The Maryland General Assembly yesterday gave final approval to a measure that will expand the use of speed cameras to every part of the state, allowing cameras on high-volume freeways for the first time. Lawmakers in Annapolis, at the urging of Governor Martin O’Malley (D), saw the measure as an essential means of reining in the state’s run-away budget deficit. Traffic camera vendors also helped promote the effort with lavish gifts, parties and campaign donations. The new legislation specifically authorizes the use of speed cameras anywhere in the state up to one-half a mile away from a school zone. School zone cameras can operate as late as 8pm and ticket motorists regardless of whether school is in session.
It also creates a statewide freeway camera program designed to be used in so-called “work zones” where the speed limit is lowered, regardless of whether workers are actually present. On a freeway that ordinarily has a 55 MPH speed limit, for example, citations would be issued to anyone driving 57 MPH in the lowered speed zone. For-profit private companies are authorized to take charge of all aspects of the program.
Lawmakers turned aside a number of amendments intended to clarify the true purpose of the program. One rejected provision would have returned any profit from the program to the public in the form of a tax credit. Another would have required weekly calibrations be performed to ensure the accuracy of the tickets. Lawmakers also rejected an amendment that would have ensured that state legislators were not exempt from receiving photo radar tickets. They also turned down an amendment that would have printed on each ticket the names of lawmakers responsible for voting the camera bill into law.
The only limitation adopted was a provision limiting cities from using speed cameras to increase their general fund budgets by more than ten percent. This amendment was aimed at Chevy Chase, which doubled its annual revenue with photo ticketing.
After Governor O’Malley signs the bill it will take effect October 1. A copy of the legislation is available in a 350K PDF file at the source link below.
I assume tickets issued when school is not in session can be cancelled by a judge. Of course, this assumes you have the time and inclination to go through the rigamarole of going to court. I guess the Maryland “fathers” are counting on most people not dealing with a nuisance ticket and just paying the fine. I wonder about the “half mile away” thing – is it legal?
But…. it’s for the children! Won’t someone think of the children?
(Excuse me, I just threw up in my mouth a little).
Can’t we attack these cameras under the ‘unreasonable search’ theory?
Back during the double-nickle days, MD had a rep for being the most hard-ass enforcers in the land. I guess they want to keep it.
Amazing! Funny how most of those amendments didn’t pass along with the measure. That so figures!
And just 57 mph in a 55 zone? Wow! Talk about a money trap.
Why does it always take us a couple centuries to say, “damn, that was a pretty bad idea”?
Although, on a second note, I like cameras. In a rather egoistic way, that is – not that I think it’s a good solution, but for me personally, it’s great. You can speed all you want as long as you know where they are. They introduced them in Montgomery County a couple years ago, and I haven’t gotten stopped by a cop since then. I wonder if it’s gonna affect the insurance companies’ bottom line… I bet they’re gonna start lobbying for giving out points for camera tickets any time now.
So, in a way, it’s good. You’re going to get tickets one way or the other; it’s just that a camera ticket is easier to avoid, harder to beat, and you get keep your insurance company out of your wallet. For a hoon like me, it’s perfect.
The people who’ll suffer are regular folks who are used to paying zilch for their car insurance because of their clean driving record… Now EVERYONE’s driving record is gonna be clean of tickets.
Those same fine people will also suffer now that their kids are going to get mugged, beaten and raped because the state will cut down its police force.
Given the latter, as well as the general greed and overcharging by speed camera installers, I have a feeling that speed cameras won’t last very long.
Given the speed of traffic relative to the speed limit in Maryland, this could be a big moneymaker for the state. Not that it has anything to do with, you know: safety. Loved the place and used to spend a lot of time there, but I always knew there was a reason I lived in Virginia.
Do these cameras always photograph the cars from the front while coming towards the camera or from the rear while heading away?
Keep it up gov. The tighter you squeeze the more “criminals” you’re going to create.
Can’t cut budgets or lay off staff (if its like around here, you got secretaries making 100K + a year with pension and full benefits), gotta find ways to get more money from the population.
I’m sure states like Idaho and Montana will be looking forward to the upcoming increase in population and businesses relocating to their states.
Maryland is one of the smelliest examples of how governments become subverted to the purposes of the political class and its groupthink rent seekers. A lot of graft, too — a southern state run by Tammany Hall — and an interesting contrast to neighboring Virginia’s more conservative political culture. (Of course, that’s where citizens are farther from infection by DC.) Ubiquitous speed cameras fit right in with that way of thinking.
I wouldn’t have an issue with cameras if enforcement was tilted more toward other horrible driver behavior.
I had a friend who lived near an intersection that saw a lot of traffic from an amusement park. Litter was tossed often from cars – to the point where he proposed putting up a camera (the fine for littering is ~ $200 in NY State). He figured a good, state run ‘litter-cam’ could have generated $1000 / day in fines.
