Traffic Ticket By Camera

[NYMINUTE]

A friend of mine told me he received a Red light run ticket by mail. Evidently he "over-committed" at an intersection where the have surviellance cameras here in the city. Has anyone you know ever been cited this way?

 

[KaGee]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Not personally.... we have more than a dozen intersections with them here. Adding a twist to it, they are slowly being modified to include speed cameras so when you speed up to "beat the light", guess what, SURPRISE! The ultimate is to get both violations...ouch! In both cases these are treated like parking tickets... no points. If you choose not to pay, you won't be able to register or sell your car or update your drivers license until payed.<br />_______________________________<br /><br />I did get caught in a speed trap while in Indianapolis last week. 43 in a 25... "School Zone" Very poor signing. No school or children visible. Mayor of Indianaplois gonna receive $150 contribution from me to his retirement fund! <br /><br />Both of these are nothing more that "Profit Centers" for the local governments.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

I think you will find that if you fight these, almost certainly you will win. Where is the proof? One picture does not say it all. There are alwasy circumstances.<br /><br />If they put out video cameras, that might be different.<br /><br />Ken

 

[KaGee]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Ken, <br />The ticket is always accompanied with pictures of the vehicle (here anyway.. don't know how about other cities).<br /><br />The courts to this date have upheld these.

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Contest it in court!<br /><br />But you must hire an attorney if you expect to get this overturned!<br /><br />The cost of a lawyers fee, for the cost of an appearance, sure is cheaper than the costs of the fines, points, surcharges, and insurance increases.<br /><br />Definitly fight it! There are many circumstances that could contribute to the reasons why the camera caught you, and those circumstances could be for almost any ligitimate reason!<br /><br />Don't give in and pay the fine, fight it!

 

[AK_Chappy]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

I spent five years in Germany where this type was very prevalent. The Polizei did not write speeding tickets manually, or red light runners. Unless they just happened to be there when the light was run. I got one in Germany for speeding in a school zone, 37 kph in a 35 khp. I paid it.<br /><br />I came up here, and the people of Anchorage were fighting the camera tickets for speeding.<br />They were using them in school zones, in town, that were clearly marked. Numerous people were ticketed for 50+ in a 20 mph zone. The courts ended up throwing a lot of cases out, due to "lack of a speedy trial". The peoples argument was that it wasn't a "human hand" that wrote the ticket and the radar could have been off. <br /><br />Personally, I say "shutup and pay the ticket". The radar guns that they use are calibrated on a very regular basis, if they caught you, they caught you!! Does that mean I always run the speed limit, no, unless it is a school zone. It seems there are so many people who are looking for loopholes, or excuses. Just take your lumps and move on.<br /><br />If your friend had "over-committed" (if cameras are set up the same way as in GE), there should have been several tickets, spaced seconds apart. This happened to my boss in GE. He received 33 tickets in the mail, all within 33 seconds of each other, showing him with the nose of his van in the crosswalk. The cameras reset and if the beam is still broken take another picture. He took them all down to the courthouse, they all had a big laugh and cancelled the tickets.<br /><br />If you can't tell, I am a big advocate for using radar photo tickets. Even though it would probably mean more tickets for me. It would save the cops time to go after some real criminals.<br /><br />my $.02<br /><br />AK Chappy

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Here in Tallahassee, running red lights is just a thing to expect. When the light turns green for you and you are first to go, always look for those running the light turning left right in front of you.<br /><br />Here's the situation:<br />- A person is waiting in the median to turn left.<br />- The light is green, but traffic prohibits the left turn.<br />- Traffic doesn't let up and the light turns red. <br />- Oncoming traffic stops, yet because this person is in the median, he must go ahead and turn left after the light has turned red. <br />This causes those adjacent to him who's light has just turned green to wait until the yoohoo in the middle of the intersection runs his red light.<br /><br />I'm all for cameras in intersections like these. They have a few of them and are getting more. People, including myself, need to obey the law.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Originally posted by KaGee:<br /> Ken, <br />The ticket is always accompanied with pictures of the vehicle (here anyway.. don't know how about other cities).<br /><br />The courts to this date have upheld these.

But a picture cant tell what happened, only that you ran the red light.<br /><br />It is legal to run a red light in texas to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle.<br /><br />So you run the red light to get out of the way, it snaps a pic, then you get a ticket.<br /><br />There are other reasons too.<br /><br />If there was a video, most of this would be captured, a picture cant.<br /><br />IN all honesty, I wish people would follow the traffic laws, but in reality, cities like things like this to generate revenue. It can be abused very easily.<br /><br />Ken

 

[AK_Chappy]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Actually JamesCoste,<br />I was taught to do that when I went through Driver's Ed. You are not "running" a red light. If you enter the intersection while the light is green or yellow, you are ok. Therefore, when you have only a green circle, not an arrow, you pull forward into the intersection. When the light changes you have the right-of-way because you entered on green.<br /><br />We have a serious problem with red light runners up here too. These are the ones who just keep going. I know what you mean about pausing and looking left and right. I have had some close calls.<br /><br />And to quote you<br />

Originally posted by JamesCoste:<br /> <br />I'm all for cameras in intersections like these. They have a few of them and are getting more. People, including myself, need to obey the law.

