These cameras are revenue enhancers for the cities. They are taxation under the guise of “safety”. You receive the citation from a private company in the mail eleven to twelve days after the the incident, and can’t even remember if you were out driving that day.
When a policeman pulls you over at the time of the incident, you know you screwed up, as well you know why, and that contributes to safety. Notification almost two weeks after the fact contributes to nothing but the coffers of the city.
Photo cameras are simply for the purpose of enhancing the bank account of the city, not for any other stated reason. The private company makes the BIG bucks, and the city makes the BIG bucks.
I’d rather know at the time I screwed up so I can know for a fact that I did, and without a doubt.
Yes one of those red light cameras tagged me several years ago alleging I didn’t stop at a red light prior to making a right turn costing us $500.00, and it was obvious to me that the camera could have been faulty in its capture, but the citation I received in the mail almost two weeks after the alleged incident told me it was going to cost me an additional $300.00 for court costs if I lost the case. Intimidation by threatening my bank account to dissuade me from going to court. After heated discussion (I wanted to take it to court) my wife paid the citation, and later we found for a few dollars we could have had a professional service (YES! Someone is making money at getting victims of these cameras out of paying these outrageous fines, and doing it inexpensively) get us off the hook with some manuevering of law we aren’t aware of.
These damned cameras are everywhere, and they are nothing but revenue enhancement for the cities.
“and later we found for a few dollars we could have had a professional service (YES! Someone is making money at getting victims of these cameras out of paying these outrageous fines, and doing it inexpensively) get us off the hook with some manuevering of law we aren’t aware of.”
I realize it doesn’t help you with the fine you paid, but for the benefit of others, could you point the way to such services for those of us who might need to know, someday?