CITY COUNCIL NOTES: How much would that ‘racing camera’ ticket cost? Plus, West Seattle’s placement in ‘retail crime’ rankings

Two City Council notes:

PRICE TAG FOR RACING TICKET: After last week’s much-reported full-council vote authorizing speed-enforcement cameras in designated “racing zones,” including Alki and Harbor Avenues and West Marginal Way, enforcement cameras will be discussed by the Transportation and Public Utilities Committee this Tuesday. The major topic is a discussion of potentially doubling the number of school-zone speed-enforcement cameras around the city, though new locations aren’t mentioned. In the slide deck prepared for the discussion, SDOT says school-zone cameras have improved safety, with stats on page 6 saying average speeds in the zones have declined slightly, and collisions have declined dramatically. Then the committee moves on to consider legislation allowing even more uses for enforcement cameras. From the staff summary:

This legislation amends SMC provisions regarding use of automated traffic safety cameras to implement several new provisions authorized by the state legislature in 2022 with passage of the Move Ahead Washington transportation package. These provisions allow for 24/7 speed limit enforcement in school walk areas, park and hospital zones, and on additional streets – up to 1 camera per 10,000 population – that have either 1) been identified as a priority location in a local road safety plan that a city has submitted to WSDOT and where other speed reduction measures are not feasible or have not been sufficiently effective at reducing travel speed; 2) have a significantly higher rate of collisions than the city average in a period of at least 3 years and other speed reduction measures are not feasible or have not been sufficiently effective at reducing travel speed; or 3) is in an area designated by ordinance as a street racing zone.

The legislation also sets the fees/fines for the various types of enforcement – $75 for block-the-box or restricted-lane violations, and $139 for speed enforcement including “racing zone” cameras (same as the current red-light-camera fee). This does not affect or change the amount charged for school-zone speed violations, currently $237. The committee’s meeting is at 9;30 am Tuesday (August 1st) and the agenda explains how to watch/comment.

ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME: That’s the umbrella term for organized shoplifting and fencing, discussed in the council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee this past Tuesday. The occasion: A City Auditor report, requested by Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Andrew Lewis, reviewing the state of the problem and how the city handles it. Here’s the report; here’s the meeting video:

Of local interest, note this table of Seattle locations that generate the most calls to police for shoplifting:

Westwood Village is number two, and Westwood Target (technically not part of the shopping center) is number five. The problem overall is estimated at $2.7 billion statewide in the past year. Here’s what the City Auditor’s Office says could be done to try to reduce it:

1. Support City participation in collaborative efforts among agencies, including collaboration with the new Organized Retail Crime Unit in the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
2. Leverage federal and state crime analysis resources.
3. Use in-custody interviews of “boosters” — people who steal on behalf of fencing operations — to gather information on fencing operations.
4. Explore new uses of technology to address ORC.
5. Use place-based approaches to disrupt unregulated street markets.
6. Follow the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office “prosecution checklist” for ORC cases.
7. Consider City support of legislation that addresses ORC.

Tuesday’s meeting was just a discussion of the report and the problem; any action, on those seven points and/or others, would come later, and aren’t necessarily in the purview of the council. Participants in the discussion also included SPD, the City Attorney’s Office, and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

72 Replies to "CITY COUNCIL NOTES: How much would that 'racing camera' ticket cost? Plus, West Seattle's placement in 'retail crime' rankings"

  • alki_2008 July 29, 2023 (11:30 pm)

    So, if we can’t attend the Tuesday morning meeting, then we need to email Pederson to voice our disagreement with 24/7 speed cameras?  And our desire for speed bumps instead?

    • Scarlett July 30, 2023 (4:20 pm)

      I will be emailing my opposition to traffic camera’s;  I hope others will too. 

      • SlimJim July 30, 2023 (7:59 pm)

        Why would we do that? Don’t speed you don’t get a ticket. Pretty simple.

        • Derek July 31, 2023 (12:44 pm)

          There’s a plethora of reasons. Privacy is one. And “don’t speed” isn’t something someone who can pay the tickets will be detered by, so it really only hurts poor people who accidentally go over the limit.

        • Scarlett July 31, 2023 (3:20 pm)

          “Why did the robber rob the bank?”  Good grief.  

  • MSW July 29, 2023 (11:33 pm)

    This is just a big money grab for the city. And it’s just more expensive taxes on drivers. Makes me wonder if the 25 mph reduction city wide was part of the city’s plan to install these cameras. The cameras will be the most hated electronic devices in our city.  Low income folks will suffer the most. All in the name of safety upfront, but more revenue was the real goal behind the scene.

