By Dimitra Angelopoulos
Residents of Whitestone, Queens have most likely noticed the addition of several speed radar cameras in the area recently. Speed cameras typically receive some opposition in this being that people have different points of view and feelings towards this matter. I interviewed some locals to get their thoughts and opinions on the speed radar cameras and what they think their impact on the community is as a whole.
I first asked several people that are locals what they think the impact of additional speed radar cameras in the area will be. John Ashton responded, “I think they are trying to reduce accidents but it’s really annoying because 25 mph is not ideal…”. Mr. Ashton went on to say that the cameras have been installed for many blocks and in very close succession, which he feels has been frustrating. I then asked Constantine Perselis, who works at a local electric company. He stated, “I think the impact of the speeding cameras are everywhere so people aren’t speeding and getting into accidents…or God forbid if a child runs into the street and the driver can’t stop the vehicle in time. I have seen kids playing and at times are not supervised by an adult.” Overall, Mr. Perselis believes that the speed cameras are a positive influence in the community since they will force people to drive slower and more responsibly in residential areas. Unfortunately, there have been many accidents because people would drive negligently by speeding especially young adults and even blow the stop sign. Lastly, I asked Maria Khan of Whitestone about her overall thoughts on the additional speed radar cameras. Ms. Khan said, “I don’t think there is an impact. I think it’s ridiculous at this point that they have them on so many blocks, if they are trying to reduce accidents that’s ok, but they have also put them in quiet areas and one-way streets.”
I also asked each one of my interviewees if they believe that speeding cameras reduce speeding or if they consider them generally ineffective. John Ashton stated, “ I think they will definitely reduce speeding because no one wants to get a ticket for going over the speed limit.” Constantine Perselis voiced similar thoughts, and said, “I do believe speeding cameras reduce speeding since it’s a $50 ticket and no one wants to waste money by paying that. Besides, the cameras are really not too far apart from each other in several of the areas. Therefore, the camera tickets would add up and become a big expense.” Despite her negative feelings towards the speed cameras overall, Maria Khan admitted that she does see them being effective at reducing speeding in the community. She went on to say, “Yes, speeding cameras do reduce speeding because the camera will capture your license plate and you will get a ticket in the mail. So people have no choice but to go the posted speed limit.”
Although speeding cameras have been around for many years in the area, people have become used to where they are located and the speeds that they require drivers to go on the road. If someone is driving through an area where they know there are 25 mph speeding cameras, they are accustomed to slowing down or watching their speed in those areas. However, adding numerous new speeding cameras in manu new areas throws off people’s routines and catches them off guard. Their routes taken from home to work or school might be disrupted by a number of new radars that they aren’t expecting. It will take time for people to become used to the new cameras and their locations. In the meantime, many people might receive speeding violations from areas where they simply weren’t aware that the speeding cameras were positioned.
Based on the responses of those interviewed, there is generally a negative feeling towards the speeding cameras. As Ms. Khan mentioned, there have been cameras installed in areas that don’t make too much sense. These areas include quiet areas, residential areas, or one-way streets. The addition of speeding cameras in areas such as these throws into question how it was decided where to position them. Residents of the community must be wondering who decided where the cameras would be added, and if it was random or based on statistics of accidents or speeding in the area. The fact that cameras seem to have been added in quiet areas makes the locations seem somewhat random. Considering that the cameras may have been placed haphazardly, it is even more frustrating for the residents of Whitestone and the surrounding area. If additional speeding cameras were necessary, it makes more sense to add them to areas where statistics were high for accidents or speeding in the past.
Overall, the locals have mixed feelings about the installation of additional speed radar cameras in the Whitestone community. Although some people believe that they could have some positive impacts, the general feeling towards them is frustration and irritation.. Both Mr. Ashton and Ms. Khan pointed out especially that they believe that there are simply too many cameras being put up, and that they are too close together in radius. As Ms. Khan mentioned, the cameras are also in areas that make little sense such as quiet, residential areas. However, despite the general negative feelings towards the new cameras, all the locals that I spoke with admit that the addition of more speeding cameras will result in less speeding in the community. They all agree that the threat of a $50 fine is enough to motivate people to obey the speed limit in areas where the cameras are present. Despite feeling motivated to obey the speed limit due to the threat of tickets and speeding violations, it is clear that the residents of Whitestone feel resentful and powerless in their own community. Without the ability to vote against or dispute the addition of new speeding cameras in our areas, the residents in the area are left to deal with the additional speeding cameras for the foreseeable future.
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