Photo Enforced Traffic Tickets

#1
508mikey

508mikey

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#1
Has anyone ever got one ? Had a rough time driving in Effing Chicago the other day - Some lights had signs that said Photo Enforced (not the ones I made couple wrong turns on but Im still leary of it and it is a corrupt city to begin with). I also see those signs at road construction sites --
 
#2
#2
I haven't gotten a ticket, but I did get billed for some photo enforced toll booths from vacation. I saw the signs, and the cameras. I went during Fourth of July, and got the bill about 2 weeks ago. It surprised me at the close up picture of my tag.
 
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#3
#3
They are mostly revenue makers, and they can reduce the number of accidents when people know they are there at traffic lights (at least that is what cities portray). I don't know about all states, but by law, they do not go on your driving history in TN. They cannot prove who was actually driving the vehicle.

My family and I went to Iowa in July for a reunion and didn't notice many cops on the way home. Three weeks later, I received a speeding citation in Cedar Rapids from a camera. I am an attorney and just sent in the money. No reason to waste a whole lot of time on these such things.
 
#4
#4
VolGee4 said:
They are mostly revenue makers, and they can reduce the number of accidents when people know they are there at traffic lights (at least that is what cities portray). I don't know about all states, but by law, they do not go on your driving history in TN. They cannot prove who was actually driving the vehicle.

My family and I went to Iowa in July for a reunion and didn't notice many cops on the way home. Three weeks later, I received a speeding citation in Cedar Rapids from a camera. I am an attorney and just sent in the money. No reason to waste a whole lot of time on these such things.
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Do they take the photo of the speeding violations from those signs that show 'your speed' ? I only see those at road construction sites - other than that how can a camera show the car speeding ?
 
#5
#5
508mikey said:
Do they take the photo of the speeding violations from those signs that show 'your speed' ? I only see those at road construction sites - other than that how can a camera show the car speeding ?
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I can't say for sure, but from my knowledge, the signs with "your speed" are just making you aware of watching your speed in that area. I have no clue where they got me in Cedar Rapids. They now have machines that can clock your speed and video focuses on the car as well. Can you fight them? Sure, you can. But I am in TN, about 10 hours away, and I just don't care to spend the time with something like that.
 
#6
#6
VolGee4 said:
I can't say for sure, but from my knowledge, the signs with "your speed" are just making you aware of watching your speed in that area. I have no clue where they got me in Cedar Rapids. They now have machines that can clock your speed and video focuses on the car as well. Can you fight them? Sure, you can. But I am in TN, about 10 hours away, and I just don't care to spend the time with something like that.
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No real incentive to fight it. It's a civil fine, not a moving violation, no points on your driving record.

And that's what they count on.

Some help, some are clearly money grabs. Some are useless. They put one near our house for "safety", I think it issued maybe 25 tickets in 6 months. While others issued thousands. So clearly that wasn't as unsafe as they made it seem.
 
#7
#7
In many states there's nothing that they can do should you decide not to pay the fine. They'll send some threatening letters but that's it. I'd recommend looking up the laws, because I'm pretty sure Illinois is one of the states where there is zero recourse should you not pay the fine. Tennessee is currently a state where nothing can happen if you don't pay the fine.
 
#8
#8
davethevol said:
In many states there's nothing that they can do should you decide not to pay the fine. They'll send some threatening letters but that's it. I'd recommend looking up the laws, because I'm pretty sure Illinois is one of the states where there is zero recourse should you not pay the fine. Tennessee is currently a state where nothing can happen if you don't pay the fine.
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Resident attorney, care to vet this?
 
#9
#9
davethevol said:
In many states there's nothing that they can do should you decide not to pay the fine. They'll send some threatening letters but that's it. I'd recommend looking up the laws, because I'm pretty sure Illinois is one of the states where there is zero recourse should you not pay the fine. Tennessee is currently a state where nothing can happen if you don't pay the fine.
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zero recourse meaning you have to pay it ?
 
#11
#11
the.one.the.only said:
Resident attorney, care to vet this?
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Yea, you can take that route. I don't think I would advise it though, especially over something that is probably less than $100. You will most likely continue to get notices and maybe even calls. Will they actually turn it over to collections? I have no idea. But that is a hassle over something that is small. Also, if it's a location where you travel often, some cities may have a program where they tow your car if they can track it to overdue tickets. Just a thought.

I haven't had a real ticket in over 15 years, so $75 was ok for me to just make it go away.
 
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#13
#13
check out Tenn. Code Ann., Section 55-8-198. If you're issued a citation based on review of enforcement camera data by a POST certified officer and you chose not to pay you can be dinged with court costs, nonpayment of which I would assume could result in a warrant.

Subdivision (m) of that section says these sorts of things cannot be reported to a credit bureau, however that may be enforced?

Better to pay it IMO.
 
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#15
#15
I got a few several years ago and never paid them. There was public outrage and apparently some legal hurdles in enforcing them anyway. Also it was about the time that it was discovered the state Democrat party was taking bribes from the traffic camera company and the FBI swooped in. I never heard a peep about those tickets after that
 
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#16
#16
VolunteerHillbilly said:
check out Tenn. Code Ann., Section 55-8-198. If you're issued a citation based on review of enforcement camera data by a POST certified officer and you chose not to pay you can be dinged with court costs, nonpayment of which I would assume could result in a warrant.

Subdivision (m) of that section says these sorts of things cannot be reported to a credit bureau, however that may be enforced?