    • Question Authority July 30, 2023 (6:48 am)

      The argument about low income folks is a moot point as speeding is againt the law regardess of your economic status.  It’s simple, don’t speed.

      • K July 30, 2023 (10:23 am)

        You can avoid a fine by not speeding, but if you have the money to spare you can speed all you want because the consequence won’t have any real impact.  Fines create a two-tier system not by punishing only one class of people but by permitting one class of people to do whatever they want with no appreciable consequences.

        • Seattlite July 30, 2023 (2:19 pm)

          Drivers who speed put other drivers’, pedestrians’ lives at risk for injury or worse that is the consequence.  

    • bill July 30, 2023 (7:56 am)

      Not a tax. Follow the law and you won’t get fined. Why is that hard to understand? As for fairness, fines should be assessed according to income.

    • Anne July 30, 2023 (8:05 am)

      Whatever one’s income-this won’t affect you one bit as long as you -DONT SPEED-DONT STREET RACE. 

    • Josh July 30, 2023 (9:53 am)

      This is in no way a money grab. This is the city trying to do the actual job of government, use the law and its resources to keep the people safe and keep the flow of goods and services organized. Speeding is not necessary and it makes sense to use modern technology as a tool in limiting this childish, entitled, and barbaric practice. The idea that this will disproportionately affect low income people is insulting, are you implying that blue collar people commit more crime or are more likely to engage in antisocial and dangerous behavior? Shame on you. 

      • WestSeattleBadTakes July 30, 2023 (11:09 am)

        limiting this childish, entitled, and barbaric practice

        You’ve just accurately described car dependency. Congratulations!

      • Lamont July 30, 2023 (12:07 pm)

        “If the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the lower class.”
        And most of our streets that are now posted for 25 mph are designed for 35-40 mph speeds and their design indicates to drivers that they should go those speeds. Without changes to the architecture of the road using road diets, there will be a lot of people thinking they are driving perfectly safely getting all kinds of tickets.
        It won’t take very long before these revenue generating devices become deeply hated in low income communities.
        This is going to devolve into a bunch of mostly relatively affluent white liberals yelling at poor people of color that their tickets wouldn’t happen if they weren’t engaging in criminal activity. You may have to do some mental gymnastics at that point when you look at yourself in the mirror.

        • JDuh July 30, 2023 (12:35 pm)

          Please show some proof that streets that were “designed for 35-40 mph speeds” in the last century are now adequate for today’s unanticipated and overwhelming number of vehicles, both on the road as well as a continuous lane of parked cars and bicycle, scooters, hoverboard, wheelchair.. etc?

          All this is topped by the new middle lane that has become a parked with emergency flashers devoted lane. 

          Each one of these factor into what the “design speed” of our current right of ways is set at.

          • WestSeattleBadTakes July 30, 2023 (1:24 pm)

            The proof is right in front of you.First, speeds limits were changed largely without a redesign of the streets.Second, the fact that people regularly feel safe driving those speeds is good evidence the design of the street/road doesn’t match the posted speed limit.Lastly, even for redesigned streets people still feel comfortable driving over the speed limit. Delridge is a prime example where people regularly drive 30-40 and often higher.The rest of your post is unintelligible. But really any engagement with the data and using your eyes to assess the built environment (here and elsewhere) would give you information to work with.

          • Josh July 30, 2023 (2:03 pm)

            And delridge has been extensively redesigned so that it supports the current speed limit. Also just because people “feel safe” doing something doesn’t mean it is actually safe to do so. Also fines would proportionally affect poor people more, as does driving fast. So helping these simple people who just don’t know what’s best for them to make better decisions also disproportionately benefits the poor. The slower you go the less costly your travel is so according to your logic in the name of equity the city should go even further to limit speeds and bad decision making. If you are too poor to pay the fine then you are too poor to speed. Give poor people some credit, they aren’t babies or simpletons. Life is all about choices and there are consequences behind those choices. Government should do whatever it takes to promote safety first. Yes to speed cameras, yes to lane removal, yes to speed bumps, yes to rechannelization, yes to traffic circles, yes to winding boulevards, yes to everything that de emphasizes harried hear to there. 

          • SlimJim July 30, 2023 (8:03 pm)

            And yes to traffic cops enforcing the speed limit right Josh?

        • Question Authority July 30, 2023 (6:39 pm)

          What?  If the road is posted as a certain speed then what does previous or current design have to do with it?  Regardless of class wealth If you can’t read or follow directions you shouldn’t be driving.

