Is revenue generation the primary objective of speed enforcement?

“Such effects as the quantum increase in congestion, road rage, drivers’ focus on looking for cops rather than attention on the road.

I spend more effort in scanning in front, behind, on ramps, at the side, type of vehicle used by cops etc - than I spend on keeping track of traffic six cars ahead and three cars behind me for proper safety. I have reduced my moving offence tickets to zero over the last two years (knock on wood!) but I am more stressed and subject to road rage than the average driver. I typically drive within the first standard deviation above the 75 percentile! “You will probably ask, why don’t I simply obey the speed limit etc? Well, if revenue collection is the goal, almost every car on the road within the speed limit if not committing some other offence, is still going to commit an offence in the next five minutes anyway – since there are so many rules that everyone is always breaking one at any particular time.

Not coming to a dead stop (defined as holding stop for 2 seconds) at stop sign or on red signal, stopping over the white line, eating, drinking or handling a phone or anything else in your car – even if stopped, accelerating “too fast” off the signal, reckless or aggressive driving - at the discretion of the police etc...

“It is not unusual for the police in slow periods, to drive behind you for several km in unmarked vehicles, waiting for you to change lane not to their liking etc.

“Apart from this, the loss of respect for the police, citizens’ feeling of being highway-robbed by their government through the police - will have priceless damage to the cooperation between citizens and police - something that will further aggravate the crime situation in the country.

“And, yes why are so much police resources being put on the highway, when crime is running at meltdown level in murders, rapes kidnapping etc?” Laws are supposed to be established for the protection of the public and the regulation of the unreasonable behaviour of a few individuals.

International traffic investigations have shown that most people will drive the roadway as they perceive the conditions, and will ignore a speed limit that is unrealistically too low. A realistic speed limit is voluntarily obeyed by the reasonable majority, and more enforcement effort can be applied to the unreasonable few who drive too fast or too slow.

An unrealistic speed limit that is too low will: (a) Make the behaviour of the majority illegal; (b) If enforced, will cause antagonism toward enforcement personnel and traffic laws in general, and create an image of law enforcers as revenue generators; and, (c) Result in speed differentials in the traffic flow, which are wellknown to be significant contributors to traffic crashes. Speed differential is the range of vehicle speeds within the traffic stream. A large variation in these speeds complicates the driving task and necessitates sudden braking, multiple lane changes and other compensating driving manoeuvres.

An appropriate speed limit will result in the maximum number of vehicles travelling at about the same speed, thus reducing conflicts caused by speed differentials. The 85th percentile speed, that speed at or below which 85% of the traffic is moving, is widely accepted as being closest to that appropriate speed.

Of course, other traffic investigation factors must also be taken into consideration.

It is critical to furnish enforcement personnel with a guide as to what appropriate actions for a segment of road so that enforcement actions may be consistent and fair. For example, it is not uncommon for a backhoe to be lumbering along the highway, the driver completely unconcerned about its impact on the traffic. It is illegal, but has any backhoe driver been charged for the offense? Also, many motorists regularly coast down the right lane or centre lane of the highways driving at the speed limit., although they are not overtaking. Has any of them been pulled over for this action? Further, on the highway, slower vehicles are supposed to move over to allow faster traffic to pass, and drivers should stay in the slow lane except to pass. Fat chance that happening here, except when the blue lights are in the rear! I have argued several times for higher highway speed limits. I would also like to see speed limit adjustment and enforcement for the following:

• Residential zones;

• School zones;

• Other collector and local roads with pedestrian and cycling activity;

• Road work zones; and,

• Minimum highway speed limits.

e-mail: info@ccost.org