[...] itsNbits via] This was written by Horatiorama. Posted on Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at 2:50 pm. Filed under [...]

I have a clean license, I may on occasions inadvertently go over the speed limit, I haven’t had an accident for over 25 years and am far removed from the teenage boy racer, I am what you might say a normal driver.

Motorists in the UK are now so programmed and desensitised to an array of signs with laws changing on a weekly basis that whenever they see a “safety” camera in an unfamiliar area I suggest most people momentarily pause to establish whether its a 30, 40 or 50mph speed limit and have witnessed motorists effectively performing an emergency stop to the lowest possible limit.

I haven’t felt strongly enough to voice my opinion on the matter until last weekend. Whilst travelling on the A5, I braked suddenly in front of a speed camera on the brow of a hill. A motorcyclist was tucked in behind my offside rear and nearly crashed into a central refuge to avoid a collision. Unlike me the motorcyclist was probably familiar with speed limit and camera position. Irrespective of any fault of travelling too close one has to step back and say would this of happened if the camera wasn’t there.

With hindsight it made me reflect on the amount of attention I give to looking out for safety cameras at the expense of looking out for pedestrians, cars, and bikes in unfamiliar territory, it is indeed quite shuddering.

I believe that policies are becoming disjointed, evidence to make all fixed speed cameras bright yellow was seen as a victory for those in the “raising” revenue camp, but after reading the article http://gadgets.liveflash.co.uk/sat-nav/2008/11/speed-trap-vans-should-be-bright-yellow/ suggesting mobile “safety camera vans” can be any colour. This really does suggest that research can be tailored to support either side argument. Does new strategic thinking by social philosophers rather than “weekend safety course” politicians need to bring about change?

The scanners do NOT work reliably if the myki card is in a handbag or laptop bag. They do work through a wallet or purse but only if the wallet or purse is held up against the scanner.

You CANNOT leave the myki card in your pocket and walk through the scanners.

You can test for yourself at Spencer St. station. Simply ask the promo person to try the card and hold a book between the card and the reader and you’ll get nothing. I also tried it in my wallet in my bag and likewise – no go.

How long are we going to have to wait in queues on trams and at train stations while people try scanning their bags and handbags, only to THEN remove the purse or wallet to scan.

The promo person told me this system is used around the world including London and New York, but I can’t remember ever scanning off Ny subways or London busses.

To me the worse part of Myki is the ridiculous price and scanning off. The promo person was singing the praises of scanning off, but for one simple reason “best fare for the trip” yet insisted that the crush to get out of my station at 6pm each evening would be made longer if everybody have to scan off at the two scanners.

To me scanning on should be compulsory, scanning off optional, if I get on a train to the city and don’t scan off, then bill me for the longest possible trip….to the city. It’s not as though the train is going to Mildura.

If someone in the city buys a zone 1+2 ticket, travels to a zone 2 station and doesn’t scan off – no penalty. If I have a yearly ticket and make the same trip, the promo person said I would have an undefined penalty applied for not scanning off. Why me and not the person next to me with a one trip ticket?