Five New Speed Camera Sites Selected

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 12:44 am

But let me tell you something. One of the first things they teach you (or at least, when I was in driving school) was to keep up with the flow of traffic because driving SLOWER risked accidents because people had to go around you. People who drive SLOWER than everyone else is why you have traffic jams on the highway, it's a huge contributor, so I guess you are a part of that too. Over cautious drivers cause more accidents than under cautious ones. Slower drivers put more drivers at risk than faster ones, period, because the flow of traffic dictates the speed at the time that is safest for everyone.
I don't tailgate people, I'll usually keep 1 1/2 car lengths between myself and the car in front of me and if I can't get around a slower driver, I'll just drive at that speed. I don't get upset unless you are going under the speed limit or right on it since there is a buffer of a whole 12 MPH. That is over cautious and not only that, in people succeptible to it, causes road rage. Rolling road blocks do it as well. If I can go around you, I will every time because I can control a car better than you can apparently and I can handle an extra 10mph no problem. The flow of traffic should dictate YOUR speed because that is what is safe for everyone on the road and lowers the risk of accidents. If people are passing you constantly, know what that means? It's means you're driving too slow and not keeping up with the flow. So, really, drivers like you risk more accidents than I do.

Other Tim July 13, 2012 at 12:50 am

Obviously, I don't agree with much you just said, but I am not going to change your mind and you are not going to change mine.
FYI, if you wish to reply to a reply to your post, just hit the reply button to your original post, and your new reply falls in line after it is accepted.

Other Tim July 13, 2012 at 12:52 am

Sorry, pal, but if you think the ones obeying the law are the problem, you have a serious mental deficiency.

Buck Harmon July 13, 2012 at 12:55 am

To awaken an apathetic public is a monumental task...it will take something major, like revolution...
America is no longer the greatest nation...we are blowing it at an ever increasing rate..

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 01:00 am

Well why do they teach you that in driving school then, hmm? Why is there a 12mph buffer? Yes, driving slower than everyone else on the road, you are a hazard if you have people passing you constantly. People have places to go. If they want to go 10mph over the speed limit, they can and know what else? It's not breaking the law, they are obeying the law all the same. The only difference is YOU disrupt the flow of traffic because you're going 5-10mph slower than everyone else making people change lanes and go around you. It does cause traffic jams on the highway too, are you saying traffic jams are a good thing as well?

Eric July 13, 2012 at 04:11 am

A couple of things here in regards to the Stoneleigh ES/ Regester Ave Camera.
A) I've only heard of one person being hit and that was about a year ago. At night. I believe the kid was in the road skateboarding(his fault). Can anybody provide info on people being hit where it was found that speeding was the cause. B) When I was a kid going to Stoneleigh there were crossing guards at both Copeleigh and Kenleigh Rds. Are those crossing guards still there? If so this Camera is a pointless money grab. If not, why not bring back at least one crossing guard? It would be cheaper and more effective. C) Can anyone tell me why Regester Ave. is lined like it is between York Rd. and Overbrook Rd.? It creates an unsafe driving condition that leads to cars being hit. Parking should be outlawed on Regester. The road is to narrow to safely allow two lanes of travel and a parking lane. Every single house on the street has a driveway, they should use them. D) If, lord forbid, some child gets hit crossing the street on the way to school of what consolation will it be to the parent to know that there was a speed camera there? None. Unless the camera jumps off its mount and actually stops the car, cameras don't do squat to stop people from being hit (which is the reason they're their right?). E) I know the type of driver that posters amc and scott refer to. You know what this camera will tell them? That they can now cruise down the road at 36mph without getting a ticket. Just great.

richard bertoldi July 13, 2012 at 06:08 am

when you look at the whole thing and compare it to the cameras at stonleigh or any where else you have to conclude that these things are diversions from the real agenda and that is to keep us so occupied with trivial stuff that we don't focus on how the powers that be(government, the rich, and large corporate interests) and all thewhile they are screwing us out of everything they can .if you don't believe itr look atwho and where the money is going in politics. they ain't paying for nothing.wakeup that is where the real strugle is

Buck Harmon July 13, 2012 at 11:18 am

Well said...thanks..

