The Old Blog in the Desert

It’s acknowledged by all who have ever driven through Nevada in the summer that once the snow melts and the days grow longer, so too does the mighty reign of the orange traffic cone. Yes, friends, it is Cone Season again–that grand annual tradition where highways transform into obstacle courses, lanes vanish into the ether, and men and women in neon vests appear at random, wielding signs of unknowable intent.

While Cone Season is inconvenient for the motoring public, for those brave souls who toil under the desert sun, dodging wayward sedans and distracted drivers–it’s a matter of life and death. Thus, one noble legislator from Southern Nevada has taken up the cause of these unsung heroes, proposing a bold and innovative solution: More cameras.

Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett, the guiding spirit behind Assembly Bill 402, believes that Nevada’s work zones needn’t more caution nor common sense but a good old-fashioned digital eye—ever watchful, ever unblinking. Hidden–the cameras will capture when an unsuspecting driver speeds through a construction zone.

The authorities will review the photographic evidence. Should the blurry specter of a guilty party emerge from the grainy abyss, a citation will get dispatched to the registered owner—no questions asked–except, of course, for the name and address of any alternative suspects. Lest you fear the advent of a Big Brother-esque surveillance state, rest assured–the camera will not reveal faces—only license plates.

And if you were not the one driving, you will have the opportunity to clear your good name by dutifully informing on the true culprit, be it a friend, relative, or hapless acquaintance who borrowed your car in good faith. Ain’t that justice?

Of course, should a flesh-and-blood law officer catch you in the act of recklessly careening through a work zone, you will get the full force of traditional penalties—steep fines, potential jail time, and a deep sense of regret. But rest easy, dear driver, for the watchful cones will ensure that automated citations remain a civil infraction, free from pesky demerit points.

Assembly Bill 402 now awaits its grand debut before the Assembly Growth and Infrastructure Committee, where it will get discussed, debated, and perhaps even met with a few raised eyebrows. The date remains undecided, but one thing is sure–more cameras are coming, the cones are watching, and Cone Season shall never be the same again.