Speed camera tickets

[matthayn]

I'd like to hear LEO perspective on these... I have not received one, but there are some cameras around my area. Do they hold any weight to them? Does the offender HAVE to pay? If they do, where does the money go? And if they don't, what are the penalties? I'm sure each state varies a bit but I'd like to hear about them regardless.

Our TN state rep seems to think we should just burn them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnUxdpSgsiA

Thoughts?

 

[cbj5259]

No speed cameras where I work, but my opinion on this is they are terrible. The goal of traffic enforcement is to educate and if necessary penalize. Most officers write more warnings then citations. These cameras are nothing but straight up revenue machines and in my opinion that's all wrong.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[RobG64]

I live in MD, work in VA and sometimes have to drive through DC to get back and forth. Most of the locals know where the speed cameras are so it's not that big of a deal. Unfortunately for me I forgot once and received a present in the mail. No basis to fight it. Didn't get any points on my license so just paid the fine. Agree they are purely revenue generating sources.

 

[MFE]

In AZ, you can totally ignore them unless and until you personally get served with a subpoena. I've gotten three of them in six years. I ignored all three of the mailed tickets. Two of them went away after I didn't respond, and one of them they attempted to serve me, but couldn't. That one went away too.

 

[usafimj]

I'm not a LEO but I think they're great. Being stationed in Germany and driving everywhere in Europe these cameras are all over the place. Not only speeding cameras but also cameras that detect if you're following too close. I'm sure there are others that I don't know of. Gives cops time to do more important things. If you get too many tickets and you don't pay then your license can get taken away and possibly your vehicle.

 

[Mr.Bolt-on]

I'm not a LEO but I think they're great. Being stationed in Germany and driving everywhere in Europe these cameras are all over the place. Not only speeding cameras but also cameras that detect if you're following too close. I'm sure there are others that I don't know of. Gives cops time to do more important things. If you get too many tickets and you don't pay then your license can get taken away and possibly your vehicle.

Glad I don't live in Germany. Sounds crappy.

 

[TaraFirma]

Speed cameras all over the place in Korea too. But there is also warning signs telling you that they are coming in 1K or 500 meters or whatever, so if you get a ticket, it's because you weren't paying attention while you were speeding around, and you deserve it.

 

[BLKFOX]

A while back when one of my other sales guys was out on a dealer visit, he was sent a ticket for disregarding a red light. In the letter, a link was sent to the video that the stop light camera recorded. We pulled up the link and it showed him driving through a green light. We called and pulled up the link with the rep on the phone. He agreed that it was a false reading and said that we would have to appear in court to have the charge taken away. The only problem there is that we're from Indiana and the ticket was from California... Because it was something we couldn't do over the phone, we had to pay anyway.

 

[Steve@Tasca]

Not sure how accurate this site is but maybe it'll help.

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

-Steve

 

[usafimj]

Glad I don't live in Germany. Sounds crappy.

Not crappy at all. Living in Europe is awesome.

 

[ULTIMATE ORANGE SS]

.

 

[Jiffy]

We have them in Australia too - over here there are red light cameras, combined speed/red light and just speed cameras. There are two sneaky types - one is the kind that they fit to a car sitting sitting on the side of the road - no markings, no warning, just a flash and BANG, that'll be a load of money and points on your license. 1 point for up to 6mph over the limit, 3 points for more than 6 but less than 20, over 20 probable loss of license - double the limit, lose your car for 28 days. Do that twice, it ain't coming back. Same for burn-outs or screeching tires.

The hardest ones to get around are cameras that read your license plate on a stretch or road, then again at the end - they then work out your average speed and all the above applies...

But it's all about safety...

 

[DHG1078]

I consider myself lucky. They have been getting rid of red light cameras around here, plus there aren't any speeding cameras. All the red light cameras are being removed because they have been causing more accidents than they prevented.

 

[JustinG60]

I am a LEO and I hate them. They're actually unconstitutional and easy to fight in court. I don't think they'll ever do the job an officer can do or replace an officer, they're just a revenue generator that goes to the state's miscellaneous fund so they can spend the money however the state sees fit, usually not in good places with misappropriations of funds.

to win against one in court you have to ask the judge to face your accuser. the officer that will be there will be representing the jurisdiction but not your accuser (and i have seen them thrown out at this point alone because it is your constitutional right to face your accuser). to prove this matter, if needed, you simply need to ask if he is certified in speed detecting equipment (usually is but part of the questioning), ask if they were personally in the area of (where the speed camera citation was issued) operating any speed detection equipment at the time this citation was issued (they aren't), as if he was personally remotely operating the speed detection equipment at that time to be able to visually identify that my vehicle was in fact the vehicle operating above the speed limit (it's automated, they weren't), and how they could positively identify myself, or anyone else for the matter, as the operator of the vehicle at that time (they'll mention motor vehicle records and you'll need to clarify that records do not positively identify you as the operator of the vehicle at the time the citation was issued).

not a fan, governments need to learn to appropriate funds properly and stop using things like this to vote themselves pay raises.

 

[RedRocketMike]

It is my understanding that ultimately they can non enforce the tickets. There is one in Philly that just flashes but does nothing else, atleast that is my assumption because I think it flashed me 10 times in the 4 years I commuted past it.

 

[spectreman]

I am a LEO and I hate them. They're actually unconstitutional and easy to fight in court. I don't think they'll ever do the job an officer can do or replace an officer, they're just a revenue generator that goes to the state's miscellaneous fund so they can spend the money however the state sees fit, usually not in good places with misappropriations of funds.

to win against one in court you have to ask the judge to face your accuser. the officer that will be there will be representing the jurisdiction but not your accuser (and i have seen them thrown out at this point alone because it is your constitutional right to face your accuser). to prove this matter, if needed, you simply need to ask if he is certified in speed detecting equipment (usually is but part of the questioning), ask if they were personally in the area of (where the speed camera citation was issued) operating any speed detection equipment at the time this citation was issued (they aren't), as if he was personally remotely operating the speed detection equipment at that time to be able to visually identify that my vehicle was in fact the vehicle operating above the speed limit (it's automated, they weren't), and how they could positively identify myself, or anyone else for the matter, as the operator of the vehicle at that time (they'll mention motor vehicle records and you'll need to clarify that records do not positively identify you as the operator of the vehicle at the time the citation was issued).

not a fan, governments need to learn to appropriate funds properly and stop using things like this to vote themselves pay raises.

What he said-
Retired LEO and speed cameras, like red light cameras, are nothing more than a money grab by local, county & state government. Plenty of studies to prove that also and no aid to public safety.
Lee

 

[Blu13gt]

Here is one more thing about speed cameras. In many places they aren't owned by the police dept or city. They are owned by a private company. A portion of the revenue taken by these tickets are paid to the manufacturer/owner of the camera. It's a scam meant to separate an indvidual from his/her cash. It does not help the safety of the population. A police officer stops the person for the infraction. A camera sends a ticket weeks or months later and the individual likely didn't slow down at all at the time of the infraction.