ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Eugene Spanier, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

I’ve been following the trials and tribulations of the Parkside Drive camera with some amusement. Here’s an idea: put the speed camera up a tall pole instead of using a security camera to watch it. This appears to work successfully elsewhere. The police are certainly very focused on this pressing matter, and it’s terrific that they now have some video footage to study. I will return the excellent advice that the police gave me when they were presented with video evidence of my car being stolen from my driveway. They said, “Now you have a nice souvenir of the event, but it won’t help us catch the thief.”

Roy Macdonald, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Edward Keenan’s column gives a thoughtful accounting of the speed cameras that have been vandalized and destroyed by petty criminals in various ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ neighbourhoods. When city or other public property is purposefully damaged and then replaced at great cost to taxpayers, we should all be appalled. It’s only a matter of time before this criminal behaviour leads to a speeding car severely injuring or even killing a pedestrian.

Marion Bartlett, Singhampton, ON

The repeated vandalism of speed cameras is another example of how ingrained car culture is. Speeding not only causes accidents and deaths but is also a major cause of traffic congestion. Understanding of this seems to have disappeared, because if governments cared about their citizens as much as they purported to, they would return to ensuring the vigorous enforcement of the Highway Traffic Act and issue more demerit points and suspensions or revocations of driver’s licences instead of merely imposing fines. They might also impose more criminal penalties for dangerous driving. Negligent homicide seems like a more appropriate charge for drivers who accidentally cause death, and a charge of reckless endangerment could deliver a more effective message than a booking for stunt driving. Criminal penalties make for a more effective deterrent. Driving is not a right.

James Rooney, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Once upon a time, Shaver Avenue — a wide, tree-lined residential street in Etobicoke — was a favourite shortcut for truckers heading south from Burnhamthorpe Road. But not anymore: well-placed speedbumps discourage driving any faster than the posted limit of 40 kilometres per hour. As Keenan suggests, the same could be done for Parkside. It’s a solution that would be permanent, effective and cheaper than continually replacing speed cameras.

Isobel Raven, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½