City may end speed limits in high crime areas (Rio)

[underpants]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050627/od_nm/brazil_rio_dc

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Rio de Janeiro legislators voted to end enforcement of speed limits in parts of the crime-plagued city at night to try to cut down on attacks on slow-moving cars.

The city's legislative assembly passed a bill on Thursday to turn off cameras used to enforce speed limits of 40 kph (25 mph) in accident-prone points of the seaside city.

Many drivers already ignore traffic signals late at night for fear of being robbed or killed in a carjackings. The city has one of the world's highest murder rates.

Rio's beleaguered population, frustrated by police inefficiency, is resorting to inventive ways to fight crime.

Earlier this month the legislative assembly for the state of Rio de Janeiro proposed building high walls along some highways in the city to protect motorists from shootouts between drug gangs in some of its nearly 600 slums.