Tag: los-angeles

The infamous stop sign camera scam

Since 2007 July, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Agency (MRCA) in the Los Angeles, CA, area has been using photographic (camera) enforcement on many stop signs in the parks it manages. The fine was at first $100, then increased later to $175 (and possibly the fines can go higher for multiple violations within a year). A small sampling of posts about this scam:

There is no shortage of news coverage and blog posts about what is a very obvious scheme of arbitrary traffic rules enforced strictly for revenue.

It’s a scam because a lot of stop signs are placed in confusing locations, and worse, in some locations if a vehicle stops behind the sign, it is actually more dangerous than if the stop is made later or the stop sign is simply a yield sign (or an even a unsigned yield based on rules of the road). The third post above about the Topanga Overlook shows one such ill-placed stop sign (from a safety standpoint):

Exiting traffic from the parking lot has plenty of room to yield to thru traffic on the road or merge at a safe speed. Placing the stop sign there simply forces drivers to make the merge from a dead stop, and does absolutely nothing to improve safety.

This is just one example. At least one other MRCA photo enforced stop sign is at a “crosswalk to nowhere.” The crosswalk leads to a sidewalk on one side, but just dirt on the other and no obvious way for pedestrians to continue on any type of path. Again, with this in mind it’s easy to conclude this is a “gotcha” stop sign just for revenue. Putting up stop signs like this reduces the overall respect for traffic control devices everywhere and reduces safety across the board long term.

One comment on the blog posts notes that in travelling over 1000 miles across the UK, he saw maybe one or two stop signs on the whole trip, reserved for situations where it’s just impossible to clearly see the traffic until right at the corner. The rest are “give way” signs (which we label “yield” in the US). Honestly, the Brits are on to something here when it comes to traffic engineering. (However, their use of speed cameras over there completely misses the mark, but that’s another topic for another day.)

While I am overall no fan of unsafe driving, I oppose any type of automated photographic or videographic enforcement methods. The reason behind this is that I have found these methods are almost always, sooner or later, abused for revenue. This abuse leads to less respect for traffic control devices and traffic laws overall, leading to more dangerous, not safer, roads.

This abuse is part of the reason the red light cameras here in Houston, TX, and not too far away in Baytown, TX, are no longer standing. The people here figured it out. It doesn’t matter if the money is treated the same as other traffic ticket fines or if it goes to public hospital trauma centers; the abuse still happens. The MRCA’s silly stop signs just make it more obvious it’s about revenue, not safety. Shame on you, MRCA.

Blocking traffic is a felony? Really?

As a former professional driver (messenger/courier), I’ve dealt with my share of traffic. I know first-hand it’s not the job to take if you’re trying to reduce your blood pressure from an unhealthy level, or if you’re trying to quit drinking, smoking, or swearing. (I was mostly guilty of the last of these, and I’ve joked that all couriers in Houston are fluent  in two languages: clean English and profanity.) For those and other reasons, it’s a job I will probably never take up again. I’ve learned a lot from the experience.

Nevertheless I was a bit dismayed to learn that over in Los Angeles, the DA is filing felony conspiracy charges against a rap group (the Imperial Stars) that blocked a freeway for a publicity stunt (laweekly.com). My rationale is this: there are all kinds of traffic accidents that result in a freeway getting shut down in major cities across the US (and elsewhere). The driver at fault rarely gets cited for a felony for the accident unless it results in serious injury or death and even then it is only for that and not the consequential traffic tie-up.

I don’t approve of what the Imperial Stars did. It’s inexcusable. However, I feel making it a felony is a step too far. Appropriate relief would include misdemeanor charges, and an injunction forbidding them from repeating this stunt. That, combined with the civil liability as suggested by one of the commenters on the LA Weekly story, is enough of a deterrent. Actually, the civil suits alone and resulting bad PR should be plenty to ensure that not only do the Imperial Stars not repeat this ill-advised stunt, but that nobody else tries this.

Please, let’s reserve felonies for the truly serious crimes. Not blocking traffic.