Speed Cameras & Kodak Moments
In the past two weeks, I’ve had the misfortune of receiving two red-light camera tickets in the post (translation: mail) My offense? Rolling right-hand turns (translation: braking as I approach a lighted intersection and turning right without coming to a full stop), which carries with it the particularly steep price tag of $470 in California. Yes, per ticket. More on that next week.
But my red-light camera story actually reminds me of the first time I encountered this sign in England:
What does this look like to you? Photo opportunity, right?
In the US, we actually have a similar street sign I like to call a Kodak Moment sign.
And it’s a simple way to let drivers know that something beautiful is approaching. Get your cameras ready, folks. Behold the majesty on the side of the road! It’s …
Or maybe ..
And so when I spotted that sign followed by … well, pavement (translation: asphalt) and some overgrown shrubbery, I wondered just what I was missing. I started to debate that particular location’s merits and question how Brits assessed beauty in general …
Turns out, it was simply a UK sign, warning of a speed camera ahead …
Posted on 12, August 2011, in Culture and tagged British, camera, kodak moment, speed cameras, tickets, vista point. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
BRITRISH.COM 
Yep, you need to be the next to move to the Bay Area — we don’t have red light cameras! They’re gone from LA now, too, and a lot of other cities are dumping them. I imagine Sacramento will eventually catch up with the times. The camera can really capture you rolling through a red light? How does it know if you slammed on your brakes really fast so that you did stop, then vroomed forward?
Believe it or not, they have video of it. I used to think it was only still photos but no, they video it and then they send you the link with your ticket so you can watch yourself over and over making the same mistake. They also have photos – of your face, of your car from behind capturing your license plate, an aerial shot. It really is amazing.
Anyway, I’m planning on posting the photos to the blog next week – just for giggles. Unfortunately I haven’t found a way to easily lift the video clip or I would post it, too. When you get lemons … 🙂