Since the speed limit on the 695 Beltway is 55 mph these cameras allow a driver to exceed the regular speed limit by 6 mph (that is almost 11%) and still not get a ticket in a construction zone. Does anyone still want to argue that these cameras are for safety and not revenue? If 50 mph is the safe speed limit in a contruction zone then enforce 50 mph. In a school zone with a 25 mph speed limit you can travel at 36 mph and not get a ticket. Most urban streets have a normal 35 mph speed limit so we can still exceed the normal speed limit in a school zone and not get a ticket. If the normal speed limit 30 mph then we can exceed the normal speed limit by 20% and not get a ticket in a 25 mph school zone. Again if 25 mph is safe then enforce 25.

Yes, they are about revenue, NOT safety. If it was about safety, politicians and police would not be making traffic engineering decisions. Traffic engineers are the only ones qualified to make these decisions. They were NOT asked to do an engineering study to analyze the location and propose ways to improve safety using a scientific, fact based approach.

Also, if it was about safety, photo tickets would be treated the same as "real" tickets, and an effort would be made to identify the driver.

Instead, unqualified personnel wanted money machines, and that's what we've now got.

Does someone have to die before the consequences of using these cameras gets attention? Whether its blinding oncoming traffic or causing multiple near-miss situations due to people slamming on their breaks, these cameras really need to be removed and rethought. Speed is not a great metric for determining safety. More research and thought needs to be put into the cameras to make them safe.

Drivers should look into countermeasures for the cameras, although the cover solution doesn't work as well as the interference ones. Unfortunately, there's no way to defeat the annoying affects of that flash.

"Yes, they are about revenue, NOT safety."

Boo hoo. I love how entitled drivers think they are to just drive however they like, whenever they like. The fact is, most of the time, the cameras catch the person who is actually speeding. Complain all you like about politicians and whatnot, but the speed limit is the speed limit. You broke it, and no matter how it's enforced, you are being punished. Going 12 mph faster than the speed limit doesn't get you to your destination that much faster, anyway. Live with the fact that you can't get away with everything on the road.

The Liberty Road/695 interchange construction site has been in place for at least a month now. It was only in the past week that I noticed that the speed camera vehicle, or I should say, the Maryland Mobile ATM, was in operation in this area. There seemed to be no place for the speed camera vehicle until recently due to construction equipment and vehicles left at the site overnight.

I haven't seen the vehicle there during the day when construction workers are actually on site because it would probably be in the way of actual work. So what we are seeing is enforcement when the people it is meant to protect are safe at home!

I saw the Maryland Mobile ATM picking vehicle owners pockets on 695 in the Liberty Road area for the first time this past Friday evening. The camera was flashing so much as I approached the area that it looked like someone was having an 80s disco party on the side of the road.

The drivers that frequently travel this section have probably been lulled into a false sense of security. As in, it wasn't there yesterday, so it won't be there today. That is probably the moment when their personal attendance at the roadside disco party is recorded.

I just hope that the pretty flashing lights don't trigger an epileptic seizure for anyone driving in this beltway section.

I believe it was Arizona that just recently scrapped their entire speed camera program by not re-newing the contract with the company that the state splits the money with.

I'm fine with the circus of dealing with the speed camera, but if its not revenue driven, why is it used when school is not in session and when there are no construction personnel in the area? At 6AM and prior nobody is at the construction site yet the camera is still operating. During the summer, school is not in seesion and yet the cameras still snap away. Of course it is revenue driven, safety is a convenient excuse for the politiicans to convince their minions the policy is genuine.

Andrew,

If it is about safety then why are drivers allowed to exceed the normal speed limits through construction zones and school zones? Is 36 mph really safe in a school zone? Is 61 really safe in a construction zone? This doesn't make any sense. If you want safe school zones enforce the 25 mph not 44% above the safe speed. For safe construction zones enforce 50 mph not 22% above the safe speed.

Since you are such a proponent of speed cameras can you tell me why drivers are allowed to exceed the safe speed in the school zones by a margin double that of construction zones? I guess traffic engineers figure kids are younger and quicker than the old men on construction sites and can dodge cars easier.

I for one don't care if speed cameras are used, I just want laws to make sense and the way things are set up in Maryland now it just doesn't make any sense unless the cameras are strictly for revenue.

andrew, a driver can weave, cut others off, text on their cell phone, and do other things that cause traffic problems. There are tons of dangers out there that are not related to speeding. The cameras only address speeding. It's not effective. It doesn't improve safety. It doesn't get people to stop doing those other distraction things while they're doing the speed limit. Personally, I'm much more concerned with a person that is on their cell phone or weaving in and out of cars than one who is going 20, 30, or even 40 mph over the limit. If these cameras are actually intended to improve safety then they need to address other more important things than just speeding.

