Big Brother’s Watching – Traffic Management Cameras are Everywhere

Unfortunately, chirping birds woke me up extra early yesterday morning and I rolled into the office about 6 a.m.  To my great surprise the phone rang at 6:15.  I took one more sip of coffee and answered.  It was a guy (didn't give me his name) who was clearly driving.  He said he just noticed six cameras on about a one mile stretch of highway.  He was wondering if they give speeding tickets with those.

I quickly explained about Mn/DOT's Regional Traffic Management Center which operates about 450 cameras on Twin Cities highways and no they don't give speeding tickets based on cameras in Minnesota (automated red light running enforcement was tried by Minneapolis about ten years ago and the state court found it to be illegal).

About half an hour later after the coffee kicked in I realized he must have googled freeway cameras and somehow got through to me.  Two takeaways – (1) there are lots of cameras out there so don't assume anonymity in public and (2) don't use your smart phone in the car – it's dangerous!!!