Just got a camera ticket
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I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
This isn't necessarily true. A lot around here flash preemptively when you're rolling up or even when everyone is at full stop.
Count of Monte Sawed-Off
un33dab@dpu$$y
Damn that sucks you have to go to court. We don't here. And when my sister challenged a speeding ticket she just made a phone call and got it taken care of.
Nope, I'm new to the particular area of my state.... plus I'm a bit of a hermit [agoraphobic]. I have seen other cameras flash indirectly, but when one flashes you directly... I think I'd rather stare at the sun. I mean I didn't know what to think. Lightning? Explosion? Did my retinas detach? People think these are just like any other camera, but they really aren't.
ThreePiMatt
Member
I got a ticket in Chicago for running a red light a few years ago. There was no contesting that shit. They put the photo of your car, including a zoomed up view of the license plate on the ticket. Then they had a link online showing you a video of of you car going through the intersection while the light is red. Clear as day. Fortunately it was only a $100 ticket, which seems cheaper than other large cities.
Two Hundred seventy dollars and Forty-five cents. I hope the city of Phoenix puts it to good use...
They won't.
Which intersection? And don't you only need to show up to court if you're going to contest it?
Bboy AJ
My dog was murdered by a 3.5mm audio port and I will not rest until the standard is dead
Look at the link I posted in this thread. You might be able to get your money back.
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
I've been flashed many times, as said above, the ones near me do preemptively all the time. It's nothing that intense. You're new to that area..but at least know where to get a cheeseburger. Well, now ya know where the camera is too.
Did my retinas detach.. pedal to the metal.. lol.
jim-jam bongs
Member
Yeah if I went blind while driving I'd floor it too, I might die but at least I'd take a lot of innocent people with me.
I got a ticket driving at 4am to calm my screaming newborn daughter down because I was talking to her in the rearview mirror, looked up and saw the yellow light too late and mistakenly thought I could make it. It went red exactly as I went over the line, you can see it on the photo. Bummer, but I fucked up. I paid it and was more careful from then on.
I got a ticket driving at 4am to calm my screaming newborn daughter down because I was talking to her in the rearview mirror, looked up and saw the yellow light too late and mistakenly thought I could make it. It went red exactly as I went over the line, you can see it on the photo. Bummer, but I fucked up. I paid it and was more careful from then on.
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
As someone who has had to do this before.. I know that feeling. Don't want to whiplash your baby from the sudden brake, but are cutting it dangerously close. Alas, it is indeed our fault if we're mot mindful.
Stupid thing doesn't even say, but iirc it was 83rd Ave and Thomas.
As for showing up, well here's what it says:
It doesn't overtly say that payment before the date precludes going to court... So it's not too clear to me.
I will be doing some reading up to see if I can shake it off, but..... I've never argued with a judge and I can be terrible at making cases for myself.
I'm confused, possibly by the fact my state does not have traffic light cameras, but you say you were turning right. Does that mean there's no turning right on red lights in your state or that camera will say you ran it? At first I'd considered you were from a backwards driving place like the UK, but you later referred to your state so now I'm just confused.
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Again, I don't know about the legality in every state, but in many you MUST stop completely before you make a right on red. However, I have a feeling most people even here don't. The camera confirms you are following this basic law taught in any driver's ed class.
jim-jam bongs
Member
That, and some lights specifically don't allow a right on red. I can think of a few around here in FL, they're rare but they pop up here and there.
Neuromancer
Member
"Your honor, I was revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night."
The last time I got a red light ticket in Maricopa County (which was like 6 years ago), I had the option to attend Defensive Driving school. It was an 8-hour course that involves you sitting in a room and listening to someone talk. Then you pay for the course (it was a few hundred dollars) instead of the court fine. You also don't need to show up to court. Read this. The letter you got should explain this as long as you're eligible for it.
If you don't pay like the other poster suggested, expect to be served in person by an officer. Joe Arpaio gets his.
