Friday, June 22, 2007

IT'S BEEN BUSY HERE

The city of Albuquerque has decided that to live with state laws, they had to dig warning trenches at all intersections that have red light cameras. So now we can hear bump, bump, bumpety bump, every time we approach an intersection with a camera. This is to warn the scofflaws that if their mommas and/or daddys are loaded with dough, they can have an expensive attorney get them off free. Sort of like Paris Hilton. But with lots less publicity.
And I'm sure that the warnings will also cause a lot of skidding (because they're driving too fast?) and sliding (into other vehicles?).
They should also be a boon to shock absorber repairing companies. Lots more vehicles will need repairs (as if our potholes didn't help enough). They call them Rumble Grooves. How cute. But there are four intersections where the surface is concrete. So Rumble Strips will be installed there. These Rumble Strips are considered dangerous to cyclists and might even cause anti-lock brakes to function without warning.
John Castillo, the city's director of municipal development, says he's had a lot of "positive feedback". That people have remarked the Strips and Grooves alert them to the cameras. Well, duh. I think Mr. Castillo needs to find another job. He certainly doesn't seem to know anything about road safety.
On the other hand, Marty Chavez (our Mayor) and Ray Schultz (our Police Chief) do know a good deal about it. But they have to try and buck people like William Payne a state Senator from Albuquerque (who probably has tickets for running the lights).
I don't know if it will work, but I've put a link to the local newspaper and this article on the header. If it yells about not being a member there should be a link that lets you sign on as a guest.
Dang it. Another storm. Logging off.

6 comments:

david mcmahon said...

Groovy - in more sense than one!

PS, Hope Moose is happy in Alaska!

alphonsedamoose said...

Cat: we have red light cameras here also. Only no warnings. We also have photo radar vans parked on the side of the street taking pictures of speeders. You get the ticket 6 weeks later.

Catmoves said...

alphonse there is no real explanation for the round about and weird thinking of our elected officials. Albuquerque doesn't have enough cops to man the locations where the cameras have been put into action.
I don't know about you, but if someone told me I had been seen driving on such and such a street six weeks ago, I guess I'd have to say "OK. I believe you."

Catmoves said...

Groan David. moose is in Canada. I think that's somewhere near the north pole. Far above Alaska. My Google cam is broken.

alphonsedamoose said...

Cat and David: we're so far north we have to paint the snow green to look like grass

Catmoves said...

ROFLMAO alphonse. Thanks for the laugh.