Article from: www.thenewspaper.com/news/24/2459.asp

7/5/2008

Russian Capital Gets Traffic Cameras
Former Soviet Union capital city gets automated traffic ticket cameras for the first time.

The capital city of the former Soviet empire is only now embracing big brother traffic enforcement. A law enacted Tuesday will enable Moscow to begin using automated cameras to watch over and ticket vehicle owners, a practice adopted more than a decade ago in several parts of the United States and throughout Europe.

The Moscow Times reported that the first batch of cameras have been installed in three locations, including Sushchyovsky Val, the intersection of the Third Ring Road and Prospekt Mira, and the intersection of Ulitsa Petrovka and the Garden Ring. More cameras will be added as the system generates revenue from fines newly raised to 700 rubles each.

At the same time, the country will end its zero tolerance policy against drunk driving. After innocent motorists with trace amounts of alcohol in their system faced charges, authorities agreed to increase the blood alcohol content limit to 0.03. This means an average Russian could consume no more than 30 grams of vodka before getting behind the wheel.

Source: Police Take Photos of Traffic Offenses (Moscow Times (Russia), 7/3/2008)

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