100 new traffic cameras in D.C.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Traffic-Cameras-100-New-Debut-and-Watch-for-More-Than-Speeding-233098311.html

According to the article, the cameras are not just monitoring speed. They are also watching for car drivers who don’t stop at stop signs or who fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

Commentors have brought up the usual “police state” warnings. But others point out that if drivers would stop speeding and running red lights (or trying to run over pedestrians), then they wouldn’t have any problems.

The program is just getting under way, so the effect on road safety for all users is to be determined. I hope it does improve safety for everyone. I’m getting tired of reading about someone in the D.C. region dying from a car strike almost every day.

Some of the comments go on with the usual complaints about “scofflaw cyclists” while conveniently ignoring the fact that many car drivers are speeding, running red lights or failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. I see one of these misdeeds at most intersections that I approach as a pedestrian. (I don’t have as much time or luxury to be so observant when I’m riding. I look at potential threats in my immediate vicinity but I’m not standing and watching the entire intersection area the way I sometimes do as a pedestrian. I’ve probably had more near misses as a pedestrian, walking in a crosswalk with a WALK signal, than as a cyclist. Many drivers are respectful. But that doesn’t help if 15-30% are outright aggressive on the roads. It only takes one such driver to kill someone.)

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If any of those anti-bike people should make their way to this thread and think I’m making things up, here is some reading material:

On the NBC website, there’s a tragic story of a Woodbridge, VA woman who had recovered from a motorcycle crash. She left her home for the first time in 6 months and walked across the street, with the light and in the crosswalk. She was struck and killed by a car driver.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Sally-Ann-Okuly-Woman-on-First-Walk-After-Motorcycle-Crash-is-Struck-Killed-by-Car-233111451.html

During the Montgomery County enforcement sting last May, they had to cite drivers for failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk almost constantly during the 2.5-hr. operation.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Failing-to-Yield-to-Pedestrians-in-Montgomery-Co-Could-Cost-You-206557651.html

http://www.mymcpnews.com/2013/05/08/pedestrian-enforcement-results/

“From 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m :

72 drivers were issued citations for failing to stop for a pedestrian crossing the roadway in a crosswalk

1 driver was issued a citation for a child seat violation

4 tickets were issued for driving on a suspended license

2 Equipment Repair Orders were issued

During this pedestrian enforcement, plain clothes officers dressed in bright clothing cross the street in marked crosswalks. Officers stop vehicles that do not yield to the plain clothes officers or other pedestrians in the crosswalk, and drivers are issued citations. General traffic law is also enforced.”

Kind of puts a lie to the claims that drivers supposedly follow the laws. They don’t. Neither do a lot of cyclists, but rolling through a stop sign at an empty intersection is not the same thing as trying to run over pedestrians with a car or pulling into traffic while texting, which a lot of drivers do.