I agree. Myself included.<br /><br />AK Chappy

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

I would say that your chance of getting it overturned it court is not as good as you think. Running red lights is a very dangerous practice and I don't think there are too many judges out there are going to be very "Sympathetic". They have the cameras here is Phoenix and so far everyone that I know who has been ticketed was guilty as charged. They whine and moan about it but when you ask them if they did it they say "Well, yeah." It's pretty idiot proof technology and the reality is, the judges know that. The only way to get out of it is if the driver is not recognizable in the photo. <br /><br />Anyway, if you run a red light and get caught, pay the fine and slow down next time. Just remember, driving is by far the most dangerous thing you do everyday, for most of us. Let's be safe out there.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

DR, I generally agree... don't do the crime if you can't pay the fine.<br /><br />The thing about these intersection cameras is that there is too much opportunity to "engineer" the timing in order to get more offenders.<br /><br />It's not a safety issue, it's all about money.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

KaGee. I do agree that there is opportunity to falsify the timing, but then you could make that arguement about countless other law enforcement techniques. Radar guns not calibrated correctly, blood alcohol testers not calibrated correctly, DNA testing falsified, even the traffic lights themselves timed in such a manner as to make running a red light more likely. The list could go on forever. One disturbing thing I did hear about the red light cameras though was that the maker of the cameras got a kickback for every offender that was caught and fined! I believe there are plenty of watchdog groups, in this area anyway, to keep "The man" honest though. As for it not being a safety issue, I can't speak for all cities, but in Phoenix, we had a SERIOUS problem with red light runners until a few years ago when the cameras started going up. Many people lost their lives to carelessness to say nothing of all the property damage. Insurance rates go up for everyone, it's lose, lose no matter what. 2 of the most dangerous intersections in the U.S. are right here in Phoenix. 7th St. & Bell and 19th St. & Northern. The former is only 2 miles from my house and I cringe everytime I drive through it. I think the cameras have value in this area anyway. Do they use them in Ohio?

 

[ED21]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

In Maryland the only good thing about red light camera tickets is they don't give you any points. At least not yet. <br />My wife got one in a part of town she has never been in. The tag looked the same but the car wasn't hers. A few phone calls & pictures of her car & tag & the city dropped the ticket.<br />I don't like people running red lights, but the Big Brother aspect bothers me.<br />And yes some places were caught making the yellow lights shorter. It seems private contractors run the lights & they get payed by the ticket.

 

[12Footer]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

In Florida, you maintain the right to "face your accuser". It has been fought sucessfully on that right (thier camera cannot accuse).

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Interesting point 12Footer, although I don't see how it's different from other evidence gathering techniques. i.e. the camera that catches a theif robbing an ATM machine, or the burgler looting your house, or even a criminal commiting murder. I guess as long as the red light runner doesn't plow into another vehicle or pedestrian, there is no evidence that a crime was commited other than the photo. That may be the difference.

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

Just one other point here about tickets...<br /><br />NEVER just pay them!<br /><br />Always contest them!<br /><br />NEVER go into a court room without an attorney!<br /><br />Every ticket I have gotten over the last 7 years, all have been dismissed, by my lawyer conversing with the judge for about 1 minute!<br /><br />Yeah, it cost me $150 to have him in court, but let me tell you, $150 is alot cheaper than the fine, and all the other expenses that come from tickets.<br /><br />All I'm trying to say here is, ever since I started using a lawyer for my tickets, I have yet to pay one, all have been dismissed!

 

[wajajaja]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

200 square miles,4 intersections, Two traffic lights, and were are 50% percent of the ems calls, tragic. I always count 3 second before entering a intersection. <br /> i generally ask horn blowers what the problem is, they toot, i look araound.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

If those type of tickes bother you, just buy one of those lisence plate covers that blur the plate when photographed from an angle. The cops riding behind you see your plate clear, but the photo ticket machines can't read your plate.<br /><br />Problem solved.

 

[cbnoodles]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

I've been ticketed in Wash. D.C. by one of these setups. It's done with video so there is no arguing about the status of the light or claiming an emergency vehicle was coming. The quality of the stills is exceptional in it's detail. In my case, you could read the expiration date on my license year sticker (about 1" square) with the camera being approximately 100' from my vehicle.<br /><br />And KKC, if you think it's better to have a lawyer with you in traffic court because of the expense, you should try hiring a D.C. lawyer! It would cost you at least $300 just to talk to one. I've never gotten out of a ticket from a lawyer arguing my case and I've never had a fine and costs come to more than $150.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Traffic Ticket By Camera

DR... Here in town the city gets 25 percent of the fine with 75 going to the company. The company also owns and maintains the equipment. The company also paid for the installation. So, to the municipality, there is no downside. That's why this deal is all about profit. The city sets the fine amounts, the company gets 75 percent. Violators pay $90 per violation and get zero points. It's treated like a parking ticket.