San Fran buses to get cameras for ratting on bus lane parking offenders

Sure, everybody's done it at one point or another, but San Francisco is trying to put the kibosh on traffic-chocking illegal bus lane parking with new cameras the city will be mounting on public transport buses -- Big Brother style. The cameras are mounted behind the windshield and bus drivers can use them to automatically photograph offenders. During the trial phase, parking baddies will get off with a warning, but in a month San Fran will start issuing $100 tickets. Better get that shopping done soon!

[Via AutoblogGreen]

[Mars @ Jan 8th 2008 7:06PM]

About freaking time. People won't know how valuable this is until they've ridden on the 2-Clement line.

MUNI travels on average 8 miles per hour.. we'll see how much better it gets *if* the whole camera ordeal works.

[Johnny Appleseed @ Jan 8th 2008 7:21PM]

It's time to start burning cameras like our Bretherin across the pond. Any takers. Good. We're meeting tonight.

[Syndication @ Jan 8th 2008 7:26PM]

What a waste of taxpayer money

[JohnTitor @ Jan 8th 2008 7:38PM]

I'm sure it will be made up with the fines

[Blaktornado @ Jan 8th 2008 7:50PM]

I don't live in San Fran but I catch the bus almost everyday to get where I need to go and over here, no-one parks in the bus lanes... but if they did, I could imagine by journeys taking longer, being more frustrating and causing havoc.

Really, it's a GREAT idea. I mean, really, why is it a bad thing for the government to enforce their laws? They're there for a reason, after all... even if we don't like some of them.

[Syndication @ Jan 8th 2008 8:48PM]

"Really, it's a GREAT idea. I mean, really, why is it a bad thing for the government to enforce their laws? They're there for a reason, after all... even if we don't like some of them."

You think of that the next time eminent domain comes into question or the next time those red light cameras are used for more than just catching speeders. Cameras in general are additional revenue generators for the state, not so much for enforcing the law. Just one more step for the nanny state to watch your every move and to tax you at the same time. What every happened to privacy and actually using humans to solve situations instead of this ticket-revenue BS.

Next thing you know people will advocate the use of speed cameras in California to make our roads safer. After all, you deserve a fine for going over 5 miles right? Give me a break.

If there's anything progressive about the city of San Francisco, it's their ability to consistently take more and more money from you and decide what you can and can't have.

Brought to you by the same city who wants to put an additional tax on sugar products because after all, the government KNOWS what's BEST FOR YOU

[alex @ Jan 9th 2008 2:40PM]

i hate to break it to you, but using humans to solve this problem would be much more expensive and wasteful than cameras. bus lanes are meant for busses; parked cars mucks up the whole system. this is no more invasive than cameras that make sure you don't drive through the toll booth...

[jskrdude @ Jan 8th 2008 9:31PM]

Apparently syndication has a problem with the government making our roadways safer and more efficient. But hey, everyone's entitled to their own opinion: that's part of what our freedom of speech is about.

[Syndication @ Jan 8th 2008 10:19PM]

"Apparently syndication has a problem with the government making our roadways safer and more efficient. But hey, everyone's entitled to their own opinion: that's part of what our freedom of speech is about."

Maybe because I have more faith in the individual than a big group of people who make decisions with your money? Who knows better how to feed your family? The government or YOU?

Methinks you fail to understand where the government might overstep its boundaries into your life. The government has to enforce laws? Fine, pay some metermaid to ticket and tow cars out of the area with STRICT fines, not some $100 ticket in the mail BS. This is nothing but a money grab. The city knows this problem will continue and will be happy to get that additional revenue via tickets. If they really wanted to do something about it, they would TOW and IMPOUND the cars which requires no investment in expensive cameras. The problem isn't about investing in new technology to make things better, the problem is motivating lazy government employees to do their job instead of using technology to try to solve the problem.

[Michael S @ Jan 9th 2008 10:44AM]

I would argue the parking violators waste of a busload of people's time.

[Jesse Forest @ Jan 8th 2008 7:39PM]

For those who don't have a car...or want to reduce their carbon footprint...
San Francisco now has TXTBUS for the Muni.
It's a free service that gives you the bus arrival times via txt msg, pulling the data from the Nextbus signs (so it's GPS REAL TIME).

Txt: SFMTA
To: 44636

www.txtbus.net

[Justin @ Jan 9th 2008 12:55AM]

You can also call 1800-673-MUNI (6864) and talk to someone that will do the same hing

[Vince @ Jan 8th 2008 7:42PM]

"Traffic-chocking"

Should read "traffic-choking."

Awesome site guys.

[James De Vile @ Jan 8th 2008 8:04PM]

Buses in London have had mounted cameras for 4-5 years now for this purpose. It works well, and means you can catch a bus to work without having to sit in gridlock traffic with the other SUV drivers.

[Jeff @ Jan 8th 2008 8:15PM]

Please bring this to New York. Please.

[lostarchitect @ Jan 8th 2008 8:38PM]

actually, i'd love one to rat on bus drivers fucking with the bike lane and nearly killing me.

