Comments on: Today’s Headlines http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/05/01/todays-headlines-148/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nicolo Macchiavelli http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/05/01/todays-headlines-148/comment-page-1/#comment-31294 Nicolo Macchiavelli Wed, 02 May 2007 00:03:04 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/05/01/todays-headlines-148/#comment-31294 Doc, what is wrong with raising revenues from speeders and reckless drivers? Doesn't revenue have to be raised from somewhere, or was Ben Franklin wrong? Why not raise it from roadway violations? Wouldn't safer drivers bring down insurance rates for everyone? I like Europe, maybe I am alone in that weakness. In Europe you drive as fast as you want on the limited access roads like the autobahn in Germany. But if you violate the strict speed limits on the streets the fines are enormous and revenue is raised. That revenue, plus the very high gas tax, provides a fantastic rail and bike network. I had hoped Corzine had learned a lesson and would govern accordingly. Hope is eternal. Doc, what is wrong with raising revenues from speeders and reckless drivers? Doesn’t revenue have to be raised from somewhere, or was Ben Franklin wrong? Why not raise it from roadway violations? Wouldn’t safer drivers bring down insurance rates for everyone?

I like Europe, maybe I am alone in that weakness. In Europe you drive as fast as you want on the limited access roads like the autobahn in Germany. But if you violate the strict speed limits on the streets the fines are enormous and revenue is raised. That revenue, plus the very high gas tax, provides a fantastic rail and bike network.

I had hoped Corzine had learned a lesson and would govern accordingly. Hope is eternal.

]]> By: Doc Barnett http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/05/01/todays-headlines-148/comment-page-1/#comment-31273 Doc Barnett Tue, 01 May 2007 14:40:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/05/01/todays-headlines-148/#comment-31273 Part of what's so repulsive about this apparent tradition of speeding NJ governor motorcades is how fiercely those same governors have fought <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802E6D71139F931A35751C1A963958260" rel="nofollow">any increase</a> in the speed limit for the general public. The few 65 mph zones that NJ has come with "double fines." What exactly the speed limit should be on access controlled roads is up for debate (I would advocate carbon taxes over improbable speed limits if the goal is carbon reduction) but there's no excuse for the system of government privilege and revenue generation that exists there now. Part of what’s so repulsive about this apparent tradition of speeding NJ governor motorcades is how fiercely those same governors have fought any increase in the speed limit for the general public. The few 65 mph zones that NJ has come with “double fines.” What exactly the speed limit should be on access controlled roads is up for debate (I would advocate carbon taxes over improbable speed limits if the goal is carbon reduction) but there’s no excuse for the system of government privilege and revenue generation that exists there now.

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