Dear Editor:
While few would object to the use of speed cameras to reduce the speed of traffic (which is the stated objective of the Wellington County engineering services department), I am arguing that the setup on Belsyde Avenue East in Fergus is a predatory speed trap. My ticket on March 2 was for 52km/h in the 40 zone.
In a discussion across the county reception counter in Guelph with Joe de Koning, roads manager at the county, I posed the question and the comment below to support my entrapment argument.
1. Why is the 40km/h speed camera set up to operate on Saturdays and Sundays when the children are not in school? I argued that there are far more activities at the sportsplex than at that school on weekends, yet, there is no 40km/h speed limit posted at the sportsplex. If the reason for the camera was to reduce vehicle speed to safeguard pedestrians, then the 40 limit should have been extended beyond the school past the sportsplex at no extra cost and with far more benefit. The response from Mr. De Koning, notwithstanding the argument above, was that the 40 limit was posted at the school, you were going 52 and that is why you were given the ticket, end of story. However, when people are driving 50km/h to the sportsplex on weekends, I can see how they would naturally continue driving at this speed past the school because they would be posing no danger to children. That argument went nowhere.
2. To avoid entrapment, I suggested that solar-powered yellow flashing lights should be installed before the 40km/h zone beside the school. They could be activated remotely along with the camera when children are in school. Such lights exist before the 40km/h zone on College Avenue in Guelph beside Centennial School. Sadly, I had no sense that this suggestion would be brought forward to the “camera committee” in engineering services.
After shaking hands with Mr. De Koning, I felt that I had accomplished very little, feeling that they are doing things to us rather than for us. As one old wise bird said, “You might as well save your breath to cool your soup.”
Larry Grovum,
Guelph