[jskrdude @ Jan 8th 2008 9:33PM]

You can take care of that yourself.
Just wear a camera mounted on your helmet

[John Russell @ Jan 9th 2008 12:39AM]

Something like this would be great for those a-holes who park in bike lanes all of the time.
Try riding the length of Portland's Broadway bike lane and see what happens when you get to the infamous "Hotel Zone."

[Jeremy @ Jan 8th 2008 8:44PM]

I've noticed Muni drivers carrying around standard small digital cameras and taking pics of cars parked in bus stops. So it looks like they're moving from a completely informal trial to something a bit more substantial.

Should help the 14 on Mission St a lot...

[Usually Named @ Jan 8th 2008 9:21PM]

It's always the liberal cities (London, San Francisco) that are the first to add big brother features. Wonder why....

[Wwhat @ Jan 8th 2008 9:29PM]

London is know as liberal? who knew

[boss sauce @ Jan 8th 2008 11:47PM]

Folks new to San Francisco learn from a friend or the hard way-- MUNI drivers have always been able to report cars in bus stops, no DPT tuk tuk necessary-- the ticket is $250! Of all the places to illegally park in the city, that is the ultimate no-no, since it has a cascading effect for traffic.

Still, I don't like it when laws are enforced by machine. The only way I'd be OK with this is if the footage was used to bust MUNI drivers for cutting off traffic, not pulling into bus stops at all, and running red lights. MUNI drivers don't have it easy, but a lot of them constantly break traffic laws.

[splitsecond @ Jan 9th 2008 1:00AM]

I need one on my car to take pictures of Muni drivers running red lights! What a waste of goddam money.

[Justin @ Jan 9th 2008 12:52AM]

seriously!

Bus drivers think they can do whatever they want. They run red lights, they stop in the middle of the intersection. One time we were trying to park, but a cable car was coming down so we went off the side of the road, and the drivers dares to tell us, don't stop on the side, your blocking the road. WTF? he was passing us!

[ecobore @ Jan 9th 2008 4:29AM]

yeah, they have these in the UK too, for once it is a camera that is not a bad idea! Parking in bus lanes is just plain inconsiderate!

[Garst @ Jan 9th 2008 5:25AM]

Who cares about those people? I want something done about taxis double-parking in lengths of city blocks. It's annoying when you pull behind them thinking they're going somewhere, and you don't realise they're parked. I wanted to turn right at the next street, I didn't think I was going to need to be in the third lane in order to make a right!

[Ed @ Jan 9th 2008 12:26PM]

Fair enough but I would like to do the same to all the buses that do not pull into EMPTY bus stops!

[Norman Speight @ Jan 10th 2008 6:08AM]

Yeh! Sounds good doesn't it?
Agree. Those who park in bus lanes should be screwed but. As others have pointed out we've had this in the UK for about 5 years. Unfortunately all of our traffic control measures have become just money earners for the local Authorities (Councils etc). Also ours became privatised because Mrs Thatcher held that ALL things privatised were ALWAYS better than those in the publicly owned management. These private monopolies now screw us for - like - $160 for a parking meter over run, a towed away vehicle can cost up to $240 per day just for storage before you collect it (Yes, even from the police, and they won't give you your car until you pay)and the one you know about £16 a day for going into central London and if you don't pay for it before 10.00 at night on the day of use, this goes up to $80.00. You've got it coming - believe me - in the US.
Question is; Is this what you really want? We certainly never thought that Local tax could be extended to this. Oh, by the way. Better bus service? Arguably, but like the Curate's egg, only in parts and the journey cost goes up twice a year.
You should see the contract Livingstone signed with the 33 bus companies in London (all privately owned). Their take goes up astronomically year-on-year. So, buy London bus company shares, just one of the owners lives in a bloody great castle in Scotland, he's also bought a railway (another huge 'success' - for him). Latest thing is that in one Borough you have to pay £500 ($1,000) just to park your 4X4 (Richmond since you ask).
Still think road control measures are good? Well, they might be, its the old Pandora's box thing, tell me how popular it is in ten years or so

[chuckles92104 @ Jan 14th 2008 12:18PM]

Screw the cameras scoping out the bus lane parkers, how's 'bout a camera for when the bus driver cufks up and hits a car, bicyclist, or pedestrian in the crosswalk (I was a pedestrian T-boned by a MUNI bus about 13 years ago). MUNI's bus drivers need to be trained on a regular basis. If training isn't going to do it, then cameras to document driver-caused catastrophic events. The guy who hit me is STILL driving a bus for MUNI. No corrective action, no nothin'. Where's the justice?

[vdrummer @ Jan 21st 2008 8:33PM]

These cameras are MISGUIDED AND WASTEFUL.

Nearly every bus in SF pulls into a stop only halfway, and blocks a lane of traffic while they're stopped. Society would be better served by eliminating bus stops all together, letting busses just stop and block traffic like they always do, and open up thousands of parking spaces that are desperately needed!

Come on, how often do you drive by a bus in SF that's stopped at the curb?