Oakland begins issuing citations using speed cameras, leaving neighbors divided

The City of Oakland began issuing citations for speeding using cameras on Sunday, and it has neighbors divided. 

"About three of my family members were issued warnings. And were advised there will be citations today, if they make the mistake again," Mike, who is from East Oakland, told CBS News Bay Area. 

"I've been really cautious driving down 98th because there's a couple of them and I've seen them," he added. 

The city installed cameras across 18 locations, where they can detect a driver going 11 miles or more than the posted speed limit. 

In early January, the city had launched a program with a 60-day warning period, issuing 140,000 speed warnings. 

"I'm just feeling like this is a total speed trap. People going 20 miles per hour on Broadway is unheard of. I don't like it," Edward "L" Wooley, who lives in Oakland, told CBS News Bay Area.

He was driving past 27th and Broadway, one of the intersections with speeding cameras. 

"Everybody just needs to drive cautiously. Nobody needs to be speeding," he said. "Thousands of cars drive through here daily, people coming to pick up kids, it's all types of stuff going on over here. I notice they got all these speed limits posted 20 miles per hour and everything, but nobody's thinking to go down 20 miles per hour on Broadway." 

Gabriel Bick, who is also from Oakland, said he notices distracted and speedy drivers, especially along 23rd Street. 

He hopes the city will provide more clarification about citations. 

"Traffic calming measures are positive. I know, like from talking to my neighbors, there have been some complaints about the specific implementation in terms of where the speed limit changes, and that being potentially confusing," Bick said. 

City officials reassure that their systems don't capture videos. They add that those images would only be kept for five days if no violation is issued. If there is a violation issued, the photo would be in the system for 60 days. 

Mike said that all of this can be avoided by doing just this. 

"My best advice for the commuters is wake up a little earlier. Don't be a rush, last-minute thing, try to beat the traffic," he said. 

Speeding tickets range from $50 to $500, depending on how many miles the driver goes over the speed limit. City officials are also offering low-income and public benefits at discounted rates.