    • Admyrl Byrd July 30, 2023 (11:55 am)

      In addition to the nonsense about affecting low income, the general consensus and data shows that traffic enforcement (and tolls for that matter) are not great sources of new revenue for jurisdictions.  The cost of setting them up and operating them (often by a 3rd party) is barely covered by the fines.  This is strictly a decision to try to discourage unlawful behavior without hiring more police which really don’t exist.

      • WSB July 30, 2023 (12:20 pm)

        The agenda documents have lots of info about the cost of operating these cameras.

  • Rusty July 30, 2023 (12:51 am)

    Trying to save cost and make the most impact? Speed bumps. They won’t race if their chassis will be destroyed.

    • Alki resident July 30, 2023 (7:47 am)

      Why do chassis need to be destroyed? A lot of us have hot rods that we love cruising in along Alki and some are a bit lower than others. We wouldn’t be able to handle having speed bumps if they get installed. 

      • LiouxLioux July 30, 2023 (11:26 am)

        That’s why we should do chicanes instead!

      • Alki resident August 6, 2023 (9:26 am)

        Disincentive for loud and annoying cars and speeding, please!

  • WSB July 30, 2023 (1:30 am)

    No. That’s why they’re separate. Target is a separate property.

  • HP July 30, 2023 (4:33 am)

    Unfortunately the use of traffic safety cameras to deter organized street racing will not work. If you go on Alki Drive right before an illegal street race is about to begin you will notice that one of the first things that drivers do is to remove / cover their license plates. They already do this even without
    traffic safety cameras in the area. Without license plates, traffic safety cameras will be useless in deterring organized street racing.

    Let’s learn from the experience of the larger West Coast cities (Okland, San Jose, San Francisco,…) and find the simplest approach that actually solves the problem. For example, a pilot project in Oakland is targeting 10 spots that police said are a problem. Speed bumps, chatter bars, raised pavement markers, posts in centerlines and botts dots to prevent donuts at intersections.

    Reckless drivers care more about their cars than the potential ticket or loss of human life, unless the cars they are driving are stolen.

    The City Council should encourage SPD to enforce existing laws and stop & ticket any car that does not clearly display a valid license plate in the front & back of the car. The police should seize vehicles used in street racing. This would improve safety through the city. Hopefully in the future, the State of Washington will prohibit the use of covers (tinted / reflective / “anti-camera”) for license plates.

    Nobody should operate a vehicle without license plates in Seattle. We should also consider a Car Registration Discount Program for low income residents.

    • StupidInSeattle July 30, 2023 (3:17 pm)

      Spot on HP.  Speed cameras are a revenue generating scheme that violators will be able to avoid once they know the fixed locations of the cameras.  The more effective solution is police officers making a physical presence in problem areas and proactively enforcing existing laws.  

    • HP is right July 31, 2023 (11:50 am)

      Well said, HP. Racers cover their plates so this won’t be an effective measure for them. Plus, the number of cars without plates has risen a lot in the last 3 years and they are often stolen or driven recklessly. Cops/traffic enforcement needs to go up, not speed cameras. This will only effect the otherwise law-abiding drivers who are speeding but not racing. Yes, speeding isn’t great, but it’s a lot safer than racing or drifting, which is the real problem.

  • wilber July 30, 2023 (4:49 am)

    WSB. Any word on what speed the cameras would ticket? Technically, if you are going 1 mph over the posted limit you are speeding.

  • Carson July 30, 2023 (6:09 am)

    The fines for speeding can’t be high enough and they need escalation pricing, the faster you go the more you pay. We all “accidentally “ drive 30 in a 25, the fine should sting, but if you drive 50 in a 25 it should cripple. 

    • Seattlite July 30, 2023 (2:21 pm)

      Indeed.  Do reckless, speeding drivers actually pay their speeding fines?  Just wondering.

      • Jay July 31, 2023 (11:09 am)

        If it’s by camera I think they just check the “I wasn’t driving” box.

  • anonyme July 30, 2023 (6:13 am)

    This focus on racing is a distraction from the overall problem of excess speeding everywhere, especially on arterials like 35th.  Speed cameras should be placed on every major arterial, and speed bumps used where cameras are not feasible.  It is not an either/or situation.  Nor is this a social justice issue; a camera does not record race or income.  Ridiculous.  If anything, this would be a more equitable way to address dangerous, illegal behavior that occurs across the entire social spectrum, without adding potential police bias into the argument.

