Mayor Olivia Chow's Toronto

[wopchop]

3 speed cameras down overnight. Doug Ford has now hardened his stance on speed cameras and basically threatens getting involved through legislation.

Ontario government doubles down on removing ‘cash grab’ speed cameras this fall as 16 more damaged

The Ford government says it will remove automatic speed enforcement cameras this fall if municipalities do not take steps to scrap them.

www.ctvnews.ca

“They should take out those cameras, all of them,” Ford said. “This is nothing but a tax grab.”

“I’ve driven by speed traps not even close to school areas,” the premier said Tuesday.

“Some people driving through a neighbourhood and they are five, 10 kilometres over, they are getting nailed. It’s not fair. So, I’m dead against this photo radar that they have.”

It's not fair? Speeding that violates the Traffic Act isn't fair? Huh.

 

[RapidTransit]

3 speed cameras down overnight. Doug Ford has now hardened his stance on speed cameras and basically threatens getting involved through legislation.

Ontario government doubles down on removing ‘cash grab’ speed cameras this fall as 16 more damaged

The Ford government says it will remove automatic speed enforcement cameras this fall if municipalities do not take steps to scrap them.

www.ctvnews.ca

“They should take out those cameras, all of them,” Ford said. “This is nothing but a tax grab.”

“I’ve driven by speed traps not even close to school areas,” the premier said Tuesday.

“Some people driving through a neighbourhood and they are five, 10 kilometres over, they are getting nailed. It’s not fair. So, I’m dead against this photo radar that they have.”

“Hopefully the cities will get rid of them… or I’m going to help them get rid of them very shortly,” Ford said.

“Get rid of the speed cameras or I’m going to do it for them,” Ford said in a warning to municipalities.

Doug Ford allows speed cameras in 2020 for municipalities, then gets angry when these same municipalities use them. You can't make this stuff up.

But at this rate , looks like doug might get rid of them. But I bet he'll be more heavy handed closer to the end of this current term.

 

[txlseries4]

Big shift from the 3 cameras initially reported earlier today CBC and other outlets are reporting, "Toronto police confirmed they are investigating after 16 speed cameras were found damaged Tuesday morning"

Feels like at this point with zero arrests it's open season on speed cameras

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/more-toronto-speed-cameras-found-cut-down-1.7628876

 

[evandyk]

They should just put in speedbumps instead where the cameras were. Give the vandals what they want.

 

[RapidTransit]

Big shift from the 3 cameras initially reported earlier today CBC and other outlets are reporting, "Toronto police confirmed they are investigating after 16 speed cameras were found damaged Tuesday morning"

Feels like at this point with zero arrests it's open season on speed cameras

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/more-toronto-speed-cameras-found-cut-down-1.7628876

Outside of this forum, there's a huge support to get rid of them.
If the speed limit stayed the same , and wasn't reduced, on top of the speed cameras I wouldn't have a problem with them.

Speed limits aren't the problem , it's ppl speeding that's the problem. Maybe raise the speed limit pre 2019 or whenever it was. Especially now that we have speed cameras so there's more flow, or a reasonable speed, then install speed cameras, to keep ppl in check. I think that could be a better middle ground. Some sections of road is way to slow, then they add the cameras, that will agitate anyone.

And even traffic calming measures don't really take in consideration of buses manuovering around or flow of traffic.

 

[evandyk]

The speed limit should be slow (should probably be 30 rather than 40) on Parkside because it's a residential street with houses on one side and a busy park on the other. There are several busy pedestrian crossings. The camera isn't really working, so they should redesign the street so that drivers have the right cues to drive at an appropriate speed for the use of the road.

 

[Richard White]

They should just put in speedbumps instead where the cameras were. Give the vandals what they want.

Simple.

More traffic lights and red light cameras.

 

[zang]

Outside of this forum, there's a huge support to get rid of them.
If the speed limit stayed the same , and wasn't reduced, on top of the speed cameras I wouldn't have a problem with them.

Except there was a problem with them when the Rae government instituted photo radar in the 1990s, before speed limits changed.

