Smile-you're on Arizona camera!

In our last post, we discussed the rising countrywide objection to radar speed cameras. While citizens are forming protests throughout the U.S., it seems that the epicenter of activities consistently comes from the good citizens of Arizona. I now know why.

Last week, a colleague and I had the opportunity (?) to conduct business in Arizona. We flew into Phoenix and then drove about 200 miles northwest to a little spit of a town in the dessert called Ash Fork. During the three-hour drive up Hwy 17 and across Hwy 89, we passed thousands of cactus, lots of sand, a few dead coyote carcasses and, every once in awhile, a passenger car or two. Oh yes, we also passed about 29 police cars (we started counting them) hiding off somewhere on the side of the virtually deserted highway route.  

We also passed one other thing. Out there in the middle of nowhere, where seeing other cars is so rare that it’s apparently customary to wave as you go by, we drove by several red light cameras! That’s right.  Apparently, the jackrabbits are tying up the state’s phone lines calling in complaints about speeders.  Either that, or I suspect that these cameras in the dessert are for no other purpose than to generate revenue for government coffers.

It’s understandable to me that a large number of Arizona citizens are outraged by this practice. While speeding can be a serious issue, so too can be the abusive and over zealous use of obtrusive technology.  And it looks like the good guys may have one a major victory.

As of this week, Arizona has decided to cancel its program to place radar speed cameras along Phoenix highways and in vans parked across the state. According to a recent news article, July 15th will be the final day for the 78 fixed and mobile photo-enforcement monitors employed by the state’s Department of Public Safety.

This doesn’t end the use of photo speed cameras entirely, as local government photo-enforcement contracts will still be in effect. However, in addition to the canceling the Phoenix-area project, there is a bill before the state’s governor that would also ban the use of photo speed cameras within 600 feet of a posted speed-limit change (except around school zones). If passed, the law would go into effect the end of July.

As we mentioned in our last post, speeding drivers has become a growing concern, especially around school zones, work zones, neighborhoods and other places where pedestrian and driver safety is at particular risk. That doesn’t seem to be the case here. More importantly, there are alternative ways to effectively slow cars and increase safety that do not conjure up feelings of Big Brother.  We of course, are fans of speedcheck radar speed signs. They are proven to be highly effective and do not require objectionable intrusions or pickpockets tactics.

To many Arizonians, the speed cameras had little to do with increasing safety and much to do with generating revenue.  In many cases, equipment providers are allotted a percentage of the income that these camera systems generate for the city/county/state. Now that’s just asking for abuse.