Editor: I am the writer of the ‘Watching my speedometer’ letter that has caused such a stir.
What I apparently failed to communicate in my letter is that Canmore’s photo radar program is militant and counterproductive.
The weeklong crackdown just past the Bow Bridge was exploitation. It led to upwards of three tickets being issued to most of my neighbours, all of whom are responsible drivers.
Hundreds of vigilant drivers are now paying $300-$400 to the Town of Canmore because we accelerated safely after the crosswalk, where the speed limit jumps from 30 km/h back up to 50 km/h.
It is a natural acceleration point that was taken advantage of. All of us were issued our third ticket before we even received the first one in the mail. If the photo radar program was actually about safety, it might be reasonable to give those who have been ticketed an opportunity to adjust their driving habits (even if those habits are in fact safe to begin with).
Instead, this program has clearly demonstrated it prioritizes revenue over safety. Shame on the Town of Canmore for creating a climate of paranoia in which people who ought to be watching the road are now glued to their speedometers or looking over their shoulders in fear when they accidentally go over the limit by a hair.
And no, I won’t be giving up my licence any time soon.
Sasha Koegler,
Canmore
