Safer Roads in Maryland

It looks as if the General Assembly is going to approve two controversial traffic safety measures this year, after a lot of debate.

The first measure is one that would authorize all 24 local jurisdictions to use speed cameras in highway work zones statewide, and, subject to a decision by local jurisdictions, in neighborhoods and school zones.  The cameras would only be activated by a car exceeding the speed limit by 12 miles per hour or more.

There's been a lot of opposition to this, particularly from the Republican side of the aisle and frankly I'm mystified.  There's plenty of evidence that speed cameras result in substantial reductions in speeds and lower rates of accidents and deaths. 

Some claim that speed cameras will abridge their civil liberties, but I'm at a loss to understand what civil liberty they're talking about; the liberty to blow through a school zone far over the speed limit?  The cameras will only take photos where there is a clear, public violation of the law.  It seems to me that what you do in public is, well, public.  Interestingly, many of the people who protest this law seem to support the Bush administration's illegal listening in on private communications of U.S. citizens.

Other opponents seem to oppose speed cameras because they can't jump out of their car and argue with the police officer who has apprehended them.  I'm not sure what to make of this.  Perhaps they've contributed money to the 'Policemen's Benevolent Fund' or something and have a sticker on their car and thus hope the trooper will ignore their reckless endangerment of school children, neighborhood residents or highway workers.  If it's true that a $25 bribe to a 'Policeman's Fund' will buy you immunity from being cited for traffic violations, then we have more serious problems here in Maryland than I thought.

Or perhaps the opponents want the opportunity to plead with the police officer that they are legitimately speeding because they are rushing to the hospital to see a loved one/firehouse to fight a fire/work to avoid being late/pizza shop to pick up their pizza before it gets cold.  If so, the law provides that they can still make their plea to a judge, so I don't see the point here.

Then there is the argument that it's unfair to issue tickets to the owner of the car since he/she may not have been driving.  But the proposed law provides that, if someone else was driving the car then the owner merely has to complete an affidavit stating who was driving and the owner's ticket will be cancelled and a new one issued to the person who was driving.  And besides, the ticket doesn't assess any points against the driver's license.

But many don't like that.  State Senator Alex X. Mooney (R-Frederick) objects to that.  "You don't want to snitch on your friends." the Senator says.  That, of course, is exactly the creed of the Baltimore drug dealers, made famous in the two 'Stop Snitching' videos.  While I was initially surprised to see Senator Mooney aligning himself with the gangsta element, in restrospect perhaps he's trying to appeal to a new constituency; after all Frederick County has started to become a bit more liberal.

Finally, there are those who claim that the cameras are just a revenue-raising device.  Frankly, I haven't seen any indication that is the case.  The amount of the fine has been lowered from $75 to $40 (far too low in my judgement).  In fact, my understanding is that Montgomery County, which piloted the program, hasn't raised enough money to pay for the cameras yet.  But, if the cameras do bring in some revenue, what's wrong with that?  The revenue will come only from those who are speeding, and not by a little bit, and endangering themselves and the rest of us.  I would happily raise all government revenue from lawbreakers if I could. 

So I look forward to the speed cameras.  Here's hoping they appear in my jurisdiction.

The other measure that's moving through the General Assembly is a ban on the use of cell phones while driving.  This is a no-brainer to me.  I've seen far too many drivers down here who have trouble negotiating turns, seeing other drivers or even staying on the road while trying to hold their cell phone or, in some cases, trying to text someone else.  It's dangerous to all of us and needs to be banned.

Of course the bill, as written, is pretty weak.  It makes using a cell phone while driving a 'secondary offense', one that can be cited only if the driver is stopped for some other offense.  Some claim that using a handheld cellphone while driving is no more dangerous than putting on makeup while driving.  I agree; they should outlaw that, too. 

Our friend, Senator Mooney, is also opposed.  He says: "Don't take away cell phones from law abiding citizens who need to use it for legitimate purpose!"  Of course, if you need to text your vote to 'American idol' or 'America's Next Top Model'  right away, then why should safety considerations stop you??  Everyone else should get out of the way while you weave all over I-95 while trying to see the right buttons.  You could pull over to the shoulder, but that's for wimps and liberals. 

So, if the General Assembly does it's job, we''ll have marginally safer highways next year.  The idiots who blow down Route 50 at 75 miles per hour to get to the beach three minutes faster will have one more thing to worry about.  Personally, I look forward to it.

[The photo of the young woman on the beach with the Graflex camera was taken by Myrtle Lind in 1919]

 

Comments

[Tom's Daughter]

DAD!!! Everyone knows that judges decide America's Next Top Model, not the public. Geez.... :-)

We have the cell phone ban here in D.C. (as you know). I can't say it's done much -- I still see idiots all over the place gabbing away. Still, Maryland ought to give it a try!

[The Waterman]

And what of the issue that the government doesn't really have a right to regulate the speed on roads?

If you can drive above what has been arbitrarily decided as a "safe" speed and not cause an accident, than why shouldn't you be allowed to? It's the same idiocy as laws against drunk driving - there's nothing inherently wrong with it, it's just that sometimes people cause harm to others. If that's the case, then punish people for harming others and abandon this preposterous notion of trying to have pro-active justice.