How to stop speeders
November 18th, 2004 -- by Augie De Blieck Jr.
Stoplight to punish suburban speeders / Pleasanton finds a way to slow impatient drivers
In a move unprecedented in the Bay Area, the city’s traffic engineers have created a traffic signal with attitude. It senses when a speeder is approaching and metes out swift punishment.
It doesn’t write a ticket. It immediately turns from green to yellow to red.
In a way, I like the devious nature of this solution. On the other hand, I’d hate to be the one doing the speed limit who catches a red light because the idiot in the lane next to me is speeding.
I’d also worry about someone else at the intersection seeing traffic stop in my direction and assume a green light of their own, causing an accident with cars coming the other way.
November 18th, 2004 at 1:55 pm
That does inspire a sense of vengeful glee on initial response, but I’m also concerned that it’ll stop all traffic in that direction to punish one driver. Not sure it’s really practical.
November 18th, 2004 at 9:11 pm
I like the variation where somebody sees a politician coming and takes his kneecap out with a baseball bat to stop him from passing stupid legislation or the like.