    • Josh July 30, 2023 (9:55 am)

      I agree. Also the city should repaint the northern section of the 35th Ave arterial to match the southern section. Having one lane each direction and a turn lane would calm speeds and make getting on and off 35th safer for everyone, especially people who live on 35th. 

      • KM July 30, 2023 (11:15 am)

        I’ve asked the city several times to add islands in the center turn lane as well, to prevent dangerous passing, and they said that it’s not likely to happen any time soon.

    • Math Teacher July 30, 2023 (10:58 am)

      The equity/social justice issues (both pro and con) are complex. Just because you didn’t think of them doesn’t mean they aren’t real. You don’t know what you don’t know.
      .
      Worth the read: https://www.bjcl.org/blog/speeding-into-the-future-the-pitfalls-of-automated-traffic-enforcement

      • Admyrl Byrd July 30, 2023 (12:04 pm)

        So let me get this straight – we shouldn’t use cameras to enforce laws on a street that was ranked so low in the “equity screen” applied by SDOT that it wouldn’t qualify for funds – because it would disproportionately affect minorities and the poor?We really ought to be applying better rationale – speed enforcement impacts speeders.  Any broader interpretation is just wildly off base and the type of thinking that got Seattle to this lawless place it is today.

        • Math Teacher July 30, 2023 (2:38 pm)

          No, I don’t think that’s the message.
          .
          Here’s more to read on AE (automated enforcement) concerns in Seattle: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/626333ed8468a817435804e8/t/6482976ef9ddb612f87c5e50/1686280046690/WSOS+automated+enforcement+summary.pdf
          .
          Sounds like there is a diversity of local opinions on AE , but overall there is an awareness that minority and low income areas have received far more than their “share” of AE cameras, and maybe it’s time for more to be placed in white/rich areas. Like Alki. 
          .
          There are also reasonable equity concerns raised around depending on punitive approaches instead of safer street designs, and about access to programs such as community service to pay off fines, and hopes that fines would be higher for higher violations. 

          • StupidInSeattle July 30, 2023 (3:29 pm)

            Sure…because there are no people of color or indigenous people who live on Alki Beach.  They cannot afford it because of their race; must be all of those white people and their “privilege.”  I’m sorry, but every time someone argues that laws should not be enforced in this city  because x group is victimized by the law it just comes across as an insulting assumption about people based on the color of their skin, and we end up with lawlessness that everyone suffers from. 

          • WestSeattleBadTakes July 31, 2023 (8:41 am)

            This really isn’t that difficult.

            These fines are not adjusted for income, so a $139 fine will disproportionately impact those with lower incomes.

            Most of our streets are not designed to enforce the speed limit through design. They signal to drivers that they can drive faster. And since most people driving don’t pay attention, they will drive the speed that feels safe to them irrespective of the speed limit. Every time I drive I go the speed limit, but every single time someone will appear right on my tail following closely and often signaling they’d like me to go faster.

            So, we have an environment that encourages speeding and we’re going to hand out fines for it.

            Let’s overlay this with another reality in this country. Systemic racism. There are poor people of all backgrounds, but we know that people of color have been impacted by the history of and remaining structures of systemic racism. So, that $139 fine is going to disproportionately impact people of color given the present reality of this country. This is just a fact. It implies nothing about those individuals character or worth.

            You seem to be uncomfortable with this reality, and instead of understanding it you choose to reject by suggesting the mere implication is racist. That is a you problem.

            The fine here is just a bit more than one days work at minimum wage. For someone making $80,000 a year it is about 3.5 hours. For me it is less than hour.

            To summarize, we’ve built our environment in such a way that encourages speeding, we want to fine people for that, and the people who will be impacted the most are those at the bottom, many of which are people of color dues to the history of systemic racism in this country.

            Let’s scale these fines with income.

  • PSPS July 30, 2023 (6:21 am)

    Would these be installed and operated by the same Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions that runs the red light camera scheme? They pocket most of the “fine” on these unenforceable “tickets.”.

  • heartless July 30, 2023 (7:43 am)

    What struck me from the previous comment sections on this topic: the even split between people claiming this is a cash grab for the city and people claiming cameras are too expensive and the city would lose money on them.  (And, of course, neither faction seemed to acknowledge, let alone address, the other side!)

  • Marcus July 30, 2023 (8:31 am)

    Large fines after non payment Impound the cars. 

    • Alki resident July 30, 2023 (11:03 am)

      Really? Is your pocketbook stuffed with cash flow? Great for you, a speeding ticket isn’t my first priority to keep lights on and a roof over my head. 