Yeah I tend to keep in mind places where I can procure food rather than traffic tickets. Silly me. You know what? You guys are right. I should have memorized every single camera location in the entire state of Arizona. That way I could intentionally run red lights to my heart's content in places where I'm sure there's no camera. And LOL blinded by a camera flash. That's impossible. No one has ever been blinded by camera flash. Much less, no one has ever reacted out of fear while driving a car.
Oh I get that, it just seems like the technology there could get a little fuzzy unless I'm not fully comprehending how well they work. If it's sophisticated enough I guess it works though.
You should absolutely memorize the camera locations in your area. Not only that, you should also memorize which ones do what. There are red light cameras and speed cameras, and they're only set up to watch you in certain directions.
Then there are the mobile speed trap vans. These only check for speed and they only monitor the side of the road that's nearest to them (unless the person inside is actively pointing the camera, which is unlikely).
There's just a camera system set up to ensure you come to a complete stop before turning right (as the law dictates you should do). And there are three cameras (license plate, side view of driver, front view of driver).
Was it a no right turn on red intersection? Those are kind of rare where I live. Usually you can turn on red so long as traffic isn't approaching.
If it's no turn on red, they will probably make you pay (can't you just mail in your fine?). But if it's not, I can't see how they would fine you or why there is a camera on that light at all.
Like others have said, don't say you were blinded so you kept going. If anything just say you mistook the light for a regular turn on red after stop. If there is video they will see you stopped and then went onward. Might help, may not, but it's better than your blinded by the light defense.
If it's no turn on red, they will probably make you pay (can't you just mail in your fine?). But if it's not, I can't see how they would fine you or why there is a camera on that light at all.
Like others have said, don't say you were blinded so you kept going. If anything just say you mistook the light for a regular turn on red after stop. If there is video they will see you stopped and then went onward. Might help, may not, but it's better than your blinded by the light defense.
Zoe
Member
It takes several pictures at each stage of your turn along with the timestamps. In most cases it should be obvious whether it was a full stop at the right spot.
He didn't stop where he was supposed to (and ended up not stopping at all). It's common to have cameras on busy intersections around here, even if turn on red is allowed. They just have to have a sign posted saying that it's photo-enforced.
This might actually work, because few people know the actual lyrics.
"Are you saying it isn't, 'wrapped up like a douche and then I'm rollin in the night'? Charges dropped, case closed."
JetBlackPanda
Member
Camera tickets.. Lol
When I lived in Arizona everyone used to just throw them away. They can't prove you ever received it. They are just hoping you show up. If you ignore enough of them they will send a cop to deliver it though.
Oh I've never actually received one but many of my friends and family have.
When I lived in Arizona everyone used to just throw them away. They can't prove you ever received it. They are just hoping you show up. If you ignore enough of them they will send a cop to deliver it though.
Oh I've never actually received one but many of my friends and family have.
I live in Missouri, so traffic cameras are pretty much the rule in so many municipalities.
Sure, you have some folks raising some rather expected Constitutional arguments (ie, improper presumptions and shifting of the burden of proof to the defendant), but the problem is that the Circuit and Appellate courts are all over the place as to the validity of some city ordinances over others (some courts say that they're okay because "lol police powers," others not so much).
You can research a lot of the rulings and arguments, and there are arguments to be made here. The problem is that you may be stepping on a political and legal landmine in doing so depending on where you live. And it's very, very possible that the municipal judge you go to may say "fuck you, pay the bill" even if the ordinance really would have turned out to be invalid if pushed higher.
Sure, you have some folks raising some rather expected Constitutional arguments (ie, improper presumptions and shifting of the burden of proof to the defendant), but the problem is that the Circuit and Appellate courts are all over the place as to the validity of some city ordinances over others (some courts say that they're okay because "lol police powers," others not so much).