Geoffrey Atkinson July 13, 2012 at 01:26 pm

Honestly, I don't know why it is such a big deal to slow down to within 5 MPH of the speed limit in front of a school... cameras or no cameras.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 05:18 pm

One thing I agree fully about with everyone here is.. please don't talk on your cell phone while you're driving for any longer than a minute or two (sometimes, it is necessary), but don't be talking for 10-15 minutes while you're driving, my God and please don't text either unless you're fully stopped somewhere.
You know, they did an experiment on the effect of driving while talking on a cell phone on the science show "Mythbusters" (you could probably find the show if you searched online) to determine if driving while talking on a cell phone impaired you more or less than driving drunk. The conclusion? Driving on a cell phone impairs you MORE than driving drunk, MORE. I'm pretty sure that was the conclusion of the tests done and the tests, as always on that show, were well done and thorough. Actually, I'll do the work for you. :) Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vFcIpzF7pc Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGN1pLI4ZaM Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8LuM92Twm8 There is the cell phone vs. drunk driving experiment in it's entirety, enjoy.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 05:41 pm

For those saying "Why go more then 5mph over anywhere?", I go back to a point I made earlier in the thread. MY counter question is why continue to make advancement in car performance, safety, braking and control under braking if we aren't going to adjust the speed limits and driving laws to the advancement of technology. It's like making airplanes that will go 1000mph, but making it illegal to go more than 500mph. It just doesn't make sense.
I'm not saying every road should be the autobahn, but speed limits should be raised in certain areas to match the technology of cars because otherwise, what's the point of continuing to make faster and better cars if it's illegal to use that technology? I think a better solution is to have your driving skills determined in driving tests, I'm talking in your 20's and 30's to determine how good of a driver you are, how safe and how aggressive you are as a driver and if you are determined to be a safe driver, you should be allowed more freedom on the roads than other drivers such as having a higher buffer for exceeding speed limits. Hell, tire technology is another thing that has advanced significantly. You can't make all this wonderful technology, put it on every car made to some degree and then sit on here and be completely surprised and dumbfounded that people actually USE it. That's why people buy fast cars, they want to drive fast.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 05:42 pm

Personally, I like the "pick up" in cars and love to accelerate quickly as opposed to driving very fast. On the beltways, I rarely exceed 80mph and always in the fast lane, but I will not, as I said earlier, do anything to risk an accident, I just prefer open road in front of me, so I pass people a lot, but I do it safely.
Also, drivers over a certain age (70 is a good age, i think) should be required to have their driving skills tested on a yearly basis to ensure they are still capable of driving safely. Older people tend to drive too slow, be overly cautious, cut people off and are generally driving like an eight year old; confused and uncertain. Again, these people cause accidents or increase the risk of them. Many things could be done to improve driving and the quality of drivers and many of them should be done. And lastly, to the ones that run this website, please remove or raise the character limit for posts from 1500 characters. Come on, some of us have a lot to say on these topics and having to split them up is a little inconvenient. :)

Other Tim July 13, 2012 at 05:47 pm

"please don't talk on your cell phone while you're driving for any longer than a minute or two (sometimes, it is necessary)"
There you go making up your own rules again. It is never "necessary" to talk on the phone while driving (pull over or ignore the call). Secondly, the law says don't do it. The law does not say it is OK for a minute or two. Especially if you are going 12 miles over the limit.

Other Tim July 13, 2012 at 05:51 pm

I am starting to believe that what you post leans a little towards sarcasm. Please tell me this is true, and that you really don't believe all the crap you have been posting.
If you really feel this way, you are a menace.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 06:13 pm

Personally, other tim, I never answer my phone when I'm driving and IF I do, it's less than 10 seconds which is RARE. I hate talking on the phone while driving and I never text while driving, so there.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 06:21 pm

No, it's not sarcasm. It's called common sense which people seem to have completely forgotten how to use or even what it means to use common sense. Elderly drivers are some of the WORST drivers on the road, EASILY. Their reaction time is slower than a slug, they certainly don't know how to merge, they leave their turn signal on for miles confusing drivers and it takes them five minutes to make a lane change even when someone is letting them over.
We recognize that some people are smarter than others, that's why we have IQ tests, so why can't there be recognition for people who are better drivers than others and should have more leeway on the roads. In car racing, bad drivers cause accidents and good drivers avoid them. There are good drivers and bad drivers, so why should they all be treated the same? Bad drivers should be either going to school to learn how to be better drivers or they should be the ones being pulled over. GOOD DRIVERS SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED BECAUSE OF BAD DRIVERS. That is the point. They should be dealt with on an individual basis, not this blanket application of "well one person drives bad, so we should act like everyone drives bad." Good drivers should not be punished because of the bad drivers. I don't get tickets and I regularly go 10 mph over the limit, more if on the highway, I overtake slower cars all the time without cutting people off and have never had a close call with an accident since I was 17 (young and dumb).

barbie July 13, 2012 at 06:25 pm

where does the lottery money go. where does the casino money go. i went to macy's to buy make up and was asked to give a $3 donation for education. my mom bought my book bag, pencils, papers etc. nobody gave us shit. now its free breakfast lunch, phones, bge, housing. what is next. wait until owe malley gets the presidency because he's cute.............

