Got a red light photo ticket today

#1

rjd970

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#1
...thinking about not paying it, because I was not the one driving.

The photos only show my car before, during, and after the red light was run and there is a website I can access to see an mpeg of this serious crime. The problem, as I see it, is nowhere is it shown me behind the wheel, only my license plate, and they are sending me the ticket based on the car's registration. Now, I know for a fact that I wasn't driving because the time stamp on the photos and video is a time when I was at work. Multiple people have access to this vehicle, which in my mind, shows reasonable doubt.

I plan on bringing my timecard to court to show I wasn't there, but it is immaterial as far as I am concerned. The constitution affords my the right to face my accuser, which in this case is an electronic camera. Amazingly, the citation says this camera has a name and badge number, but they never pulled anyone over and have no idea who was actually driving. I mean, when an officer pulls someone over and issues a citation they issue to the driver of the vehicle, not the registered owner, right? How is this any different? Without my picture, there is no way the city can prove its case, right?

This whole thing stinks of a revenue generating scam. I would appreciate the opinion of anybody with legal expertise on here. It is only a $100 fine, but I think I have a case, and just out of principle I will appeal this thing until I get a jury trial.
 
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#2
#2
I have read legal opinion that red light cameras cannot be enforced and if one declares they are not at fault and won't pay any fine, it will be dropped without argument or cause.
 
#3
#3
It also says this is a "non-moving violation" and no points can be assessed. Huh? It's a moving violation if you get pulled over. That also makes me question the legality of this whole bit.
 
#4
#4
I have read legal opinion that red light cameras cannot be enforced and if one declares they are not at fault and won't pay any fine, it will be dropped without argument or cause.

that's exactly what I was told in traffic school. The guy basically laughed at people there for a photo ticket. This was in AZ

they get their money off the honest people who just send in their money without contesting it (and the camera makers get a kickback)
 
#5
#5
that's exactly what I was told in traffic school. The guy basically laughed at people there for a photo ticket. This was in AZ

they get their money off the honest people who just send in their money without contesting it (and the camera makers get a kickback)
Not the camera makers but the camera system company that install the equipment. They don't charge for the installation (which is high dollar for equipment and labor) and only get paid a percentage of the "honest" folks payments when "caught". Shocking to me there are so many honest people to pay for all of that expensive camera installations.
 
#6
#6
Honestly, I dont like them either. But if you dont run red lights, you wont get ticketed. In your case, go to court, show the proof and you might get off. Your best bet is to make the person driving your car pay the fine.
 
#7
#7
Honestly, I dont like them either. But if you dont run red lights, you wont get ticketed. In your case, go to court, show the proof and you might get off. Your best bet is to make the person driving your car pay the fine.
I guess you forgot to read the thread. DON'T PAY RED LIGHT VIDEO TICKETS, THEY'RE NOT LEGAL!!!! By the way, are you a lawyer or employed by a traffic camera integrator?
 
#9
#9
I guess you forgot to read the thread. DON'T PAY RED LIGHT VIDEO TICKETS, THEY'RE NOT LEGAL!!!! By the way, are you a lawyer or employed by a traffic camera integrator?

I thought you knew. Just like I said, dont run redlights and you wont get any. You want something that will really piss you off, get a speeding ticket from a speed van. They are set up like the redlight cameras, but are mounted on vehicles. They get a photo of the vehicle and speed and send you a ticket in the mail, just like the redlight cameras. So now people cant run redlights and speed. How unfair!!!
 
#10
#10
Honestly, I dont like them either. But if you dont run red lights, you wont get ticketed. In your case, go to court, show the proof and you might get off. Your best bet is to make the person driving your car pay the fine.

it's not like you have to blow thru a light after it's been red for 10sec. It's pretty tight on the requirements for the red lights. IMO it just makes for lazy cops
 
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#11
#11
most redlight cameras are set up to catch speeders too. its all a big rip off. i got one for stopping past the line a while back while making a right turn on red. the video showed i didn't stop, but i was just past the cameras view when i came to a full stop.
 
#12
#12
well the ones in red bank, if you even get to close to the line then it will go off. got one that way, told the city of red bank to come get their 50 bucks if they want it
 
#13
#13
My job deals mainly with pulling peoples driving records and dealing with the DOT/DMV. If you try to fight this, more than likely it will be dropped. With that being said it would be unwise to just not pay the ticket. It is something that can leave you with your license suspended. Even if that happens and you have to go to court most judges will still throw the ticket out. Only problem then is you are left with court costs, etc. It is suprising how many people get tickets when it was not them driving the car. Honestly they do not care since the car is registered to you. Good luck
 
#14
#14
well by law officers are required to do a callibration check, and what not when you get pulled over, they have the devices that say that you were doing that, how can they actually prove it?
 
#15
#15
I'd definitely go clear it up, but wouldn't consider paying the court costs or any fines. My guess is that a phone call can end the whole thing. A phone call from an attorney, even your corporate counsel, will definitely end the whole thing.
 
#16
#16
well by law officers are required to do a callibration check, and what not when you get pulled over, they have the devices that say that you were doing that, how can they actually prove it?

Cameras don't require calibration. It's simple time vs position.
 
#17
#17
well the ones in red bank, if you even get to close to the line then it will go off. got one that way, told the city of red bank to come get their 50 bucks if they want it

That is kinda how I feel but it will eventually come back to haunt you. I have dealt with drivers who have simply not paid the ticket only to have their license suspended later on. It will take a very long time. I had a guy last week who had a unpaid ticket from 8/08 and just found our his license was suspended in 10/09 for that ticket.
 
#21
#21
usually there is a website you can go to, like chattanooga has a website, i dont think red bank police knows what the internet is, but im sure you can call the court and they will tell you
 
#22
#22
sure it can. That's how helicopters monitor speed.

that is also people operating the hardware, not a free standing camera, and if you take it to court, and ask for a calibration check, the representative has to to produce the report
 
#23
#23
sure it can. That's how helicopters monitor speed.

they're hardcore in VA

SpeedEnforcement1.jpg
 
#25
#25
I don't know if knoxville has a web site where you can check... I thought I go one downtown, and I had to call the camera company that manages it...

6 Cities That Were Caught Shortening Yellow Light Times For Profit
1) Chattanooga, Tennessee
The city of Chattanooga was forced refund $8800 in red light cameras tickets issued to motorists trapped by an illegally short yellow time. The refund only occurred after a motorist challenged his citation by insisting that the yellow light time of 3.0 seconds was too short. LaserCraft, the private vendor that runs the camera program in return for a cut of the profits, provided the judge with a computer database that asserted the yellow was 3.8 seconds at that location.
The judge then personally checked the intersection in question was timed at three seconds while other nearby locations had about four seconds of yellow warning. City traffic engineer John Van Winkle told Bean that “a mix up with the turn arrow” was responsible and that the bare minimum for the light should be 3.9 seconds.
 

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