BETHESDA, Md. - 7 is On Your Side this July 4 holiday weekend, providing helpful tips on how to avoid getting caught by speed traps.

More traffic cameras in Montgomery County (web | news) means more money to enforce all the tickets. And while the county council says it's worth it, there are some critics.

The Montgomery County Council has approved an additional $2 million for traffic cameras to cover the expenses of already more than doubling the number of cameras from 36 to 66 earlier this year.

Even though Bethesda resident Todd McIntyre admits he's been caught by a speed camera before, he says, "I think it's a good idea -- gets people to slow done a little bit."

Technologically savvy drivers are finding ways to bypass traffic cameras using sites like gpsangel.com, trafcam.com and Phantom Alert -- services that reveal where the cameras are located.

Tammy Matthews, a commuter who drives to work every day from Upper Marlboro to Bethesda, says she'll agree that traffic cameras are a good idea if they reduce the number of accidents.

Still, she says, "I think the speed limit is too low with some of the cameras. Twenty-five [mph] is not a reasonable speed limit in my opinion."

To that, Montgomery County Councilman Marc Elrich says stop complaining noting the council built in a generous speed limit buffer.
"When I found out we allow 11 miles over the limit I was like, 'Oh come on -- quit complaining about this,'" said Elrich. "I mean that's plenty fast. We're not impeding you from speeding. We're actually letting you speed -- we're just saying you can only speed so much."

Elrich says he was initially a skeptic of more cameras but points out radar enforced speed zones don't allow that 11-mile buffer and would cost drivers points against their licenses. He says this solution should only worry the worst violators.

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