increase.

I smell rats.

IMHO if they were really concerned about safety they'd be addressing driver training/certification and cell phone use.

 

[shoguy311]

I know the light you are talking about on FLW and people will go from 55 down to 35 and back up to 55 after they have passed the camera. I dont see how the camera's are going to be effective on the 101 when it is a parking lot for the majority of the day. most of those tickets would be given between the hours of 9 pm and 4 am. Stop light cameras I can accept but the speeding cameras are just ridiculous.