|
Costa
Rica:
Traffic
Cameras
Still
on
"Legal"
Stuck
So,
what's
with
the
traffic
cameras?
The
answer
is,
not
much
really,
referring
to
the
traffic
cameras
project
that
the
Ministerio
de
Obras
Publicas
y
Transportes
(MOPT)
cannot
seem
to
"legally"
get
going.
The
only
thing
that
is
certain
with
the
project
is
that
the
MOPT
has
spent
millions
on
millions
of
colones
to
install
and
test
and
thousands
of
man
hours
in
negotiations
and
press
releases,
but
in
the
end
the
12
cameras
that
constantly
vigil
traffic
at
five
major
points
in
the
Central
Valley,
are
not
doing
what
they
were
meant
to
do.
The
project
started
at
the
way
back
last
year
which
saw
the
installation
of
the
cameras
and
a
control
centre
that
was
to
have
begun
handing
out
traffic
tickets
last
January.
The
cameras
are
operational,
what
is
not
is
the
issuing
of
traffic
tickets.
This
being
that
the
MOPT
has
not
been
able
to
develop
the
mechanism
of
communicating
"legally"
the
infraction
to
the
driver
and/or
of
the
vehicle.
Daily
the
monitoring
centre
staff
sit
behind
the
monitors
keeping
an
eye
on
speeders,
for
reckless
drivers
and
other
traffic
violations,
record
the
incident
and
file
it
away,
for
they
cannot
legally
issue
the
corresponding
fine.
In
fact,
in
the
last
six
months,
the
MOPT
says
it
has
identified
765.000
vehicles
speeding
across
the
cameras
in
three
of
the
most
important
highways,
the
autopista
General
Cañas
(San
José
-
Alajuea),
the
Florencio
del
Castiloo
(San
José
-
Cartago)
and
the
Circunvalación
(the
ring
road
of
San
José).
The
figures
released
by
the
MOPT
indicated
that
of
1.7
million
snapshots
that
were
taken
of
vehicles
running
across
the
cameras
at
those
three
points,
765.000
or
45%
exceeded
by
21
km/h
or
more
the
posted
speed
limit.
In
Costa
Rica,
a
driver
can
exceed
the
posted
speed
limit
by
20
km/h
and
stay
within
the
law.
The
ticket
for
speeding
21
km/h
over
and
keeping
under
120
km/h
is
¢308.000
plus
costs.
Driving
at
121
km/h
to
149
km/h,
the
fine
¢408.800,
at
150
km/h
and
above
is a
criminal
offence,
meaning
there
is
no
monetary
fine
attached
to
the
offence,
the
driver
passes
go
and
goes
straight
to
jail
for
up
to
three
years.
According
to
Francisco
Jiménez,
the
MOPT
minister,
the
situation
has
been
frustrating,
having
the
cameras,
seeing
the
behaviour
of
the
drivers
and
not
being
able
to
do
any
in
respect.
Jiménez
explains
that
his
officials
are
continuing
negotiations
with
the
state
telecom,
Radiografica
Costarricense
(Racsa)
that
would
take
on
the
responsibility
of
"legally"
notifying
drivers
or
owners
vehicles
by
way
of
email,
fax
or
telegram.
Racsa
would
get
a
piece
of
the
pie
for
its
efforts.
The
stumbling
block,
it
appears,
if
Costa
Rica's
lack
of
an
address
system
and
that
no
one
at
the
MOPT
thought
of
asking
drivers,
when
applying
for
a
driver's
license
and/or
renewal,
of
contact
information,
like
a
phone
number,
an
email,
a
reference
address,
fax,
etc,
etc,.
The
frustrations
of
the
minister
and
transport
authorities
are
echoed
in
cases
like
that
of
an
Audi
A5,
license
plate
number
830536,
caught
on
camera
on
two
separate
occasions
at
speeds
that
would
land
the
driver
in
jail.
The
vehicle
was
caught
on
camera
going
178
km/h
on
March
22
and
again
on
April
3,
going
182
km/h
on
the
Florencio
del
Castillo.
(lanacion.com).
Adding
to
the
frustrations
is
the
announcement
that
the
cameras
on
the
San
José
-
Cartago
would
begin
working
two
weeks
ago.
However,
the
plan
and
without
notice,
was
scrapped.
No
explanation
was
given.
Although
one
can
easily
come
to
the
conclusion
that
the
cameras
are
a
cash
cow
for
the
MOPT
(do
the
math
765.000
speeding
drivers
multiplied
by
an
average
of
¢300.000
colones
per
ticket,
equals
to,
well
a
whole
lot
of
colones).
Government
transport
officials
say
otherwise.
Silvia
Bolaños,
director
of
the
Consejo
de
Seguridad
Vial
(Cosevi),
insists
that
the
major
objective
of
the
cameras
is
to
reduce
bloodshed
on
the
roads.
The
numbers
indicate
that
speeding
is
the
major
cause
of
fatal
accidents,
followed
by
improper
passing
and
third,
drunk
driving.
Minister
Jiménez
says
they
will
use
the
data
from
the
fist
six
months
of
operations
to
see
if
driver
behaviour
changes
when
the
cameras
do
finally
go
legal.
The
MOPT
expects
to
have
the
cameras
working
by
the
end
of
this
month.
It
has
been
saying
such
every
beginning
of
the
month
for
the
past
six.
You
can
draw
your
own
conclusions. |
Join
our Facebook page
