“Dangerous” is a relative term. Many of the speeding cameras both in the UK and parts of this country are set to snap your picture if you exceed the posted limit by very little.

And here in the US many of those cameras are operated by private companies that have contracts with local or state governments that allow them to keep a large percentage of any money collected by using their cameras. I’m sure many people here think that’s great, but I have a problem with private companies enforcing public laws for their own enrichment.

“Violent motorists?” Violence against what? Cameras? (I’m not talking about the mailbombers here — I mean the people who try to disable the cameras. This has been an ongoing issue in the UK for a while now but it’s the first time I’ve heard about mailbombs.)

I only used jaywalking as an example because of the nature of this site and the proud pedestrians that inhabit these discussion boards. But it could be anything — do you want Big Brother taking your picture any time your toe goes over the line? You’d probably be broke, buried under a pile of tickets, and mighty angry.

Notice I made no mention of NYC’s growing collection of red light cameras. Running red lights is truly stupid and dangerous, and the vast majority of people obey red light laws because red light laws make sense. But many speed limits don’t make sense (not the fact that they exist, but the level they’re set at). Does anyone drive 50 mph on the Palisades Pkwy? People don’t respect laws that don’t make sense.

That’s why you jaywalk. BTW, jaywalkers do kill — themselves. I’m a non-rehabilitated jaywalker, having been busted by a very apologetic pair of New York’s Finest during Giuliani’s infamous crackdown on the “Boulevard of Death.” Three hours in the Queens County Courthouse and $25 later I’m proud to say that I still jaywalk every day.

“Hi, I’m Spud and I’m a jaywalker.”

“Hi, Spud!”

(BTW, I like your choice of name for this thread. It’s OK if you change names because as long as you use the word “argument” I know it’s the same person.)

Spud, I hope for your sake you are getting paid to foster these nonsensical arguements. Though if you are getting paid, I’m not sure if it’s by Streetsblog to generate comments, or the deep pocketed dimwits who have warped our societal values so profoundly.

But before anyone rails on Brits for destroying speeding cameras, ask yourself how you’d feel if there were government cameras everywhere snapping pictures of you every time you broke the law. All the proud pedestrians on this site probably jaywalk with abandon, even though it sometimes imperils themselves and others. What would you do if you got a fine in the mail every time you failed to completely toe the line?

And this applies to the Brits in particular, since they have more surveillance cameras per capita than anywhere else in the world. A backlash is inevitable (though letter bombs are not the way to about it).

I have recognized it!!!

Don’t charge motorists they are just bunch of cool guys on bikes, go and hunt real criminals instead!!!!!!!