Big Brother vs. the Bean Counters

For all the years I lived in Tucson and had to drive to Phoenix, I always found it slightly disconcerting that when you reached the southern edge of the metro area and the speed limit dropped from 75 to 65, everybody seemed to speed up instead. Then there was the section of I-17 through the heart of the city, posted at 55; I often found myself keeping up with traffic and doing 70 without noticing — and being passed routinely.

That changed somewhat over the past year with the installation of speed cameras. They give you warning that a zone is ahead, but I’ve failed to notice more than once. But they only get you if you’re going more than 10 mph over, so what’s the big deal?

It was a big deal to many Arizonans, who screamed “Big Brother” and reserved the right to violate speed limits as long as no one was watching. Now it seems the program may be on the way out. According to a news story, it just isn’t bringing in the revenue that the state anticipated; people receiving citations in the mail are largely ignoring them because they know that they can always claim they didn’t receive them and that they aren’t likely to be personally served. The speed camera contractor isn’t even breaking even.

But I’ve noticed the difference. The traffic through Phoenix now proceeds at pretty much the speed limit, and I no longer feel compelled to maintain the same pace as speeders in order to keep from becoming a traffic hazard. And if that’s been the intended effect, so much the better — I no longer feel like I’m taking my life in my hands just by being on the highway.

Never thought I’d say this, but maybe a little Big Brother can be a good thing.