  • Alki July 30, 2023 (9:19 am)

    Please for the love of god stop with the damn speed bumps everywhere.     

  • CAM July 30, 2023 (1:07 pm)

    Just a clarification about the numbers for Westwood Village/Target. The numbers in the table suggest that Westwood Village and Target are 2nd and 5th in SPD patrol hours but they are actually 3rd and 8th, respectively, in service calls, suggesting they are potentially getting disproportionately more hours of patrol per service call than other locations on that list. 

  • Matt July 30, 2023 (2:57 pm)

    Unfortunately traffic cameras are a joke. The City leaves you the easy out to avoid any fees by replying to the ticket with an affidavit stating your were not driving the car. There is no follow-up, the fine is wiped clean, and you’re all set to continue driving as fast as you please in front of these cameras. These cameras should have some teeth (no easy outs) and they should be allowed to be used in criminal investigations. 

    • heartless July 30, 2023 (5:35 pm)

      I agree that they should have more teeth, but I’d also like to point out that people really shouldn’t be lying, especially when it’s a case of perjury.  If you were driving, own up and pay the fine.

  • WSCurmudgeon July 30, 2023 (4:53 pm)

    Many European countries adjust traffic fines according to the income of the violator, as well as the factors we use.  It gets the attention of even the wealthiest “leadfeet.”  Fines of tens, even hundreds of thousands of dollars are levied. The police often publicize large amounts to deter rich scofflaws.  The identities of the violators are generally not released, unless they fight the fine in court. Implementing such a system here would be difficult to do accurately,  since income data is collected at the Federal level, and is largely confidential.  Almost all traffic fines are levied by state and local law enforcement.

  • anonyme July 30, 2023 (5:46 pm)

    For those who think that fines pose an unjust burden on low-income people, what do you suggest instead?  Neither jail nor community service would be any more equitable.  Nor would it be fair or reasonable for those with low incomes to suffer no penalties at all for breaking the law (or rules, as libraries have now done).  The only solution would be to base fines on income and assets, rather than set amounts. 

  • Derek July 30, 2023 (6:18 pm)

    Please do not do this. Only hurts current residents. God I hate how backwards this is. 

    • WSCurmudgeon July 30, 2023 (10:09 pm)

      It is unclear which of the multiple suggested options you object to.  Perhaps all of them?

  • Jim July 30, 2023 (7:03 pm)

    Block the box is bs unless pure negligence. I’ve been downtown before and had moving traffic come to a dead stop when I’m in the middle of an intersection or crosswalk. Unless they expect people with a green light to sit there until there’s multiple car lengths on the opposite side of ther intersection 

    • Eddie July 30, 2023 (8:56 pm)

      That’s exactly what the law expects.  Don’t enter the intersection unless there’s a place for you. Yeah, we all miss it once in a while,  but the law is clear. 

    • Ts July 30, 2023 (10:15 pm)

      Ever been crossing on a green walk signal with a wheelchair user and had a bus try and fail to turn right on a green and also had a SPD vehicle as well as others turn right, going through the intersection behind you, leaving you stranded mid street dodging traffic? Or been a wheelchair user who is crossing when someone pulls up past the stop line and had someone wave you to go anyway, in front of them which would put you into the moving flow of traffic? Blocking the box causes a danger to those on foot or wheels and blocks emergency vehicles

    • KM July 30, 2023 (10:40 pm)

      Yeah, dude. That’s exactly what you are supposed to do, it’s not an insane ask.

  • Wsmom July 30, 2023 (9:21 pm)

    $139 race ticket for entry on Alki speedway. Okay. I don’t think the speed bumps are going to get much traction sadly. 

  • Crow July 31, 2023 (7:54 am)

    Lamont is fairly spot on: “If the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the lower class.” This is going to devolve into a bunch of mostly relatively affluent white liberals yelling at poor people of color that their tickets wouldn’t happen if they weren’t engaging in criminal activity.

    It’s already happening from the look of it, right here in these comments:

    • Don’t speed you don’t get a ticket. Pretty simple.
    • It’s simple, don’t speed.
    • Whatever one’s income-this won’t affect you one bit as long as you -DONT SPEED
    • Speeding is not necessary and it makes sense to use modern technology as a tool in limiting this childish, entitled, and barbaric practice.
    • speed enforcement impacts speeders.
    • If you were driving, own up and pay the fine.

