Most people have, at times, mistakenly (or not) exceeded posted speed limits.  And, if you have a GPS that has speed camera alerts, you know that the feature can be helpful.  It can be beneficial in those areas where the Government has placed speed cameras.  The very cameras the Government says are set to ensure the safety of both drivers/riders and the general public.

So when someone knows about the placement of the speed camera, they are likely going to try to limit their speed to ensure compliance with the law.  And if someone forgets about the location of the speed camera, a GPS with a warning reminds the driver/rider of dangerous conditions and likely results in a reduced speed.  That reduced speed is something the Government wants, isn’t it?

So it’s somewhat puzzling why the German Government has banned the use of the GPS speed camera warning function.  If the cameras are placed with safety in mind, it makes sense to advertise their whereabouts, not hide them.

But that is precisely what the German Government has done.  It is now illegal to use a GPS’s speed camera feature on German roads.  According to MoreBikes, if caught violating the law, a road user can be fined up to €75 ($82).

Just how the police will be able to tell if you are using the feature is not clear.  Other than asking you or seizing the unit and checking the GPS’s settings, they likely won’t know.  However, it is still illegal to use the alerts.

GPS Safety law or revenue-generating ploy?

But the more significant issue is why in the first place would the Government reduce the opportunity for people to be warned that they are going too fast for a particular area?  That doesn’t make sense.

Frankly, the move seems more like a revenue-generating tool rather than a safety measure.  Yes, people use the warning to avoid speeding tickets.  But that should be a good thing in the Government’s mind.  They will have succeeded in slowing a person down in the “dangerous area” that the Government is concerned about.

Even more concerning is the possibility that similar laws will be put in place in other countries.  I’m all for road safety, but this just seems like revenue generation and not a safety enhancement.

What do you think about this law?  Is it a safety measure designed to keep the public safe, or is it merely another means to generate revenue?  Let us know in the comments below.

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