People are trying to destroy automated speed cameras in and around Toronto
Toronto recently announced it would be installing a bunch of new speed enforcement cameras across the city, but it appears some people aren't too happy with the increased surveillance presence.
A medley of cameras in and around the city have been trashed, tipped over, spray-painted and just generally destroyed by vandals, seemingly to spare themselves and other drivers from speeding tickets.
One camera in the east end, on Logan Avenue, has essentially been cow tipped and is now resting on its side, not catching any speeding or reckless driving or issuing fines for the time being.
This must have been a strenuous task for even the strongest individual, as these cameras weigh hundreds of pounds.
Is this a speed camera?
— Stephen Wickens 🇺🇦 🇨🇦 (@StephenWickens1) February 14, 2023
On the Logan side of Withrow Park. pic.twitter.com/47TuAAdpYp
A vandalized camera on display at Midland north of Kingston Road, very close to a school zone, has been covered in spraypaint, hindering the camera from identifying speeding motorists.
@311Toronto reposting. Midland north of Kingston Rd. Guess someone got to many tickets. School zone speeding terrible. pic.twitter.com/B8rfh9roT9
— Ted Stokes (@etsstokes) February 13, 2023
A second camera in Mississauga, also near a school, has recently been covered in graffiti in an apparent attempt to disable the camera.
Saw this Automated Speed Enforcement camera outside a local school in @citymississauga. I'm not even sure it is operating but it looks like it has already been vandalized. What loser vandalizes a speed monitoring camera outside a school? Your speeding shouldn't trump safety. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/UEmd9ul8LX
— Moaz Ahmad (@yyzMYA) February 14, 2023
Over at 33 Pritchard, in the Jane Street and St. Clair area, a camera appears to have been recently smashed and spray painted with the word "NO," in what seems like an act of protest by local speedsters.
@311Toronto graffiti alert. Please clean. 33 Pritchard Ave @FrancesNunziata pic.twitter.com/Zsvj4cb5N1
— TJC (@tconnors56) February 8, 2023
On Parkside Drive, the city's hottest camera, which continuously nabs the most speeders, is always painted and vandalized. That camera issued nearly 20k fines since it was installed just months ago.
No matter how hard you try, Toronto, these cameras aren't going anywhere. Maybe it's time to learn the rules of the road and slow down.
Stephen Wickens
