Automated Speed and Stop Light Cameras in Montgomery County, Maryland: Possibly Illegal, Potentially Dangerous

Montgomery County is the only county in Maryland to use speed cameras. It uses red light cameras as well. These cameras are making many of the residents of this County very angry for several reasons.

Even Police Officers are flipping the bird to the cameras as they drive by at 80 MPH in a 25 MPH zone.

How Automated Speed And Red Light Cameras Work

Speed cameras are set up either as permanent stationary spies on many streets or in vans moved from street to street. The posted speed on most streets is 25 MPH. If you pass by a camera at 36 MPH you will get a fine in the mail for $40. It does not matter who was driving the car at the time, the registered owner is responsible. While there are no points given to the vehicle's owner since no one can identify who was driving, the constant flood of $40 tickets is very expensive.
They are very dangerous as well. When someone spots a camera they suddenly apply their breaks to reduce their speed to almost 10 MPH to make sure they are not speeding. This has resulted in panic breaking with the accompanied screech and sometimes a rear end collision.

The stop light cameras work in a similar way but they are on more and more stop lights around the County since they bring in significant revenue to help balance the County budget. They cost $75 a pop and there is no margin of error. If you try to make a yellow light, but even for an instant the light turns red, you will get a fine. Again screeching breaks can be heard on yellow lights by people afraid to enter the intersection. The car behind may have thought they could make the yellow, so another rear end event happens.

Other Dangers Of The Cameras

There is a definite tendency to look for cameras, which diverts the attention of the driver from the immediate road ahead to the top of every stop light to check if there is a camera attached. It is very common to see people virtually stop their car in the middle of a street because of the paranoia created by the presence of so many cameras. Any unpredictable action by the driver in front of you or behind you increases the likelihood of an accident.

The constant fines ranging in the hundreds of millions of dollars each year is a strain on the finances of already financially burdened residents of one of the most expensive Counties in the Country.

Police And Traffic Cameras

In addition to traffic cameras, Montgomery County and the local jurisdictions also continue to give out their own traffic citations. Yet one of the highest per capita occupations to receive camera issued tickets are police officers. They are getting many tickets while on duty but not on a call. There have been many instances of policemen caught flipping the bird to the cameras and not paying their fines. This was the subject of a Washington Post article on page one of the main section on March 8, 2008.

The police argue that the owner of the car is supposed to pay the fine, not the driver. They believe Montgomery County, the owner of the police cars should pay the fines, not them. In a way that is how the camera law is written. Their mangers are demanding that the officers pay the fine but as of now they are not complying.

Big Brother Is Watching

The preponderance of cameras on streets is becoming overwhelming. There is a definite feeling of paranoia. In addition to speeding and red light cameras, other cameras are popping up on various streets. These may be cameras used by the Department of Homeland Security or other surveillance agencies of origins unknown to the majority of citizens.

I think I will do what the police are doing and not pay the continuous inflow of bills I didn't ask for. If the police ignore them why can't all citizens.