    The rhetoric around speeding right now does not reflect good intentions for the sake of public safety. Instead, proponents of these type of measures make clear their anger, distaste, and moralistic judgments onto unknown strangers through massive generalization of lumping the behavior of speeding into an identity of “criminals who deserve punishment”.

    With that type of thinking, any “solution”-based measures implemented will fall short of meaningful change and cause a waterfall of unintended problems. Because it sure seems like the city is long overdue for an extensive and intensive infrastructure survey with a transparent implementation plan for our crumbling roads and bridges… instead of soaking up limited political time by spending money on band-aids like speed-bumps and revenue-cameras, as means to appease a particular voting bloc.

    • Wseattlite July 31, 2023 (11:37 am)

      Well said Crow.

    • stupid conservative July 31, 2023 (12:38 pm)

      But what about conservatives like me who would do all I can to avoid a speeding ticket, and I guess I fall into the “relatively affluent” bucket.  I really don’t understand the argument that it just applies to people with lower income.  I’ve really tried to understand it but I guess I’m one of the simpletons who would say “don’t speed, don’t get ticket”.    I mean I drive 5 miles under when I see there’s a camera, it doesn’t matter if I can afford the darn ticket or not.  And if it really hurt in the pocketbook I would for sure do everything I could to avoid it.  

    • Scarlett July 31, 2023 (12:59 pm)

      It is really, really disheartening at how easily we are willing to give up personal freedoms all in the name of public safety.  Sorry, but in a free society, one that allows for some wriggle room, risk is inevitable.  

      Speed bumps don’t collect and store information on insecure servers, they don’t sell your personal info to a third party, they won’t be tempted in the future to devise new ways to track and control you.   And don’t bore me with tedious factoids about Supreme Court rulings (because SCOTUS is always right, you know), or mind-numbingly dull fallacies of simplication, something along the lines of:  “It’s simple, just don’t speed!”  Good god.  

    • Dr Wu July 31, 2023 (3:18 pm)

      The cameras are meant to educate the public. If the violator feels wronged, they can appeal it in court or change their behavior. 

  • Scarlett July 31, 2023 (3:04 pm)

    Speed bumps don’t collect and store personal information.  Speed bumps aren’t susceptible to  being hacked with one’s personal info ending up in the hands of a 3rd party.  Speed bumps can’t be utilized to track your movements or be used for dubious purposes other than issuing a ticket.  Think about this when you all are are so eager to relinguish personal freedoms in the name of public safety.  There are no small, harmless steps in the march to a surveillance society.       

    • KM July 31, 2023 (3:57 pm)

      Scarlett, you are posting this on the internet. That is ship has sailed.

      • Scarlett July 31, 2023 (10:50 pm)

        If anyone knows how far that ship has sailed, it would be me.  But I’m still not going to curl up into a fetal position like the rest of America.  

  • anonyme July 31, 2023 (3:10 pm)

    I’ve almost been hit by cars 5 times in less than a week, by people speeding and not paying attention to pedestrians in crosswalks.  All of the speeders were white and driving newish vehicles.  How does that fit into your equation of racist persecution of perceived wrongdoing?  I’d love to see all their a$$es busted, with big fines at the very least.  The social justice rhetoric that suggests that there should be no penalty for certain categories of drivers is in itself racist, classist – and absurd.  There may be a more equitable way to access penalties, such as basing them on income, but there must be repercussions for behavior that KILLS people.

    • WestSeattleBadTakes July 31, 2023 (5:42 pm)

      There may be a more equitable way to access penalties, such as basing them on income,

      Oh wow, are you suggesting we should do an equity analysis to make sure we assess penalties in a manner that doesn’t disproportionately impact certain classes or races of people?

      We know we have inequalities in our society and race is s factor in many of those inequalities. Sounds progress.

  • Gaslit July 31, 2023 (6:33 pm)

    If you can’t figure out why this law continues regressive policy against those who are poorer and more vulnerable, then either you aren’t paying attention or your exaggeration and pearl clutching just controls your thoughts. If you take someone who works two jobs, working service or retail, with kids to be dropped off at school, childcare or both. The current Metro transit system is highly unlikely to make it so that person can get where they need to be in the timeframes they need. These aren’t people who work from home, or work flexible hours or do meetings i their car. Many of the people in this situation aren’t white or affluent. So, yes they may have to do 35 in a 25 to make their schedule work. Especially after all the “traffic calming” that’s done nothing to help anyone, but does increase pollution. The “progressives” in local government don’t care at all about these working class people, they just create solutions to problems that don’t really exist. 

Sorry, comment time is over.