Because you, our readers, are no doubt as tired of seeing letters to the editor regarding photo radar as we, Outlook staff, are, we’ve decided to do our civic duty and offer up a rock solid, can’t miss, surefire, game changing, open and shut, definitive, leadpipe cinch of a solution.
SLOW DOWN, already.
You’re welcome.
Rather than moaning and bemoaning, berating and deriding, fussing and fuming, arguing and squabbling about photo radar – which won’t go away any time soon due to the money rolling into town coffers because of it – address the problem with your right foot and lift it a little.
Of all the problems citizens regularly complain about in Canmore – traffic congestion and parking, special events, the price of oil, the low dollar, property taxes, political parties, lack of affordable housing, municipal government decisions, wildlife corridor issues – photo radar is one that people can actually take it upon themselves to deal with.
As a driver, avoiding photo radar tickets is absolutely in your own hands (and foot). You know photo radar is out there. You know it’s not going away. You know you don’t want to pay tickets.
If drivers obeyed speed limits to the point where no photo radar tickets are being written, the contractor hired by the Town would likely sell off the fleet of vehicles because staffing them would be a money losing proposition.
In looking at the situation, we would refer to the quote often attributed to Albert Einstein; the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
So, should drivers continue to ignore speed limits in town, you will continue to receive photo radar tickets – it’s not rocket surgery, people.
We constantly hear it said that “photo radar’s always in (fill in your favourite complaint location here) that spot.” Yet people continue to ring up the tickets while complaining about what a “cash cow” photo radar is.
The thing is, it is. To point out the ridiculously obvious, that’s why private contractors are in the photo radar business; to make money.
The fact the Town gets its cut through said contract, without even needing to supply staff, means it’s easy money.
You can argue all you want about photo radar doing nothing to increase safety on the roads; it doesn’t matter, because it’s easy money and it isn’t going anywhere.
Again … slow down and make photo radar obsolete, or change your viewpoint and simply accept it as a user fee.
Parking problems
Despite a past study that indicated there were no problems with parking in Canmore’s downtown core (plenty of argument there from citizens), we’ll commend the Town for ensuring some turnover among spots between artsPlace and the tourist info office.
Roam has become very popular with commuters, but it doesn’t mean those taking a bus to Banff should be able to hog all the parking – for a whole day at a time. Roamers claiming all the spots first thing in the morning means few open spots for tourists and others needing to be downtown during the day.
Just like Town vehicles can be seen idling for long periods despite an anti-idling bylaw, though, there will be those who complain that Town vehicles, which don’t have to move every four hours, are hogging spaces better used by tourists and citizens in their day-to-day business.
