Noteworthy: Speed kills, but are drivers self-regulating in a post-photo radar Alberta?

By Bruce Penton on October 1, 2025.

Now that police authorities have deemphasized the use of photo radar cameras, are Medicine Hat drivers speeding more? Are our streets more dangerous?

My initial reaction, with no facts to back it up, is no. Traffic seems to flow about the same today as it did in the days of heavy photo radar use. Vehicles continue to slow to between 30 and 40 km/h in playground and school zones, which is where speed control is most important.

A recent story in the Globe & Mail pointed out that “safety research shows that just 10 km/h can be the difference between life and death. At 30 km/h, a pedestrian has about a 90-per-cent chance of surviving a collision. At 40 to 45 km/h, survival drops to around 50 per cent. Beyond that, survival plummets.”

Of course, vehicle-on-vehicle crashes are more often serious, or fatal, when higher speeds are involved.

One poor choice to go too fast within the city could have devastating results to many people. A speeder unable to stop in time when a pedestrian unexpectedly steps off a curb could spend a couple years in jail, breaking up family and employment opportunities. Of course, the victim in a scenario such as this has even more to lose – their life, and untold pain for a number of grieving friends and relatives.

Go slow. Photo radar was used as a threatening reminder to play it safe. Common sense should take care of things now that the speed cameras have been mothballed.

â€¢ Crossword puzzle controversy erupted recently when one of the clues in the New York Times puzzle was “the signature sound of the Looney Tunes Road Runner.” The puzzle’s answer was ‘Beep Beep’ and the anger was widespread.

“It’s ‘meep-meep’,” said some opposing voices. “No, it’s more like ‘hmeep, hmeep,’ bellowed others.

What’s amazing to me is that people actually took time out of their day to officially complain about something so ridiculous. (Editor’s note: It’s quite clearly ‘meep-meep’ and any other opinions are wrong.

â€¢ An American political scientist and historian named Lawrence Britt posted an essay in 2003 – 22 years ago – titled the 14 Characteristics of Fascism. And they are:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause

4. Supremacy of the Military

5. Rampant Sexism

6. Controlled Mass Media

7. Obsession with National Security

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined

9. Corporate Power is Protected

10. Labor Power is Suppressed

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption

14. Fraudulent Elections

Hmmm! Remind you of anyone?

â€¢ I tend to trust experts. I know, I know, they don’t always know what they’re talking about and people should do some personal investigating rather than listen to an expert. Besides, how can we be sure that so-called “experts” aren’t just frauds?

Generally, though, if a scientist says one thing and my local doctor affirms that thought, but my mailman disputes that info, I’m going to side with the scientist and my doctor.

With that in mind, the axios.com website wrote recently that “almost every expert who studies the dimension of mental and physical health” comes to a conclusion on how to live a longer and healthier life.

Want to live longer? Try this recipe:

– Eat real, healthy, protein-packed foods. Purge fake and ultra-processed garbage.

– Exercise daily, even if it’s just a walk.

– Lift some weights.

– Sleep 7+ hours.

– Make and keep real, human friendships.

– Minimize booze and screen time.

“Do all of this, all free,” says the axios.com report, “and you’ll be in the top five per cent for setting yourself up to lengthen your healthspan.”

â€¢ Short snappers: Can’t remember a movie getting such rave reviews and critical acclaim as One Battle After Another, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, and has just been released. … Sports fans can breathe easy this week. Toronto Blue Jays hung on to snag the first-round playoff bye, after it appeared they were about to blow it down the stretch. A nice little rest and then playoff baseball starting Saturday. … One of pro golf’s biggest events, the Ryder Cup, wrapped up Sunday and there are only two things one can say about the conduct of the pro-American fans: ‘sickening’ and ‘ugly’. … It’s Oct. 1, which means 19 more days until Hatters elect a mayor and eight city councillors. I’m still trying to figure out which eight will get my vote from among the record 39 on the ballot, but the forums held last week at the Esplanade were truly informative … I like the idea of an outdoor aquatics facility in South Ridge. Hope it goes ahead.