Of course a speed camera is a revenue producer. Duh. There's a speed camera in Atlanta that made something like $2 million last year ALONE. How can a municipality/state pass up that type of easy money? It's better than taxing their residents out the wazoo (not that Maryland doesn't already do that, but still). As far as I'm concerned, let the state make money off of people breaking the law.

While I'm creeped out by the idea of the speed/stop light camera, it's a lot more benign and non-discriminatory than most cops, and it can more uniformly catch speeders than human enforcement. Also, no one has mentioned that cops don't consult with traffic engineers when they set up a manned speed trap. Why should they when using cameras?

People only complain about speed cameras because they know they are much more likely to get a ticket from one than they are from a cop clocking people on the side of the road.

"Personally, I'm much more concerned with a person that is on their cell phone or weaving in and out of cars than one who is going 20, 30, or even 40 mph over the limit."

Are you trying to justify going 40 MPH over the speed limit??? I've heard it all, now. In my experience, the people who speed are also the ones that are talking on their cell phones and weaving in and out of traffic.

Also, complaining about a flash on the road is ridiculous. Should we close down the roads when there is lightning? Because that makes a similar flash. Or thunder? That's loud and scary. Drivers should be alert and ready for any situation on the road, not just the conditions they are used to.

I have been thinking about this and have come to the conclusion that speed cameras actually encourage drivers to speed. When you had to worry about a live officer clocking your speed in a school zone you could worry that the community was serious about protecting children and therefore the officer might nail you for 5 mph over or less. Now with cameras you know you can go 11 mph over and not worry about a ticket. And if you get a ticket all it means is couple of bucks but no points against your license. Take the chance and always go 31 through a school zone.

I meant always go 36 through school zones with cameras.

I experienced a very similar situation about one week ago traveling southbound. It was around 10:00pm at night, raining and I had a tractor trailer next to my vehicle. Road visibility was poor due to the darkness and construction obstacles in addition to severe lightening. The camera lights started flashing rapidly due to the volume of cars that were keeping pace. I did not know where the flashes were coming from (I do not travel this road often as I was headed out of town for vacation) and at first I could not tell if it was an emergency vehicle, lightening or the car ahead of me. While I realize everyone will ask - did you not see the warning signs? My answer is no again the time of day in addition to the tractor trailer did not allow me the ability to see beyond the concrete barriers, orange cones and the narrowing of the road. It startled me and was a hazard as I swerved initially in reaction to the lights. I agree it needs to be investigated further.

The only way to end this nonsense is to offer a perment vacation to your elected representatives. All of them.

If you will not do this do not bother to complain

I've driven through that area several times over the last few weekends, and the only "workers" were the guys running the speed camera. Why is it considered a work zone at those times that work on the road will never happen? The flow of traffic is being impeded at all times, while work is very likely only being done during hours that the unions permit.

I am pretty sure the contractor on this job is not union. The ridiculous work hours are set by the State Highway Administration.

I have received a speeding ticket every month for the last 4 months. I receive it the exact same time every month and it has the exact same speed (62mph in a 50) at 695/Charles.
I went to look at the pictures online an dthey are the same picture for all 4 tickets. HMMMMM not only that there are other cars all around me, in front, behind and to the side of me. How could I be the one getting a ticket if there are cars all around me going the same speed?????????
VERY FISHY MARYLAND.....
EXTORSION... Get your monthly $40.00 bill to pay each month yet? You will.

I was traveling in a rental car on I-95 south left lane in the white marsh area- going through a construction zone at 2 AM where no work was occurring and two bright flashes went off because I was going 63 in a 50 mph zone. Yes, I was going too fast. But those bright flashes caused me to swerve into the middle lane suddenly because I was stunned. I'm not saying I shouldn't pay the fine for going too fast. But I am a young, healthy driver with no medical issues or vision issues. I can't even imagine the danger these cameras can cause at night from their unexpected flash. My husband asked if it was lightning. A completely unacceptable and unsafe way of enforcing the law. I am horrified these cameras exist!!!!!!

Yeah so where is the petition for these things to be removed. They are in a bad spot(too low and close to eye level), and they aren't accurate. I got one and I was doing 40mph to take the liberty road exit. A car zipped around me and the light went off. I get back to Philly and find out it snapped me instead,

The flash is startling (as mentioned in several comments) and there is absolutely ZERO warning, not even a sign saying
"Work Zone Ahead". I would've slammed my brakes if there weren't people behind me. I was going with the flow of traffic, you can see in the "picture" that people are passing me. Why are the cameras are even on in the middle of the night when no one is working?

ALL speed cameras are for revenue only, and this is BY FAR the lowest, sleaziest, most disgraceful way of collecting revenue I have ever seen. I'll make sure to drive 10mph under the speed limit from now on when on I-695, which I will of course try to make as rarely as possible.