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What downside? You're not supposed to run red lights or exceed the speed limit. This should be enforced electronically. The machines are unbiased and more accu

• pdonis 2y ago
  > You're not supposed to run red lights Even if it's an empty intersection and I can clearly see that there is no traffic coming, and the stupid light is staying red for way too long simply because the local government can't be bothered to put in a smarter one? > or exceed the speed limit. Even if it's an empty limited access highway and the speed limit is set too low because whatever government runs the road can't be bothered to update it to reflect the current circumstances? Sure, if a cop catches me (or a monitoring camera does) doing these things, I get a ticket and have to pay a fine. But that just reinforces the point that traffic laws are way more about revenue for municipalities than they are about actual safety. If they were about actual safety, then I wouldn't get a ticket for violating the letter of a traffic law when there was negligible risk of actual harm. You seem to believe that just because some people put a law in place, it must be the best possible tradeoff among various competing factors. All human history shows that such a belief is false.
• chgs 2y ago
  There’s a big difference between being punished appropriately for doing something, and being able to present your mitigating circumstances, and being prevented from doing something. By all means fine me for going through the red light, then allow me to explain to the judge the mitigating reasons (carrying a heart attack patient etc)