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 06:25 pm

..and considering all the bad driving that has been brought up in this thread witnessed by others, it's a little insulting to be lumped in with them. I am a safe driver, my clean record proves it, my car insurance is minimal. Matter of fact, just last night, I was going 10-12mph over the limit down old harford road, just joyriding around the neighborhood on a nice night. I came back around to take a ride down Summit Ave when I saw flashing police lights in the distance which were two cops who had an SUV pulled over. I had driven down this road, 10-12 over not even two minutes prior. Those cops HAD to had been there, I HAD to have passed them and I didn't get pulled over. If you are going 20 over the limit, pull them over which is probably what that guy was doing. I pass cops all the time and never get pulled over, I'll even pass a cop on the road who's going slower than I am so long as it's within the 12 mph buffer and I don't get pulled over and you're calling ME a menace? No, I am the voice of common sense and you apparently don't understand that language anymore.

Other Tim July 13, 2012 at 07:16 pm

I think I figured out who you are. You are the guy who honked at me when I stopped at a STOP sign, even though nobody was coming. You must think it's not necessary to really stop. Slow down a hair should be good enough.
But please, before you go out and drive 80mph while talking on the phone, take time to calm down. Apparently I am irritating you.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 07:30 pm

Other tim, you are annoying me a little only because you are making assumptions about me that aren't true. First off, with the cell phone, a 10 second call consists of something like my girlfriend or mother calling me to tell me to pick something up at the store on the way home. The convo goes something like this:
Hello? Hey, could you pick me up some milk on your way home? Sure thing, I'll be home soon. Talk to you later, I'm driving right now. Ok then, see you soon. Ok, bye That's it. If a friend calls me and wants to talk, I immediately tell them "I'm driving, I'll call you back when I get to where I'm going" and hang up the phone. That is the extent of my cell phone talking while driving and during those times, I slow down my speed significantly until I am done. Secondly, I rarely honk my horn and never at stop signs because, well, you're supposed to stop. Matter of fact, I'm the guy that waves people to go ahead of me at four way stops just to avoid confusion. I'm the guy who stops and at stop lights to leave room for people to exit nearby places of business instead of blocking the entrance and let people out. I'm the guy who will pull up as far as I can to let a car behind me slip past me into the turn only lane so he can get on with his life. I am a safe driver and a compassionate driver and I look out for others on the road.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 07:33 pm

I will always come to a complete stop at a stop sign, well almost, unless it's completely obvious I'm the only one at the stop sign, then maybe I'll coast through it at 5mph or slower, but the only time I use my horn is when a light turns green and the guy in front of me is just sitting there. My honk is a "tap" just to say "Hey, the light is green, pay attention". I never lay on my horn at any time unless someone cuts me off or is driving like an idiot risking accidents which is a very rare occurance. I don't use my horn very often.
So, I don't drive 80mph on my phone. I'd much rather have music playing than talking on a phone. I don't really like talking on the phone anyway even if I'm at home. If it seems I am getting annoyed with you, it's because you are making wild assumptions about me that are not true based on nothing. :)

Arbutus Town Crier July 13, 2012 at 07:36 pm

try this place http://www.opensecrets.org/states/summary.php?state=MD

Other Tim July 13, 2012 at 07:58 pm

You NEVER answer your phone while driving, but if you do, it's for less than 10 seconds. You only exceed the speed limit by 12@MPH (which you were taught in driving school?) unless you are going OVER 80MPH. You will ALWAYS come to a complete stop at a stop sign, except when you don't want to. When you talk on the cell phone while driving, you slow down your speed SIGNIFICANTLY until you are done, thereby being the slow driver that causes the accidents.
Do you actually read what you write?