Better to pay it IMO.
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I have some beef w the parking in my city. It started when the meter I parked at was broken, I reported it, yet they still ticketed me. So I refused to pay. They sent me threatening letters that make it sound like something bad would happen "we will pursue this matter to the fullest extent of the law to collect the fine" - or something to that effect. But I read the law and there's pretty much nothing they can do except impound me if I get another ticket.
 
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#17
#17
Had one a few years ago from the intersection right before Broadway crosses the interstate. The yellow light there seemed really quick and if you're doing the speed limit it was very difficult to stop sometimes without slamming brakes and worrying about the joker behind you.

Never paid it on principle and had no repercussions.

Can't remember where but wasn't it found out that some lights were tweaked to make the yellows turn faster?
 
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#18
#18
Beings Arizona at one point was home to red light and speed cams, 98% of people say ignore it after u receive letter in mail. It's not until you are served does it really mean something, they have xxxx amount of days to serve after first ticket is mailed, now in az once they start piling up warrants are issued including unpaid toll booth. Here in az red light running in general your back tires have to clear the red paved line, probably different in other states. Red light running in general is that way. Here in az when making a left turn we get up half way into intersection and turn on yellow/red. Az is half ass backwards state, I remember living in TN cars only turned if u had a clear turn or a arrow. Two sometimes three cars will turn on yellow/red. That's holds up opposite traffic who get green arrows, just way it is, police officers behind you do it also. It's because our streets/intersections are so wide, but cams won't flash on that. Alot of cities have gone to stationery vehicles with a camera and radar on them now. Oh how I miss Hendersonville.
 
#19
#19
Godfatha said:
Had one a few years ago from the intersection right before Broadway crosses the interstate. The yellow light there seemed really quick and if you're doing the speed limit it was very difficult to stop sometimes without slamming brakes and worrying about the joker behind you.

Never paid it on principle and had no repercussions.

Can't remember where but wasn't it found out that some lights were tweaked to make the yellows turn faster?
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I remember reading that there were cities shortening yellow lights by a few tenths of a second so they could collect revenue by essentially making it impossible for people to get through a yellow light. Many states have laws on the books designating what the minimum time has to be for a yellow light. One situation I read about the city had it changed from the required 3.7 to 3.2, and that was a huge difference. So, long story short, these cameras are not here to keep people safe and are only for revenue generation. When police and city council members say that they are, they are lying. KPD's chief of police is currently a lobbyist for one of the traffic cam companies and has misrepresented data at the local and state level. He was called on his BS by a state rep who had TN laws changed stating that in TN the tickets issued by the cameras are not enforceable and are required by law to say that on the ticket.
 
#20
#20
davethevol said:
I remember reading that there were cities shortening yellow lights by a few tenths of a second so they could collect revenue by essentially making it impossible for people to get through a yellow light. Many states have laws on the books designating what the minimum time has to be for a yellow light. One situation I read about the city had it changed from the required 3.7 to 3.2, and that was a huge difference. So, long story short, these cameras are not here to keep people safe and are only for revenue generation. When police and city council members say that they are, they are lying. KPD's chief of police is currently a lobbyist for one of the traffic cam companies and has misrepresented data at the local and state level. He was called on his BS by a state rep who had TN laws changed stating that in TN the tickets issued by the cameras are not enforceable and are required by law to say that on the ticket.
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While I don't care for them, I wouldn't generally say that they are all lying. My town outside Memphis has them up at several very busy intersections, and I generally believe it has reduced accidents. People know they are there and pay attention when the light turns yellow. Yes, speeding up the yellow is wrong, but I believe very few do that. I also wish all lights were mandated to have the countdown on the walking light synchronized with the traffic light. We have several here, and if I still have a little distance to the light as it gets under 3, then I start slowing down. It's very handy to use.
 
#21
#21
There is one of these in gallatin in front of the Krogers.

Thing is a money machine.
 
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#22
#22
davethevol said:
I remember reading that there were cities shortening yellow lights by a few tenths of a second so they could collect revenue by essentially making it impossible for people to get through a yellow light. Many states have laws on the books designating what the minimum time has to be for a yellow light. One situation I read about the city had it changed from the required 3.7 to 3.2, and that was a huge difference. So, long story short, these cameras are not here to keep people safe and are only for revenue generation. When police and city council members say that they are, they are lying. KPD's chief of police is currently a lobbyist for one of the traffic cam companies and has misrepresented data at the local and state level. He was called on his BS by a state rep who had TN laws changed stating that in TN the tickets issued by the cameras are not enforceable and are required by law to say that on the ticket.
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Unless I'm mistaken in Knoxville the city is making zero revenue off the red light cameras. They are privately owned and run by the red light camera companies. Probably another reason its hard for them to enforce payment as they get no backing from local law enforcement.
 
#23
#23
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VVZQ_BYFE[/youtube]
It has photo-enforced traffic tickets, a court with a "hanging judge," badass police, and they'll get you good if you don't pay. Bit of country in the city, indeed.
 
#24
#24
Coug said:
Unless I'm mistaken in Knoxville the city is making zero revenue off the red light cameras. They are privately owned and run by the red light camera companies. Probably another reason its hard for them to enforce payment as they get no backing from local law enforcement.
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Someone always gets kickbacks on that stuff. KPD's chief is currently on the payroll for one of the companies. That's a huge conflict of interest.
 
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#25
#25
Don't you have a right to meet your accuser in court? I don't think they'll bring in the camera. I ignore them and they go away.
 
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