Posted on 01/23/2010 1:12:58 PM PST by Neidermeyer
The local government here (Apopka, FL) along with the state is really bothering me and I would like to do something about it. My premise is that red light cameras are rigged to create revenue , usually by shortening yellow lights. In addition the vast majority of tickets are for right on red violations where the car slows to one or two mph (or actually stops but for a very short interval so the camera system measures a speed , any speed for the one second interval it uses as a base for the speed computation).
In my city they have a few red light cameras and the much larger city we connect to is greatly expanding their red light camera network. The tickets issued do not have a crime associated with them , they are analogous to a fine for your grass being unmowed or some other type of civil fine. HOWEVER the local police do have a person who reviews the camera footage and is part of the process ... so they are involved. In my case I can positively say the police department has had more than their fair share of dismissals and arrests of their officers for offenses that could be a basis for a RICO suit in my estimation. I contend that issuing citations that cannot be enforced through the legal system implying a legal threat to the person being fined is extortion.
There is plenty of evidence to show that these cameras and the companies that share in the booty have no interest in public safety..
Thoughts Everyone...
Doesnt matter if you are in the intersection when it turns red. I believe most vehicle codes consider you have entered the intersection. Where you have crossed into the intersection is usually defined as when the front of your vehicle (bumper for cars, front wheel for motorcycles) crosses the lane limit line (a line painted on the street) or the cross walk line, if neither is present it is the edge of the curb.
Next time you see a cop and he is not busy, just go up and ask where their department considers when you have entered an intersection. They are usually nice enough to tell you.
I have been pulled over in that scenario and the officer pulled me over and asked why he stopped me. I said you believe that I had entered the intersection on red. However I know that once my crosses the plain of the curb and the light turns red I am considered in the intersection. He said, “your sure huh” and I said yes, as a matter of fact my whole body was past the line when it did and I knew it. He let me go because I could confidently state where I was and what the law is. Remember cops can use the answer you give as testimony against you in court if you contest it. ( no they dont have to miranda you, and no you are not obligated by law to answer his questions other than to identify yourself) So either way do not admit anything that they can say...” the driver said this...” Be respectful but confident.
re: lights on those traffic signals are indeed shorter than what is required by law
Isn’t there some sort of standard that accepted by most jurisdictions as to the length of the yellow light? Seems it would vary from intersection to intersection. Things like the speed limit at that intersection would have a definite affect on the length of the yellow.
Seems to me it would a pretty straight forward task to show that the yellow portion of the cycle had been ‘adjusted’ to a point outside reasonable expectations.
If they were really interested in safety they wouldn’t wait up to three weeks before sending a ticket to someone that was caught speeding. That means the person that was driving unsafe continued to drive unsafe for 3 weeks. This is all about revenue.
I got one of these things and fumed and fussed about it for about 2 weeks. First I was just not going to pay it, then I was going to fight it. When I found out it would take a day off from work to go down and wait in line until I could see a picture of me before I could fight it that was it.
I decided I would just go ahead a pay the darn thing. I sent the check in and got the check back about a week later.
There was part of the law that stated if the person didn’t voluntarily pay it within 21 days that a warrant would have to be issued prior to taking the person to court to get the money.
Since I do not live in the town that I got the ticket, they couldn’t issue a warrant outside the city limits. Therefore they returned my check to me and I did not owe anything.
Because I waited to pay it until it was considered late, I didn’t owe anything. Now how convuluted is that?
Isn’t there some sort of standard that accepted by most jurisdictions as to the length of the yellow light?
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There are National guidelines put forth by the NHTSA and the Federal DOT , all states to the best of my knowledge also have their own state DOT groups ... most standards are pretty consistant state to state ,, yellow time per xx mph of posted speed limit ... max 45 mph speed limits when there is 6” vertical curbing and things like that.
It’s for the children ... /s
Around Phoenix Az they have speed cameras and everyone just ignores the tickets and they can’t really do anything about it and they’re losing big bucks.
So why didn't they pull him over and give him a ticket, then? He's going to beat that one too.
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