Stop! In the Name of Stop Sign Cameras at Santa Monica Mountains Parks
Angelenos are infamous for their failure to come to a complete stop at stop signs, often practicing the lazy California roll. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority is well-aware of L.A.'s poor driving habits and has taken measures in three Santa Monica Mountains parks to put a stop to vehicles.
Video cameras installed at stop signs have been catching guilty drivers for the past four years, and while drifters often have no idea they're on candid camera, they find out upon receipt of a mailed citation. While the cameras are not brand new, the news of them is to many park goers.
Stop sign tickets will run rollers $175, according to LA Times. The cameras generated a whopping $2.4 million in fines last fiscal year.
Times writer Dan Turner says one particular sign in Franklin Canyon "seems like it was put there as an invitation to roll through it, a lure as appealing to a driver as a curly tail grub is to a largemouth bass."
Noting the park's relaxed 15 mph speed limit, Turner says his "very slow rolling right turn through the sign didn't put anybody in danger."
While the city has done away with its red light camera program, it seems as though the park cameras are here to stay. The questions remains: Are these tickets deterring drivers from California rolling?
Anyone out there guilty of similar violations? Care to share?