You can research a lot of the rulings and arguments, and there are arguments to be made here. The problem is that you may be stepping on a political and legal landmine in doing so depending on where you live. And it's very, very possible that the municipal judge you go to may say "fuck you, pay the bill" even if the ordinance really would have turned out to be invalid if pushed higher.
Same here. There's one near me that flashes constantly -- even when nobody's moving -- and is super-bright, too.
Most are pretty innocuous, but that one really can (if not blind you) distract you and make you see spots. I avoid that intersection as much as possible, just because of the stupid cameras.
He would've followed the rules, but he couldn't SEE THEM.
This has always been my method. Just paid a $248 speeding ticket the other day. One of the last days in my old car, cop popped me and I didn't even try to argue. I did it, we both knew we did it, so why try and fight it? I like being honest, even if it's at my own expense.
I forgot you guys can turn on red lights. Stupid thing to use a camera for if it needs to flash to set up not just when someone has infringed.
terrisus
Member
You said you were past the crosswalk already before the light went off.
If there was someone in the crosswalk, you would have hit them.
Doesn't sound counterproductive to me at all.
Stop before crosswalks/stop lines.
terrisus
Member
Also,
Even if it's an intersection where you can turn right on red, you still have to come to a complete stop before the crosswalk/stop line.
From how it sounds, he was already in the crosswalk when the light went off.
Even if it's an intersection where you can turn right on red, you still have to come to a complete stop before the crosswalk/stop line.
From how it sounds, he was already in the crosswalk when the light went off.
StopMakingSense
Member
Yeah, Los Angeles got rid of them as well. Best thing. (Though Metro still runs a bunch on their light rail crossings)
BigJonsson
Member
Did they send you the pictures? If you had completely stopped they probably wouldn't have sent a ticket
If they had a picture of you over the line but not proceeding through you may have been ok
If they had a picture of you over the line but not proceeding through you may have been ok
BigJonsson
Member
Yup, a sensor under the road sets the camera off if it detects a certain speed fractions of a second before the light turns red
At least that is how it works in Toronto
Or just get a GPS, which will also alert you or any camera.
EatinOlives
Member
My city installed ticket cameras a while ago and started rolling in the cash. The hilarious thing is that the streets are already rife with cops looking for any excuse to give you a ticket, so the cameras were entirely and completely a cash grab.
My issue with cameras isn't that they enforce basic rules, it's that 1) the cost doesn't go to the city, most of the ticket is to pay the camera company for the service, and 2) because it's profit-driven, a lot of cities actually fudge up the light timing to maximize the number of camera tickets.
I've read multiple instances of cities deliberately shortening yellow lights to catch people "running the light", which causes people to slam the brakes at any yellow light when it comes up which, you guessed it, in itself causes accidents.
Ultimately neither the city nor the company could prove that the city needed it, or that it was anything other than a blatant cash grab. They had a vote to take them down and they were voted the fuck out of the city.
My issue with cameras isn't that they enforce basic rules, it's that 1) the cost doesn't go to the city, most of the ticket is to pay the camera company for the service, and 2) because it's profit-driven, a lot of cities actually fudge up the light timing to maximize the number of camera tickets.
I've read multiple instances of cities deliberately shortening yellow lights to catch people "running the light", which causes people to slam the brakes at any yellow light when it comes up which, you guessed it, in itself causes accidents.
Ultimately neither the city nor the company could prove that the city needed it, or that it was anything other than a blatant cash grab. They had a vote to take them down and they were voted the fuck out of the city.
Jesus, way to fuck up a perfectly good idea. I love red light cameras. People run reds like motherfuckers where I live, but nobody has changed light sequences, and the camera are run by the police. They are a cash grab, but don't run reds, and you won't pay.
Which is actually illegal. A city around here was found to have yellow light that didn't meet the standard, and everyone who got a ticket got a refund.
DanteFox
Member
Sorry bro but that's the flimsiest excuse I've ever heard. "The blinding flash confused me! I didn't even know what it was! I swear!"
Cmon bro.
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