How To LA: Hit the Brakes Before You're Caught on New Speed Cameras (And Other Headlines)

Good morning, L.A. It’s Tuesday, October 17. Today in How to LA: Speed cameras are coming to L.A., the 2028 Olympics welcomes two new sports, and jazz, jazz, jazz! 

If you’ve lived in L.A. long enough, you’re well aware that many Southern Californians drive at a, let’s say, lively pace.

Speed camera pilot program coming to three cities

As someone who was told they’d likely be ticketed for “driving too slowly” during their drivers exam, I noticed it pretty quickly after moving here.

California Lawmakers have noticed it, too. As my colleague Kevin Tidmarsh wrote, they’ve deemed our roads “too fast and too furious.”

Their potential solution: Speed cameras. A new pilot program signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom this weekend will place cameras that can track speed in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Glendale. Drivers will be fined as much as $500 per infraction.

While research indicates that enforcing a slower pace will inevitably save lives, there are critics of the program (...other than chronic speeders). Some advocates have criticized the speed cameras for potentially targeting low-income communities and people of color.

“[The bill] expands surveillance without any corresponding commitments to decreasing traditional policing of traffic enforcement,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement. “This will create overlapping, racially disparate enforcement schemes that risk the misuse and misappropriation of surveillance equipment.”

Head to the full story to see what kinds of roads the cameras will monitor and more about the opposition to the program.

Drive safely, friends. There’s more news below - just keep reading.

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More news

(After you stop hitting snooze)

• Parents of children under 5 are struggling to find COVID shots for their kids. A slow rollout of vaccines will make for vulnerable babies and toddlers, who are too young to have been vaccinated and need multiple shots before the winter surge.
• Flag football and squash will make their debut at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. The International Olympic Committee also announced that baseball, softball, cricket and lacrosse are set to return for LA28.
• Last month was the hottest September we’ve had yet. A new government report found that September was the hottest in the agency's 174-year global climate record. Climate change and El Niño are driving the heat. 
• Wildfires cause billions in home damage every year—and insurers no longer want to take on the risk. Homeowners living in wildfire prone areas are learning that they’re uninsurable. 
• After Maui’s devastating wildfires in August, many pets are still unaccounted for. Pasadena Humane Society is sending some of their staff members to Maui to help in the search. 

Wait... one more thing

The Angel City Jazz Festival is here!

The Angel City Jazz Fest continues through Oct. 29 throughout L.A.

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Courtesy of the Angel City Jazz Fest

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via Facebook

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So…do you like jazz? That’s the friendly pickup line I pose to you this morning. If you do, or if you’re just jazz-curious, our weekly events line up has something for you.

The Angel City Jazz Festival, organized by Angel City Arts, is running through Oct. 29 at venues across L.A. including LACMA, The Moss Theatre, Zebulon, Zipper Hall and The World Stage. Tickets range from $0 to $25 dollars.

Worried about fitting in? Just tap your foot to the beat with your eyes closed and no one will question your jazz knowledge.

Read more about who’s performing in the festival and how to attend in our weekly Best Things To Do In Los Angeles and SoCal list—along with other great events happening in SoCal this week.

That's it for today. Thanks for reading How To L.A.

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