By Unknown
Copyright thestar
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s latest attack on speed cameras is dumbfounding. Speed kills, and that’s a fact. It’s been proven that cameras tend to reduce speeding. Other than in rare life-or-death situations, speeding is a choice; it’s not as if anyone is making drivers speed. The cameras’ presence is always made clear, such that accusations of “entrapment” don’t apply. We find it acceptable to tax the heck out of addictive substances such as alcohol and cigarettes, so public revenue generated from drivers’ “need to speed” should be considered tolerable, too. Between the removal of speed cameras, bike lanes and environmental protections, it seems as if the Ford government’s legacy will be one of destruction.
Elizabeth Allen, Toronto
It’s disturbing that Ford doesn’t seem to understand the value of speed cameras. It’s as if he’s determined to make our province more dangerous. Speeding kills. It can also cause property damage and result in higher insurance rates. Pedestrians and cyclists are dying on our streets, yet the premier apparently wants drivers to be allowed to continue speeding unchecked. Ford has first-hand experience with dangerous drivers, having been a victim of one himself. In January, an 18-year-old man was charged with dangerous driving after he collided with the premier’s vehicle. “We got hammered,” Ford said, “just hammered.” In August, the same young driver was charged for killing another man in a head-on crash.
The last time a speed camera caught me, I paid my fine without complaint. Now I drive within the limit. It’s not a hardship. It hasn’t made my life worse, nor has it affected my insurance rates. I have no problem with revenue generated via the enforcement of reasonable rules. Does Ford really want to encourage a culture of lawlessness? Ontarians pay the price when bad drivers take advantage of lax enforcement of the rules. Ford regularly talks about law and order, and he was elected in part to protect us and to improve our quality of life. By failing to act — or by acting against our best interests — he is failing all of us. We have a real problem on our roads, yes, but we also have the ability to correct it.
Nicole Leach, Toronto
Amid all the uproar about speed cameras in Ontario, I’ve yet to see mention of one very important mark in their favour: if you’re caught speeding by a camera, you simply pay a fine. No demerit points are added to your record, which would happen if you were caught by the police. Personally, I’d much rather be caught by a camera and not face the consequent (and potentially exorbitant) increase to my insurance rates.
Scott Kennedy, Toronto
