Thread by @WABADC

Ah, this old chestnut.

Let's talk about speed cameras for a minute.

Or, more specifically, how we talk about speed cameras.

https://twitter.com/nbcwashington/status/1128598809691529217

Speeding isn't just a problem for people on bikes or on foot.

It's a problem for everyone.

"Speed trap" is an inherently disingenuous concept—it assumes that speeding is OK, and the mean ol' government is trying to keep you down.

But the reality is: the faster you drive, the more likely you are to kill yourself or someone else with your car.

Roads are public space. We have a whole bunch of rules for those spaces to make sure we don't kill each other when we use them.

So talking about "speed traps" is mostly a way of saying "I think I should be allowed to drive faster in this public space" while using a complaint about government overreach to avoid talking about the risk that driving faster poses to everyone else.

Not getting a speeding ticket is, in fact, pretty easy:
1. Read sign
2. Compare number to speedometer.
3. Apply pressure to brake pedal as needed.

BUT, the persistence of the "speed trap" concept tells us something else: many of our roads are overbuilt.

Our public space is designed to make people feel like they SHOULD be able to drive faster.

Speed cameras that don't change driver behavior are an indication that there's something wrong with the road design.

The solution is not to leave the speed limit unenforced, it's to change the design of the road.

So next time you see a press release about speed camera revenue, take a moment to assess its underlying assumptions.

Because here's the thing: we don't want anyone to get speeding tickets either!

We want people to stop speeding.