Speed cameras are an annoying fact of life in many locations, but a town in Italy installed one and caught an insane number of speeders.
We’re not talking hundreds or even thousands, but 58,568 speeders in the course of just two weeks. That’s an insane figure by itself, but it becomes even more staggering when you consider that the town only has around 120 residents.
According to the BBC, the town’s mayor decided to install a speed camera as part of a trail run after dozens of residents complained about speeding. While the town expected to catch a few people, Pieve di Teco mayor Alessandro Alessandri told ANSA that “It is really madness” as residents regularly cross the street.
The mayor went on to say the speed limit is 31 mph (50 km/h), but one driver was clocked going 83 mph (135 km/h). While that was the record, dozens of other cars were caught travelling at speeds in excess of 62 mph (100 km/h). The situation is bad enough that some estimates suggest nearly half of the vehicles traveling through the town are speeding.
While the town could probably make a small fortune ticketing drivers, Alessandri says he want the speed cameras to act as a deterrent because he doesn’t want to fine drivers. Instead, he’s more concerned about the safety of the people who live there.
While the amount of speeders going through the town is surprising, the mayor said its main thoroughfare is popular with drivers who are looking to avoid speed bumps, speed cameras and tolls on other routes.