An retired cop to him there’d never be any effective litter enforcement by the police – the town didn’t want to offend the Park’s owners and customers.
Ah yes, the “Save the Children”™ sales technique. That was tried here in Anchorage several years ago. Due to the wonton carnage of innocent kids in school zones (i.e., no kid had been hurt in recent memory), speed cameras were implemented, during school hours, to try and curb the massacre. Then, hours were expanded to include even 3 am. Then, the neighborhoods adjoining school zones were added. Then, neighborhoods that someday might become a school zone were added. Then…
Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, and the cameras were voted out of existence. Perhaps Marylanders will do the same?
Lawmakers in Annapolis, at the urging of Governor Martin O’Malley (D), saw the measure as an essential means of reining in the state’s run-away budget deficit.
Perhaps, but the legislators had been trying to pass similar bills for years. The previous governor, Ehrlich, vetoed several similar bills. Then O’Malley ran and defeated Ehrlich. O’Malley was clearly in favor of speed cameras everywhere as part of his campaign, and has been pushing them constantly as governor, in direct contrast to Ehrlich.
Marylanders got what they voted for.
Glory to the People’s Republic of Maryland, Comrades! A new day has dawned, and soon, the wreckers and hoarders wasting precious gasoline will pay for their crimes against the State!
johnthacker :
Perhaps, but the legislators had been trying to pass similar bills for years. The previous governor, Ehrlich, vetoed several similar bills. Then O’Malley ran and defeated Ehrlich. O’Malley was clearly in favor of speed cameras everywhere as part of his campaign, and has been pushing them constantly as governor, in direct contrast to Ehrlich.
Marylanders got what they voted for.
As we all do!
Maryland residents – worth checking out GPS Angel – http://www.gpsangel.com
It’s a gps speed camera detector. I go tmine on Amazon for $99. Very happy with this purchase.
Higher taxes or speed cameras, take your pick. Something has to plug the sucking wound in tax revenue. Pity, I enjoyed the rather lax speed enforcement on 95.
MrDot :
April 13th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Higher taxes or speed cameras, take your pick. Pity, I enjoyed the rather lax speed enforcement on 95.
In Maryland, you can have both!
Regarding GPS Angel – this is intended to work on fixed camera sites. It looks like ACS was the company buying off the Maryland state legislature. Here’s a link to what I could find on their product/service:
http://test.trafficsafety.com/pss/offerings/speedcam.html
It’s a vehicle mounted system, so location-based countermeasures might not be so effective. Also, it’s positioned with the flow of traffic – i.e. illuminating cars from the rear. This would make standard K-band detection a bit more problematic.
50merc: A lot of graft, too — a southern state run by Tammany Hall — and an interesting contrast to neighboring Virginia’s more conservative political culture. (Of course, that’s where citizens are farther from infection by DC.)
Virginia has pretty draconian enforcement, too.
I drove through the state on I-81 from Winchester to the Tennessee border in August 2001. I’ve never seen so many marked police cars – either parked in the median, taking “pictures” with radar, or parked alongside the road, writing a ticket – on a single trip in my life.
Virginia also attempted to level four-figure fines on residents caught for speeding, but public outcry forced the state to rescind that measure.
MrDot: Higher taxes or speed cameras, take your pick. Something has to plug the sucking wound in tax revenue.
Maybe Maryland could spend less money…?
It’s really not that hard to keep your speed legal. It takes some coordination between your eyes glancing at the speedo and your left foot adjusting as necessary.
I understand the problem with red light cameras, but not speeding cameras. Anyone who gets a ticket was speeding, just that simple.
If you want to talk calibration issues that’s fine, otherwise this just amounts to “I don’t want to obey the law, and I shouldn’t have to because I don’t want to.”
Sometimes there is a problem understanding what speed is legal. Like: school speeding zones half a mile away from the school and presumably not marked (as mentioned in the article). How do you conjure up your speed limit when you haven’t been informed? Or the old speed (trap) limit sign conveniently posted behind the tree? Or the “work zone speed limits when lights flashing” and the lights are off? Argue with the judge about whether the lights were on or not. There’s always a judgement about speed limits.
And there is the ticket for going 57 in a 55 zone. The width of the speedo pointer!
Do you ever wonder if we are going too far towards crazy to the point that crazy is normal, and that trying to swing back towards normal becomes crazy?
About this 57 in a 55 zone: The article seems to say that this would apply only if the speed limit has been especially lowered from the normal 55, e.g. for maintenance and road works “It also creates a statewide freeway camera program designed to be used in so-called “work zones” where the speed limit is lowered, regardless of whether workers are actually present. On a freeway that ordinarily has a 55 MPH speed limit, for example, citations would be issued to anyone driving 57 MPH in the lowered speed zone“
Therefore, if the highway has no work being done and the speed limit is still 55, they wouldn’t haul you up for doing 57, surely?