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 09:07 pm

LOL You are impossible. I'm just going to end this conversation now. You want to believe I'm a bad driver, have at it. I could care less anymore. I don't get pulled over, I have a clean record, I NEVER have people honking at me, I am courtious to other drivers and I don't drive recklessly. You want to act like a child and turn every little thing around on me to make me look bad, have at it. You make yourself look a lot worse than you make me look which is fine with me. :) Yeah because we all know if I talk on the phone for 10 seconds, I slam on my brakes immediately. You're completely devoid of common sense and rational thinking and are just hell bent on taking out this pent up rage you have against drivers that personally affect you on me.
I am a safe driver, I know I am, my record speaks for itself, I don't get into accidents, I don't get speeding tickets and I get thank you's all the time (the waves) from other drivers who I let in front of me who are changing lanes or exiting ther 7-11 or gas station near a traffic light that I stopped early for to let out. Yep "other tim", you're right, I'm the worst driver in the world and so long as it makes you feel better, you can go to sleep tonight knowing I'm the one causing all the problems on the road. You have issues, seriously. You're personally attacking me, so obviously, you can't have a conversation like an adult anyway. I'm done with this convo with you now. Sweet dreams, my friend. LOL

Other Tim July 13, 2012 at 11:20 pm

Just when we were starting to have fun. Take your ball and go home. Ta ta.

Mike Fisher July 13, 2012 at 11:33 pm

Obviously, your idea of "fun" differs from mine. I love a good debate and was enjoying ours until the personal attacks came. You don't seem to have a rational thinking mind or if you do, you hide it well.
I'm sorry for all the things you've been through with bad drivers, but none of the things you mentioned are things I would do to you or anyone else. Most of them are disrespectful IMO such as tailgating or laying on the horn. That's not me. I still stand by my comments though and by the way, you know how many times I talk on my cell phone in my car a month? On average. less than once because people know not to call me when I'm on the road and if I answer, it would only be if I was at a red light, at a backed up stop sign, or in the middle of open road. "Significantly slow down" to me means lower my engine RPM's from, for example, 2.5 to 1.8 and coasting instead of speeding up. Ten seconds or less, I can handle, but I hardly ever talk on my cell phone in my car. Probably less than five times a year. I simply don't do it unless I think it's important enough to answer or I can handle it quickly. I see people all the time talking on their phones in their cars, all the time with the phone to the ear. THOSE are the people you should direct your anger to, not me.

Cal Oren July 14, 2012 at 12:40 am

Speed limits are not dictated by God, nor is there any infallible way of setting them fast enough to allow smooth and efficient traffic flow. and slow enough to prevent most accidents. Traffic engineers generally agree that 80% or more of the traffic on a road should drive at or below the speed limit even when it is not posted. In other words, most drivers intuitively drive at a safe speed for the road and traffic conditions. That's why traffic engineers routinely do traffic studies - to determine if the speed limit for the road in question is appropriate. Of course,if there are special circumstances that are not visible - such as a blind corner ahead, or a hidden entrance, this "natural" speed limit may need to be artificially reduced. Our interstate system has still not recovered from interference by the Federal Government, which began mandating that the states comply with Federal speed limits under Jimmy Carter over 30 years ago when we were about to run out of oil. (Remember those days? )

richard bertoldi July 14, 2012 at 02:15 am

did anyone ever stop to think that the speed limits are set knowing that they are going to be to a large extent exceeded by 7-10 mph?hence the 12 mph grace

richard bertoldi July 14, 2012 at 02:18 am

with that in mind you start to see how the general public is being manipulated or to put it another way WE ARE BEING CONTROLED and don't even know it

Mike Fisher July 14, 2012 at 05:48 am

Now THAT makes sense as to why speed limits don't change with the technology, thank you. That's a very informative response and I agree, people generally drive at the speed they deem safe for the road and conditions which is usually over the posted speed limit by 5-15 mph depending on the situation and how well the driver knows the road he's on.
The Government needs to stop this mandating and let the traffic engineers do their jobs. If it wasn't for the oil companies buying up patents for new and cleaner burning engines, we wouldn't even need oil. This is the kind of stuff I'm talking about. At some point, this country just stopped advancing, that could even be expanded to the world because oil companies want their money and they want us dependent on oil even if it destroys our oceans in the process. We certainly have the technology to make cars that would run on tap water by separating the hydrogen and running the car on it, easily, but where's the money in that? Greed holds this country and the world back in so many ways. How long must we rely on oil? We have the tech to move past it, but we don't because of greedy corporations. This world just isn't interested anymore in advancement, only money. It's sad, really. We can make deisel cars run on USED vegetable oil, that should be a norm as well. We really need to move along with technology. We have the ability, but too much money is in oil and the way things are now. Makes me sad.