Red light camera

[frankd]

There I was, taking a short nap on the couch. I woke up and told Barb "that sure was a good nap". She said "You won't feel like that after you see what came in the mail". She was talking about an envelope from the city of Joliet, and it had some pictures of my old Silhouette making a right turn while a stoplight was red. I thought "what's the matter with them, haven't they heard of right turn on red". I read further and it gave a web site that I could go to for the complete video of the infraction. I went there and saw that I didn't quite stop all the way. I did get down to barely moving, but not quite a full stop. I'd sure like to beat this, but I'll probably just mail them a $100 check. Big brother is watching.....

[etcswjoe]

Well that stinks.

[Bubber]

With people running stop signs and crashing into cross traffic... this is how they choose to spend their valuable resources?

Ya I know you didn't stop and count to ten, but don't you think this is more about the money than it is the violation?

Besides how do they know you were the driver and not someone driving your car?

How many just pay instead of questioning the evidence?

If your wrong your wrong I get it. And you will know that and hopefully make changes to your driving.

But something to consider, this would be considered a moving violation in most states and therefore you will get demerit points or what ever they call them in your state. Your Insurance company will be glad to charge you 20% MORE for you act on consciousness.

Your innocent until proven guilty in these here United States at least for now anyway.

If the intention was to correct driving habits then I would be all for it, but it just always seems to be about the money.

Bubber

 

Let the flack begin. :moon:

[BoomerCPO]

If anyone visits Lafayette,La. BEWARE....the city has installed cameras at every intersection that has lights. My cousin has been with Lafayette PD for over 20 years and he sez the city is making a killing with those cameras. The cops there hate em too cuz the PD often gets tickets as well...

Boomer.....who sez having muddied up license plates works very well thank you.

[jakester]

Your suppose to stop, not park! anyway, you may look into defensive driving or possibly deferred adjudication. This will keep it off your record and insurance.

Bill

[Howard B]

I too got caught by a camera in Peoria, Az. There was absolutely no denying it was me driving. They had four (4) pictures. Windshield head on, license plate, intersection with me in it showing the red light, and rear. I was guilty. I tried to take a pink light. In Arizona they can also make you attend a class on defensive driving and if you refuse, revoke your license. But you say, my license was issued by Oregon. They have the ability to revoke an out of state license. And as far as the $100 and forget it. In Peoria it was $241.

[Mike G in SC]

I got home to SC from a bike ride to Madison, WI a few years ago.

Me and some buds rode there for a STAR Days and back.

My wife had to visit sick family in MI and took my SUV and then drove over to stay for the event and follow us home.

 

A few weeks later I get an envelope from the Illinois Toll people.

It had a fuzzy picture of a tag and said I had skipped 3 toll booths.

I'm thinking back,,,like hell.

Then I looked at the fuzzy picture,,, it's my SUV tag! Honey,,, did you,,,,,,?

 

Carol claimed she didn's see any stinking toll booths. Well, turns out in IL they have the I-Pass that most use, and the booths are more like exits,,, but manditory,,, if you don't have the I-pass. Who knew, when surrounding states have booths. Well, "Ignorance being 9/10's of the law" in IL,,, she tried 'splaining it on the official form. Nahhhhh, pay the man. And boy howdy do they get lot's of cash that way!

[RedRider]

There I was, taking a short nap on the couch. I woke up and told Barb "that sure was a good nap". She said "You won't feel like that after you see what came in the mail". She was talking about an envelope from the city of Joliet, and it had some pictures of my old Silhouette making a right turn while a stoplight was red. I thought "what's the matter with them, haven't they heard of right turn on red". I read further and it gave a web site that I could go to for the complete video of the infraction. I went there and saw that I didn't quite stop all the way. I did get down to barely moving, but not quite a full stop. I'd sure like to beat this, but I'll probably just mail them a $100 check. Big brother is watching.....

 

Send them a picture of a $100 bill.

[Venturous Randy]

We have an intersection here in Johnson City, TN that are two four lanes streets expanded to five lanes at the intersection for two turning left, two straight and one turning right. The intersection actually handles a lot of traffic very well.

The problem is on one of the left turns, the green light is only 12 seconds. Unless it is the middle of the night, usually about half of the vehicles waiting will have to wait for another light and that's another two plus minutes. To make this even worse, I have caught this light going back to what appears to be an 8 second default. I have both times taken this up with the Director of traffic.

Guess what, with the twelve different combinations of turning, this is the only one that has a red light camera.

As a motorcyclist, I really don't have a problem with red light cameras as I think that is about the only way some people will be a bit more diligent in not running them. I did have an incident in the cage where I was coming up to a right turn on a red light and when I crossed the white line while moving, I caught the flash going off. I made a point to come to a complete stop and did not get a ticket. If I had gotten a ticket, I would have simply stated that I had to move that far forward to see if any cross traffic was coming.

RandyA

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Send them a picture of a $100 bill.

 

 

[djh3]

This is HUGE big stink here in Fla. Especially the Tampa area. Orlando had a big rash of them and lawyers will take your case on and got a lot of them thrown out because an actual officer did not witness it. Tampa news did a piece and found out that mysteriously the cameras on lights had a shorter yellow period. Now that seems odd huh?

So I got one of them tickets up in Haynes City Fl. Got pick in the mail and web site. So I go to site and watched video. I would have called it a tie more than likely but I definatly was in the intersection when red. So the lawyers will fight them for you, its around $90-100 bucks when all said and done. Then ticket was $158 and no points. Also in the pic it showed how fast I was going. Allegedly by the pic 55 in a 45 zone. I read some more about taking it to court. If I lost I not only had to pay the $158, but had to pay court cost also. So I figured I was done either for speeding which is points or the $158 and watch my step.

