Red-light cameras questioned

[Will E Worm]

Minutes after Neel Manglik illegally turned right on a red light in the Des Moines suburb of Clive, a video popped up on a computer at an office park outside Scottsdale, Ariz.

The $75 citation arrived in the mail weeks later, making Manglik one of the millions of Americans ticketed as part of a growing industry that is making handsome profits for companies that operate video cameras at busy intersections throughout the nation.

As more cities sign up and others invest their profits into more cameras, those companies expect increased revenue for years to come.

What's less clear is whether the cameras improve safety. While studies show fewer T-bone crashes at lights with cameras and fewer drivers running red lights, the number of rear-end crashes increases.

Article

 

[thanksimout]

I got one of those camera tickets last year. The sent me a paper copy of the digital photo showing my car going through the intersection as the light turned from yellow to red.
I wrote the check out to the city of Cleveland for 80.00 bucks, took a digital photo of the check and printed the photo. I mailed the photo to the appropriate address and waited.
It's been a year and I never heard anything and no they were never able to cash the photo of the check.
I sure this will come back to haunt me on some level but joke em if they can't take a fuck.

 

[member979979]

Ive been busted before. $400 fine

 

[The Paulinator]

I just saw a "news" story about how more cities were taking red-light cameras down because they were not profitable...Huhhwahh??? They were sold to us as "in the interest of public safety" and not as an "automated revenue-poacher". Could it be that governments used false pretenses on their citizens?

Anyway, they do make people more aware at intersections. They make intersections safer, too, but because of the requirement of an extra second of each yellow light for revenue-poaching (safety camera) intersections

 

[member979979]

Lately where I live, Ive been seeing the cameras going off at false times. Even when the light is green.

 

[ChefChiTown]

Those cameras are pointless. The only way that they somewhat work is if the city makes it very well known as to where the cameras are. Then, once it becomes common knowledge as to where the cameras are placed, people will be more cautious in those area, but only in those areas alone.

 

[TITS KING]

Bull shit Cameras........ I got a ticket just a difference of 1.3 seconds....:crying::rofl:

The N.A cities just want to make money with these bull shits.......

 

[thrawn54321]

its the equivalent of a parking ticket.

 

[No_Man]

Something to keep in mind if you ever get one of these: check your local municipal code to find out if its even enforceable. Many cities pushed these cameras through so quickly that they never bothered to rewrite their ordinances to allow for them.

For example, my wife is from Florissant, MO. Florissant's municipal code specifically states that city traffic citations must be issued by a law enforcement officer present at the scene of the infraction. When my mother-in-law got one of these tickets two years ago, she went down to the police station and asked them about it, at which point they admitted that the tickets were completely unenforceable in court. They were issuing them assuming the ignorance of the general populace.

On the other hand, I received one in neighboring Hazelwood and checked their ordinances online. They HAD changed them and would issue a bench warrant if I didn't pay. However, even then, the warrant was only valid in Hazelwood and would expire in 6 months, so if I hadn't needed to drive through Hazelwood for the next 6 months I could have ignored it and they couldn't have done anything about it. Unfortunately, I was going to be visiting the area multiple times, so I paid the $125 just to be safe.

 

[member979979]

I dont get how paying a huge fine solves the problem, the city is just out to make people broke. I had to pay $400 for my ticket and take online traffic school, which they basically tell you the answers.

 

[D-rock]

Maybe if it gets bad enough it will be like it is in other countries where there is a growing market for fake drivers plates and other people get the ticket for you. It's just another reason why a video and a computer shouldn't do something like that.

 

[finder123456]

Be glad they didn’t send a picture of hand cuffs. Someone told me that it could affect your credit. Think of it like a bill you didn’t pay. I am not sure if that is true but it could be a way to get people to pay without using the law. Those cameras are not run by the state. They are a private company and they suck. Good luck

 

[assholebythedoor]

They should have them on the side of the road instead. Even though it isn't enforing any accidents. Which is what they need to do.

 

[hedonis]

Even as a former cop, I hate these things, and I think more people should fight these tickets. These cameras need beaten down in the supreme court.

How on earth people will put up with a PRIVATE COMPANY enforcing the law is beyond me. If, for some reason, I end up with one of these, I'm lawyering up and fighting it like a man possessed. Did I break the law? Yes, you say? Then why didn't someone charged with the task of enforcing that law catch me and charge me. Your PRIVATE COMPANY has no authority to enforce traffic law.

H

 

[member979979]

I dont get how if its run by companies, why you still have to appear in court?
Also, I dont get how those cameras work? They must be hi-tech because how the hell can they focus exactly on the plate.
Isnt there matters that come into affect? Like speed, size of vehicle, and the exact point it is in the intersection.

I got busted back in August of 2007 and was planning to fight it, but everybody kept telling me its no use because of photo evidence

 

[calpoon]

Did I break the law? Yes, you say? Then why didn't someone charged with the task of enforcing that law catch me and charge me. Your PRIVATE COMPANY has no authority to enforce traffic law.

H

That was my thoughts exactly. And it's even worse that these companies are making money off of it. When an officer issues you a ticket that money gets paid to the city, and usually goes back to the police dept., but the point is that it goes back to community service, not into some companies bank account.

If i was to drive around in my car and pull people over for traffic violations and demand that they pay me or else I would hold them prisoner in my house, even if I gave some of the money to the police, i'd be arrested by a real police officer and sentenced to 20 years in the state prison for such crimes. I don't see the difference between that and what is happening here.

 

[Roughneck]

How on earth people will put up with a PRIVATE COMPANY enforcing the law is beyond me.

Ahhh Hedonis,

Stop believing the crap Hollywood puts out. That was the way of our land before the State decided to intervene... and make things infinitely worse.


Today's 'Law Enforcement' is more concerned with "power" and "revenue" than with actual crime prevention.

- R.

 

[PamCarmen69]

My city fired the first private contractor they hired to do this red light enforcement. I'm not quoting but they cited an utter lack of concern in doing it right -- even after they met with the company and complained.

 

[Gordar]

Silly me. I read red-light & stopped reading the title, assuming it was all about a red-light district....

 

[marquis2]

In the UK you must be served with a ticket or note of intended prosecution within 2 weeks of the alleged offence.This is to enable the accused to organise a defence to the allegation , after two weeks any notice becomes invalid.