Due punishment

- By Pete Foster

February 20, 2025

key points from this story:

• Photo radar must be accompanied by marked vehicle
• Speeding offenses dramatically lowered in Calgary
• $28 million shortfall in city revenue
• Officials claim photo radar is for safety
• Author despises photo radar as retroactive punishment, and uses local newspaper as personal emotional outlet
• Argues some highways could safely allow higher speeds

Reading here the other day an article from that esteemed tome the Calgary sun! The Calgary police by order of the provincial government when they are operating photo radar the camera must also be accompanied by a clearly marked traffic enforcement vehicle! The photo radar camera in conjunction with the clearly marked vehicle have resulted in a dramatic lowering of the amount of speeding offenses in the city!

However, it has also led to a 28 million dollar shortfall in revenue for the city coffers, which pays for such things as traffic enforcement officers! So now the city has succeeded in slowing down traffic, but has no idea as to how to recoup the 28 million dollar shortfall, so in consequence, they have become a victim of their own success!

But when it comes to photo radar both civic and police officials state categorically that photo radar is never used as a cash cow, it is a safety issue first and foremost! Oh really? Well why bother lamenting the 28 million dollar shortfall in revenue, when your traffic enforcement efforts have obviously proved to be a resounding success! Mission accomplished, you stopped people from speeding, what are you complaining about, it is safety first right?

Frankly I dont know how police and civic officials manage to make that statement and keep a straight face! I despise photo radar for one reason! It punishes retroactively, it does nothing to stop the offense from occurring! If somebody constantly drives 120kmh through a school zone, they are still doing it 2 weeks later when the ticket comes in the mail! Might slow down after, but not during!

And I have been a victim of photo radar on 132 feet wide of 4 lane highway, clear and straight as an arrow for miles, and miles from any school zone, or construction site where you would endanger no one if you desired to drive 200kmh! They call them autobahns in Germany, here they are called radar traps, and are nothing more than a cash cow!