Boomer I spent 20yr in the USAF and the way that justice system works your guilty until you can prove otherwise. I have seen it at work.

[Venturous Randy]

It's interesting that Fox news just made a statement that red light cameras may be a thing of the past, but I missed the story.

I may google it and see if it is posted.

RandyA

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I'd sure like to beat this, but I'll probably just mail them a $100 check. Big brother is watching.....

 

http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/auto_enforce.html

 

Looks like maybe you can take a defensive driving course instead.

 

Naturally, they aren't free either, but maybe a MSF course would qualify, (it does here in Texas) and you can make an enjoyable weekend out of it. You might even get a future discount on motorcycle insurance!

 

 

 

Or take a look at this article:

 

http://www.lemonwall.blogspot.com/2012/03/illinois-red-light-cameras-what-you.html

Edited March 13, 2014 by tx2sturgis

[JDaniel]

In Ohio it is a civil penalty so the BMV is not notified. No points, no insurance hike, just money out of your pocket. Legislature is looking at getting rid of them in the entire state.

[stardbog]

Ha Frank there is very few of them in your area, look how may are in city of Chicago>

 

http://www.photoenforced.com/chicago.html#.UyIHydxH1SU

 

I did get one $100.00 pic in mail to few years back.

[uncledj]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/13/red-light-camera-at-florida-hospital-ticketing-those-seeking-emergency-help/

The gubment does this out of concern for the citizens.

They're doing it for our protection.

 

Just keep repeating that and maybe you can convince yourself of it.

Edited March 13, 2014 by uncledj
Included the link

[SilvrT]

If the intention was to correct driving habits then I would be all for it, but it just always seems to be about the money.

 

Bubber

 

Let the flack begin. :moon:

 

In the "old days" there used to be 1 or 2 LEO's sitting a bit up the street from a corner, nabbing those who didn't come to a complete stop. Now, I can't remember what the "fee" was then but consider this .... if they did it that way today, and you got a $100 fine ... would you be complaining about the fine or the cost to you, the taxpayer, for those 2 LEO's time?

 

Cameras are a cost effective way to "police" drivers breaking the law. How do we stop people from such things? By catching them in the act and fining them. The more that get caught and fined..... well, maybe eventually people with get the idea.

 

The lack of traffic cops is because it's not economical these days (like it was in the old days). As such, people step over the line and the more often they do that without getting caught, the more it becomes habitual. This is why there are so many BAD drivers these days .... they don't give a crap because nobody is doing anything about it. Well, some do and that generally results in road rage.

 

This does not only apply to drivers ... pedestrians are just as bad. Jaywalking everywhere, disobeying Walk/Don't Walk signs, walking against a red light... why? Because nobody is catching them and fining them.

 

If nothing is done, we'll have streets like they do in China ... people driving all over the road, cyclists everywhere, pedestrians weaving in and out of vehicles ... and accidents all over the place.

 

I say .... ERECT TRAFFIC CAMS ON EVERY CORNER and nail the hell out of those who don't obey the rules!

 

:witch_brew:

Edited March 13, 2014 by SilvrT

[Trader]

I got a ticket one time. The ruling was braking has to be to the point that all inerta has stopped...so they want to see the car rock back as it stops.

 

If the wheels are turning They are earning!

[Flyinfool]

I don't have a problem with the concept of red light cams. But I do have a big issue with the implementation of the cameras.

There are times that you can not help but to still be in the intersection when the light turns red. For instance, IF the yellow is timed for a 45 speed limit but you are traveling 20 due to conditions you will get a ticket, even though the light was green when you entered the intersection. OR it is a proven fact that some cities shorten the length of yellow on some cam equipped intersections to almost guaranty a ticket is issued on every flop of the light.

 

At the moment red light cams are illegal in WI. There is a constant effort to change that. I hope those efforts continue to fail.

 

If they do get the cams here, I will be reinforcing my back bumper.

[Cougar]

OH OH OH my wife just got one in the mail 2 days ago. paid $100

and it is in my name LOL.. they said it wont go against anything

my wife claims someone stole her car and ran that light

They even have video of it. very clear as well. I will try and post it.

[Cougar]

See if this works. she is the Beetle.. that was driven by a thief I guess

It is a red light RIGHT TURN and not stopping at the line before turning *OOPS*

[Peder_y2k]

In my city, a vehicle must be moving in excess of 11mph for the red light camera to function. One could literally creep into the intersection on a red light and not have it flash

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[MikeWa]

My sympathies. BUT how slow is slow enough when running a red light or stop sign? 5 mph? 10 MPH ? And who decides this? Those we entrusted to make the decision have said 'stop means stop' not slow down. In Washington State that means three seconds.

 

Mike

[vzuden]

Hey MikeG in SC, if you or the significant other are traveling Illinois toll roads again and you drive through the iPass or even a Coin Only toll without paying you can pay online. I believe there is a time limit but there is a website where you pay without penalty. Recently I had a rental car and didn't have my iPass and turned off the toll road and the exit was .60 coins only. I had no change so drove through. Paid the .60 online when I got home. If hadn't they would have tracked me down though the rental car company and ticketed me. Don't ask me how I know

[Midrsv]

While is Florida in January one of the TV stations did an investigative piece on the the red light cameras. The cameras are set up and run by a contractor and many of the lights have the yellow cycle too fast. Some as much as half of national standard. The mayors of several of the towns wouldn't talk about them because they had directed the contractor to reduce the yellow cycle. If you lose a second or so you can't clear an intersection on yellow.

 

Dennis