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St. Ann’s speed camera begins February 1st

Author:Steve Patterson January 31st, 2010

ABOVE: School zone on Ashby Rd in St. Ann MO

ABOVE: School zone on Ashby Rd in St. Ann MO (Image: Google Streetview)

Starting Monday February 1st motorists speeding along Ashby road in front of Hoech Middle School (3312 Ashby Rd) will receive tickets from a new speed enforcement camera:

ST. ANN, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) - It’s a first of its kind effort in Missouri to try and cut down on speeding in school zones. St. Ann, Missouri, is putting up a camera to catch people who speed through a school zone. But not everyone is thrilled with the idea. The St. Ann program is similar to the red light cameras- offenders will be mailed a ticket with a picture of the speeding car and a fine.

[Police Chief] Schrader says speeders will receive a flat fine of at least $100, but he says no points will be assessed on a driver’s record if they’re caught.

That fact upset attorney Chet Pleban, “They’re a bad thing in my opinion.” Pleban has been an outspoken opponent of red light cameras and he’s against the speed zone camera as well.

Pleban says without assessing points, the program is nothing more than a money maker for St. Ann with big brother watching. “It’s a revenue producing thing that I think is in the long run dangerous,” explained Pleban. “Where does big brother stop? Where does big brother stop monitoring us under the circumstances for revenue production?”

The camera will be in use 24/7-so even when the school zone speed limit is not in effect, drivers breaking the normal speed limit will still get tickets.  [Source: Camera Will Soon Be (sic) Catch School Zone Speeders]

Just as numerous municipalities now use red-light cameras I anticipate we will see more of these throughout the region.  But is this a good thing?  Some would argue the idea is too big brother while others argue safety is the primary concern.  What are the alternatives?

A couple of years ago I was in a car with my brother in Edmond OK as we drove entered a school zone in front Cimarron Middle School (3701 South Bryant Avenue, Edmond, OK).  South Bryant, like Ashby Rd, has four lanes of traffic but the method of denoting the school zone was the most effective I had ever seen.  Small runway lights in the center line flash during the school zone period.  The following video from the City of Edmond shows the flashing in-road lights as well as other measures they use to improve the safety of their streets (the intro is cheesy but stick with it).

Edmond’s solutions are a good alternate strategy to using cameras to ticket speeding vehicles.

- Steve Patterson

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  • JZ71
    Upon further review, this more about the money than about safety. The posted hours of enforcement are well in excess of the times when traffic is coingested and there are large numbers of pedestrians. It even apparently applies even on days when school is not in session. So while Ryley believes that speed kills, and would probably support a maximum speed of 20 mph everywhere and at all times ("you can never be too safe"), I can only support draconian school zone speed limits when there's a limited and proven need to do so.
  • Most likely the normal posted speed limit is well below the design speed of the 4-lane road.
  • ScottF
    Exactly
  • CarondeletNinja
    Awesome. Soon, we'll have all the laws, taxes, social controls general headaches that living in Europe brings, only without the benefits of actually living in Europe. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I hear my mother calling. I mustn't be tardy, or I'll not get my pudding...
  • aaronlevi
    i work at Hoech, i wasn't there last year, but a child was hit crossing the street here. all the flashing lights in the world won't make a lot of people slow down, but the risk of $100 ticket sure will. I'm not a huge fan of "big brother" and the red light cameras, but you can't ignore the fact that last year was the safest driving year for missouri in 60 years. i have to wonder if that has something to do with all of these cameras. I know for fact it has caused me to improve my driving safety.
  • Chris
    Sadly, some people will behave morally only if it costs them money.
  • RyleyinSTL
    About time this started here....what was the delay? It has been common practice in Canada for nearly 20 years. I recall the City of Edmonton used to put them in minivans and moved them around all the time to keeps us on our toes. Speed kills and photo radar effectively deters some speeders. People with more money than brains can increase city revenues via their fines and I can keep more of my paycheque my wallet. School zones and residential areas are great places to start. Anyone with children should welcome this.

    The only issue I have is that no points are assessed on a drivers record. It's important to have the points pile up to increase the speed deterrent. It's your car and you are responsible for it regardless who is behind the wheel. If the people you lend your automobile to are irresponsible you should make better choices.
  • JZ71
    Laws without enforcement are meaningless. Flashing runway lights may keep honest people honest, but will do little to slow down the real speeders, much like the speed trailers we have around here, the ones that flash your actual speed as you drive by. Pay a few fines and risk losing your license, then you might actually pay more attention and slow down . . .
  • As the Edmond video shows they have signs that show your speed as well as the flashing lights. They have a layered approach.
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