Speed/distance cameras: What YOU think

Earlier this week, Wheels24 reported that the City of Cape Town has unsheathed some new weapons in the neverending war against drivers who have no use for speed limits... and they’ll be being waved in anger before the end of October.
The system is about to go into operation on Nelson Mandela Boulevard in the city centre and it has the lengthy appellation: Average Speed Over Distance Cameras.

READERS RESPOND

Zakaria Munsoor says: Look at the autobahn in Germany. Studies have shown that the accidents and mortality rate are lower than countries that have a speed limit on their highways like the US and Spain. I paid fines of about R5000 in one month alone driving from King Williams Town to Cape Town and back.

The places where I received the fines were ridiculous. Ridiculous being open, never-ending long stretches of asphalt. The cherry on the top was I received a summons to appear in court for one of the fines in Mitchells Plain. It was in July 2014 and about the time that people were throwing rocks and burning tyres on the N2.

There area looked really dangerous and the roads were lit up with flickering blue police lights. I didn't waste time to get out of there. It felt like a war zone and when I exited the area, I felt relieved.

I think that there should be places where the speed limit should be controlled like in urban areas and commercial hubs and uncontrolled (to a limit) in rural areas and long stretches of highway. I also had a run in with the special VIP ministerial convoy on the way to Somerset West. I was on the fast lane doing 120km/h and the centre lane was full so I had to accelerate to about 160km to get to the centre lane.

If I had received a fine there, who was going to pay that fine? Definitely not some chauffeured tax-eating minister. A similar scenario can be observed when you have an enraged driver tailing you at 120km/h and there's absolutely no where to go except speed up.

I definitely am not in the mood to be a road-rage murder victim. The ministers and other members exploit the system with the expense of others. I'm sure their fines are scrapped via the 'contacts'.

Rolf Niederheitmann says: I think it is just always easy to monitor and fine speeding drivers. What about non-roadworthy cars or taxi's going through red robots on the emergency lane? Oh, but even if you fine them, they probably wont pay anyway.

The danger with speeding is not just the one car doing very high speeds in the fast lane, but also the idiot doing very low speeds in the fast lane! Why does Germany have less accidents?

Hendrik Petrick says: 1) When the authorities can guarantee the minimum speed on the highways 24/7; their speed reduction efforts will be more equitable.

2) I will be extremely happy to travel at an average speed of 120km/h from Cape Town to Johannesburg!

Sean Hensman says: Good, please send to Gauteng and N1 to Polokwane!

Guy says: Yes its a very good idea. I worked in China for two months and there is no way you can speed.

All highways have a centre wall down the middle dividing left and right traffic and every 2km there is a camera facing both directions which will do the same as the new ones in CTN. There are also blue and red lights flashing by the cameras to make you aware.

Every traffic light in China has a camera. Lanes are clearly marked 60, 100, 120. Travel in the wrong lane you get nailed. There are also lanes for buses, trucks and scooters.

Talk about traffic officers patrolling. China’s system has police and traffic officers as one unit. There are hundreds of these guys patrolling the streets on bikes and in cars day and night. South Africa has a lot to learn and to do regarding traffic regulation. Just my experience.

Bruce Fourie says: False, and stolen number plates will take over.

Mike B says: Fantastic idea, let’s hope it is enforced equitably. Next we will be able to stop people from going through red lights and stopping / creeping over the white lines at intersections?

It won't make the traffic lights change any sooner so can we please all just wait behind the first – the thick - white line until the lights go green! Besides, as far as I know, the next two white lines are supposed to demarcate the pedestrian crossing area at intersections.

Cameras triggered automatically should do the trick.

Oh yes, while I’m at it, how about not blocking intersections simply because you are too important / busy to wait for the traffic lights to cycle to green again?

Francois Krynauw says: Something like this is long overdue. Well done!