Derek Orr is almost $450 poorer after being snapped two days in a row by Barrie’s speed cameras.
The 82-year-old Barrie man was caught on automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras Sept. 19 and 20 on Little Avenue, travelling 62 and 64 kilometres per hour in a 40-km/h zone.
“I wasn’t that far over when you go to 50, but that’s too much in a 40 km/h,” Orr told BarrieToday. “I watch. If there are any kids around I keep my speed down, but I wasn’t thinking that day, I guess.
“I’m a careful driver. I don’t rush around speeding all over the place," he added.
From mid-July until early October, Barrie’s ASE camera zones were located southbound on Prince William Way, near Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School, and eastbound on Little Avenue, near Assikinack Public School, where Orr was ticketed.
The cameras are now westbound on Wellington Street West near Hillcrest Public School and eastbound on Grove Street East near Eastview Secondary School.
ASE is a system that uses a camera and a speed-measuring device to detect and capture images of the licence plates of vehicles travelling faster than the posted speed limit in school or community safety zones.
Drivers have repeatedly told BarrieToday they believe it’s unfair not to warn drivers of a lowered speed limit, especially since the flashing lights are right there, but covered with black bags, in stretches of street where the speed cameras are in use.
“If you put the cameras in, you should let people know that the cameras are there,” said Orr, an aerospace engineer by profession. “I do 40 (km/h) most of the time. My wife is in the car and she says ‘keep your speed down’ because she reminds me when you go over 50 in a 40, sometimes you’re not thinking.”
But the lack of flashing lights in ASE zones isn’t a city decision, but rather one by the province.
Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act prohibits the city from operating ASE cameras and flashing 40-km/h speed-limit lights in school zones at the same time. The city asked to be exempt from that regulation, but found out in July it has been denied.
Signs are now in place to warn drivers the speed limit has dropped, there are cameras ahead — but the flashing lights remain covered with black bags in ASE zones.
“It looks like a cash grab, not a safety thing,” Orr said. “If a police officer pulled me over, I wouldn’t be speeding the next day. The idea is to warn people.”
Barrie has used ASE cameras since December 2023 and the average ticket fine has been about $90. Tickets are mailed out within 23 days after an ASE violation, according to the city.
Orr’s tickets were for $212.50 and $235, totalling $447.50, for his Sept. 19 and 20 infractions.
Speed cameras are being rotated through different community safety zones every few months.
The city has 27 community safety zones, established by municipal councils through a bylaw, and cover road areas where there is a higher risk to, or concern for, drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and/or others who share the space.
Highway Traffic Act fines, including speeding, are doubled in community safety zones and many community safety zones are located close to schools. Barrie has 81 sections of road designated as community safety zones in accordance with the community safety zones bylaw.
In June, city council approved leasing two more speed cameras, which will give Barrie four instead of two speed-camera zones for ticketing, as each location requires one camera.
Barrie has not yet gone from two to four ASE zones, but is expected to sometime this fall.
