Speed Cameras on I-95 in South Carolina
If you’re driving through Ridgeland, South Carolina, beware. They have speed cameras on I-95. Yep, speed cameras on the interstate.
According to MSNBC, the town has a van equipped with speed cameras. They park it on the side of the interstate. As someone speeds past, the computer takes a picture and initiates a ticket being mailed out. An officer sits in the van and watches the computer do its job.
This program is nuts in so many ways. One of my main objections to speed cameras is that it doesn’t actually promote safety. If an officer physically pulls someone over for speeding, they get a wake up call. Most people slow down and drive more cautiously (at least for a while).
But if a computer mails a ticket, the driver keeps on speeding through. It’s really just a punitive measure to punish behavior after the fact instead of keeping other people safe.
In some instances, cameras save man power. But in Ridgeland, an officer sits in the van to observe the cars speeding. Why in the heck doesn’t he just sit in a cruiser running radar? The cameras aren’t saving man power. They’re just taking the important human element out of the equation.
I’m glad to hear that South Carolina is working to stop this crazy van.