People feel entitled to speed; there's nothing more to it than that.

Speed limits aren't the problem , it's ppl speeding that's the problem. Maybe raise the speed limit pre 2019 or whenever it was. Especially now that we have speed cameras so there's more flow, or a reasonable speed, then install speed cameras, to keep ppl in check. I think that could be a better middle ground. Some sections of road is way to slow, then they add the cameras, that will agitate anyone.

Says you. And do you have any work experience in public safety? There's a reason limits were lowered; because (if obeyed) they cause fewer traffic and pedestrian fatalities. There is well researched empircal data behind this. Capitulating to a bunch of people who just don't want to follow rules because they're whiny and self-entitled children doesn't seem like great policy. Seeing laws designed to save lives as a hinderance to your getting somewhere slightly faster is the epitome of self-centred.

You're also aware that the high profile camera on Parkside Drive was installed entirely because many people seem to want to ignore anything even close to the *previous* speed limit.

 

[txlseries4]

Outside of this forum, there's a huge support to get rid of them.

Public opinion polling reflects the complete opposite

Corporate News and Media Release

Read CAA's latest news and media release: auto, safe driving, insurance, travel, government relations, community involvement, and more.

www.caasco.com

"Despite the increased ticketing in Ontario this year, many drivers support the use of ASE cameras, especially in school zones or areas with vulnerable road users. Nearly three-quarters of Ontario drivers (73 per cent) support the use of ASE in target areas such as school zones or near community centres. In fact, 76 per cent of Ontarians believe that cameras deter speeding altogether."

 

[wopchop]

There wouldn't be so many attention to the issue if they weren't constantly being vandalized.
With all the technology we have, Toronto decided to made the speed cameras these massive, easily targeted devices. This was entirely predictable.
Oakville has ones with similar issues, and of course they get vandalized too.
There are other municipalities that are putting them up high on hydro poles or light poles.
We have had red light camera up on poles for years and years, and you don't hear anything about that.

 

[Northern Light]

Speed limits aren't the problem , it's ppl speeding that's the problem. Maybe raise the speed limit pre 2019 or whenever it was

Wait.....the problem is 'bad/criminal' behavior..............and the answer is to make that behavior legal, so its not a crime/bad anymore?

I know how to solve the auto theft problem, just make taking someone else's car without their permission, legal! See, no more auto theft.......ummmm

 

[Northern Light]

The speed limit should be slow (should probably be 30 rather than 40) on Parkside because it's a residential street with houses on one side and a busy park on the other. There are several busy pedestrian crossings. The camera isn't really working, so they should redesign the street so that drivers have the right cues to drive at an appropriate speed for the use of the road.

Redesign of Parkside is advancing. Not as fast as some would like, understandably....but there is forward motion.

 

[Northern Light]

Simple.

More traffic lights

Absolutely not. They slow down buses and streetcars and cyclists and pedestrians too. Toronto already has among the highest number of traffic lights (relative to road/population).

We could use less, not more.

and red light cameras.

Sure, that, I have no problem with. Though, not particularly pertinent to the speeding question.

 

[wopchop]

Except there was a problem with them when the Rae government instituted photo radar in the 1990s, before speed limits changed.

The old photo radar situation is a bit different. Photo radar was being used by police on the 400-series highways. I don't believe it was used on any local roads at all.

If you had speeding cameras right now on the 400-series, and people were getting tickets for 10kph over, I suspect that the public polls would not be in support of it at all. The cameras wouldn't last a month.

However, our current situation is that speed cameras are being used in residential/school/special zones, and I believe that most locals do in fact support the use of the speed cameras for this purpose.

 

[rbt]

Wait.....the problem is 'bad/criminal' behavior..............and the answer is to make that behavior legal, so its not a crime/bad anymore?

That sometimes happens; Cannabis use being an obvious recent example.

NOTE, I'm not saying cannabis should be illegal, I'm saying it was made legal because it was popular despite being illegal. If the number of Canadian cannabis users was single digits during the early 2000's it never would have been legalized.