Many communities throughout Alberta and other parts of the country use photo radar.
It appears the devices, often denounced as a simple cash cow, are now coming to Taber, after negotiations wrap up for use of the machines.
There are certainly bound to be locals in disagreement with the arrival of photo radar, and if the photo radar is used irresponsibly as a money grab, those protests will have proved correct.
However, with the proposal in place for its use, there appears to be little opportunity to abuse the photo radar system.
It is not as if photo radar will be a daily occurence in Taber. It will be used only on certain days and in certain areas.
The Taber Police Service will give notice of its presence, both in advertisements and street signs, to inform the general public of its use.
In short, if someone gets caught on camera speeding, it is their own fault.
That said, Taber does have issues with speeding.
Take a stroll past any park area in the evening, even the crazy busy soccer area behind St. Patrick’s school, and you will undoubtably witness numerous cars and trucks speed through the dangerous area.
If drivers can not comprehend the need to slow down past a sportsfield, with a playground zone in place, when it is teeming with vehicles and pedestrian traffic, maybe a photo-radar ticket is not a bad idea.
Playground zones in general are routinely disregarded in this community, despite signage and ample opportunities to slow down.
Simply put, an extra deterrent can not hurt.
But invariably, someone will get a ticket in the mail, blame the police and curse a blue streak before coughing up the necessary dough.
Taking responsibility for your actions, it seems today, is seriously out of fashion.