Gardening on the Moon ( GOTM )

Written by Jeff

Candid Camera for Drivers

In my opinion, Phoenix drivers have to be among the worst in the country. To discourage speeders, the city has installed automated cameras conspicuously placed on a “trial” basis along sections of the 101 to see if they would decrease the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities. A speeding ticket in these areas carries a hefty fine, which led some of the more cynical citizens to believe there was an alternative reason for the install.

Generally speaking, anyone traveling the 101 on a regular basis knows the location of these cameras and even if they are speeding, they will slow down when approaching the surveilled area to avoid receiving a ticket. The out-of-towners are the ones most likely to be caught by the lenses. I am told that when the ticket arrives, there are two pictures, one of the driver and one of the license plate. It has been my distinct pleasure not to know this as a fact.

During evening hours these cameras can be very disconcerting as flashes can be seen when the area is approached. There were a few times when I was driving in a group of cars and the flash went off. I would quickly check my odometer to make sure I wasn’t speeding, but there was always that nagging doubt in the back of my head. For the next month or so, I would sweat out mail delivery to make sure I haven’t received a ticket.

Speeders are a resourceful lot. To combat the camera’s peering eye, some drivers have license plate covers that can only be described as either super reflective or extremely polarized. They both hide the license plate number from the technology while allowing policemen to see them. Last year there was a bill before the state legislature to ban such license plate covers, but it didn’t pass. Go figure!

Don’t Enter When Flooded

Every once in a while, there is a tendency to forget that this is the desert and the nature of the region is quite different from other locales. One of the differences is that when there is a deluge, many roads are flooded. Water does not easily soak into the desert ground, but seeks low points to run. Streets can quickly become raging rivers and low spots become lakes. There are signs around the valley warning against entering areas when it is raining. There is real danger here. Water is a formidable force and cars can be easily washed away.

There were so many people who would not heed these warnings that the city has passed a “stupid motorist” law. Basically the law states that if you are brazen enough to enter one of these flooded areas, you are on your own. No rescue help will be forthcoming. You were warned and others are not going to risk their safety to assist you. Of course fines are also levied.

To make matters even more intense, there are numbers of streets in the outlying areas that are not paved and when it rains there, the roads can become covered with mud and sand. A year ago, I arrived at our street just after a monsoon storm and I had to park my car nearly a mile from the house to walk through two feet of mud covering the road. Luckily a large truck came by and offered me a lift. The next morning the plows were out moving the mud and sand off of the road. On the plus side, this happens much less frequently than snowstorms in the northeast.

Changing Patterns

The Phoenix area is trying to make changes to alleviate the traffic crunch. Like many large cities, bike lanes are slowly being put in place. There is a very nice bike lane along Cave Creek Road that extends for quite a distance. The problem so far is that these are isolated, unconnected corridors.

Converting bike lanes into plausible avenues of transportation would need a strong commitment to connect the lanes with others and to bring them into the more urban areas. This is still a long way off. There is some encouragement for bikers as the local buses have bike racks and the light rail trains will also have similar accommodations for cyclists to bring their bikes along.

Mass transit

Most major cities have a rail-based mass transit system, but Phoenix is just starting to develop that part of their infrastructure. In December, 2008, the Metro Light Rail experience is slated for initiation. Unfortunately, this covers only a small 20-mile section of the city and even this has taken quite some time to complete. Hopefully, this will be successful and the taxpayers will be encouraged to fund extensions into other parts of the city.

Any effort to reduce the number of vehicles entering downtown will help to reduce the traffic density. Like most other large cities, parking is another problem. We always try to keep coins in the car to feed those meters if we can find a metered open parking space in the center of the city.

Even after more than a year, traveling along the roads of Phoenix seems a bit strange. It is just a different experience.

Are there any interesting or different driving experiences in your area?

08/22/08 Update – I was contacted via email by a reader who has lived in the Valley much longer than I have and they explained that the “stupid driver” will be rescued, but will be billed for the service. Another point was noted about the change lanes — they are intended to get “off” of the road and not to “enter” into the flow of traffic.

All comments and clarifications are welcome!

The Phoenix Driving Experience – Part I

NOTE: Did you ever wonder about the psychology behind what happens when a traffic lane is closed? Should you pull over and merge into an open lane early or speed up and go right to the front of the line? CYNTHIA GORNEY addresses this issue in a Sunday, NY Times Magazine Section article, The Urge to Merge, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03traffic-t.html

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post