Hacker News Reader

Comment by rconti | Hacker News Reader

I'm curious about the context of the $13,000 price tag. Is this a slight upcharge? Or an order of magnitude?

I'm what the Brits might call a "keen motorist", but as someone who considers speed enforcement a necessary evil, there's a world of difference between paying a bit more for much better tech, versus way more. If this costs 4x what a normal radar gun costs, one must ask "what is the problem we're solving", and is it worth the money? Are there renegades out there going double the speed limit, then magically slowing to below the limit 1/2mi from a radar gun, somehow?

I'm certainly happier with the idea of an officer-operated speed camera than one parked by the side of the road with no discretion whatsoever.

Of course, there are plenty of people who rightfully point out that discretion can mean discrimination.

View on HN

The point of distributing this technology is to make every motorist feel that nowhere is "safe" for them to speed. It doesn't matter if there are no cops around, their beams can get you and fine you, and hopefully that keeps people at safe driving speeds.

Yet it's well known many UK motoways have speed cameras at regular distances as well as average speed cameras in many places, and there are still huge numbers of people caught by them?

My first time driving in the UK, I had just come from Iceland where there is a sign before every speed camera. I slowed down for all the signs in the UK, before realizing nobody else did. It seems it's typical these things only catch "foreigners" who don't know the area or its customs.

Driving in the UK is stressful enough. If I've driven down the motorway for long periods I am normally wondering if I've got a ticket because of the variable speed limits. I have no intention of breaking the speed limit, but I honestly don't know if I had because the speed limit in some places can be changing all the time. Great so I have more things to worry about when I drive to work. Brilliant.

Most of the drivers that drive at extreme speeds are usually very rich (they are always driving Mercs, Range Rovers, Audis and BMWs) and don't typically give a toss about the fine or the points.

Also there are many people (usually immigrants) who drive without a valid license and insurance.

Seems to be working as well as the war on drugs.

If it were just the features (time of flight and image recognition), probably not 13k. I’m not an expert in police gear, but there are likely performance standards that the manufacturer has to prove so that the readings can stand up in court. That plus the durability required and range of operating conditions it has to perform in, and the fact that it’s a fault niche device will increase the cost. 13k still might be too high, but I wonder if an autoblog knows what a police department actually pays for it.

Those things often pay for themselves.

There's a so-called "superradar" at one of the most busy intersections in Warsaw. It cost ~$65k and brought ~$200k in revenue in three weeks.

It's much safer now there, but the radar is still raking in considerable revenue.

Is the 13k purchase cost or life time cost? For life-time cost it doesn't sound too bad, considering maintenance and yearly or more certifications.

They will make it back in fines. Unfortunately some Police in some areas seem addicted to the revenue. Its a drop in the ocean.

If police departments have any kickback from fines, that’s a massive organizational mistake. It creates crazy incentives to maximize fines instead of reducing crime. I thought only the US had made that mistake.

It's practically certain the major cost of a handheld speed camera is employing a hand. It doesn't have to be a lot more reliable/efficient to easily make up for the cost.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com