Posted on 02/13/2017 7:05:22 PM PST by Kaslin
Speed cameras became a cash cow for the small village of New Miami, Ohio.
The town, with a population of about 2,200, collected over $3 million in revenue from heavy-footed motorists after it installed stand-alone speed cameras along one of its major throughways, US 127. The speed cameras in New Miami, which is less than one square mile, automatically fined motorists $95 if they drove faster than 50 miles per hour.
It proved to be a lucrative venture for the village just 35 miles north of Cincinnati. Flush with cash, it raised its annual budget from roughly $1.5 million to $2.5 million in 2013.
But now, the Village of New Miami must pay back every cent of the $3 million it collected from the speed cameras, which were ruled “unconstitutional” in 2014 when drivers filed a class-action lawsuit against the village.
An Ohio judge ruled in favor of drivers, who claimed they were unfairly ticketed.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Now that’s funny. It would take a real sourpuss clerk not to be a little amused upon opening that envelope :)
Lol.. best post of the thread.
One of the good things President Trump has done was to put on hold regulations that were set to go into effect in 2018 that would have required car makers to put equipment into all new cars that would “share” speed and braking information with “nearby cars”.
The justification, as always, was a promise of improved safety and accident avoidance, but it’s not hard to imagine ways that this technology could be abused for profit by cash-hungry municipalities.
Let us hope this bit of Big Brotherism stays on hold forever.
Well...that’s good to hear. Didn’t respond...just curious, what state do you live in?
Now, THAT'S leadership.
I received 4 tickets from an auto cop in Cleveland. I received all 4 before I knew about them. And there was no way I was driving that fast because I was pulling out from a side street 30 feet from the unit. Cleveland voters voted them out over the objections of Mayor Jackson and Sherod Brown.
Village on the main route between Cincinnati and Miami University in Oxford. Lets of college kids zip through there.
It’s been repeatedly brought to light that the vendors of such ticket cameras (who profit off of each and every ticket, not just sale/rental of the equipment) have bribed public officials from coast to coast to get them installed.
Yep I recall in Houston (when we had them) and police and Metro bus drivers were being cited (rightfully) for their violations running red lights (in non-emergency situations).
The parent company is an angry pimp and wants their damn money, no excuse that you “work for the public and are exempt”.
I recall a business in my city, (on the downhill side of an overpass) that put fencing around their property because the police would put 3 cars in their lot writing traffic tickets every day at rush hour.
Put an end to their little shakedown racket. It was obstructing the business owner’s operation and did not sit well with potential customers who would forever taint their memory of the location with that event.
Funny you should say that. Just the other day I was talking to a friend who told me about how hard a judge and the city council of a medium sized town near her had worked to convince the voters that installing these camers would ensure safety and generate much needd revenue at te same time. What they failed to say is that the red light camera company would receive a 40 / 60 % of the fines collected and that if they didn't collect a certain amount a month they had to pay a penalty (pretty much the norm for most of tese types of companies). What the city didn't expect was that people would obey the law and it caused massive loss of revenue. I wonder what perks and incentives they gave the decision makers to install them in the first place? Personally I think receiving gifts or donations in matters like this should be both an ethics violation and criminal offense.
I had this happen to me several times and I always called and contested the charges and never paid them. My defense? They kept using the same license plate photo from one toll both that was taken years ago; same angle, same lighting, same everything. I took the photo of the first one I had received a ticket on (which I wasn't sure was valid but paid it anyway just to get rid of the problem) and compared it to a second so-called violation and they were identical. Contested and beat that a I did several that came after that. This time I had an even better defense. I had moved from the area and had not traveled those toll roads for over a year. That's when I figured "Mohammed" or "Maxine" of the Toll Authority was scamming the system so I called the Toll Authority and let them know they might have a problem. They said they cleared out all the toll fines and some time later I received another notice. A this point I was pretty pissed and ready to go to someone higher up and told them about it. Never received another notice.
I think there's some major scamming going on with the toll authorities and they need to be called on it because I'm guessing it's someone pretty high up who is now living in a multimillion dollar home, wearing designer clothes, and driving brand new luxury vehicles. The fees some of toll authorities has gotten ridiculous. No more 40 or 75 cent toll fees. Hell now it might cost you over 20 or 30 dollars to get to point A and back. So they're making damn good money as it is but they need to ferret it out the scam artists.
I was following a tractor-trailer much too closely headed for I70 in Columbus. I received a ticket for running a red light, and a picture of the “offense”. The semi I had been following too closely was not in the picture. Explain that one.
Throw the ticket away. The camera scam is unconstitutional because they cannot prove you are driving the car. These cameras are NOT LEGAL. Ask any lawyer!!
The “tickets” were in AZ, OH, KS, VA. They are all civil violations and are in essence invitations to admit to a civil violation and volunteer to pay a fine. Read the so called ticket very carefully and you will see things like you will be reported, your car may be impounded, if this wasn’t you must tell it who it was, etc...
Any response becomes proof that you were “served” notice which is required in a civil action. So unless you get a summons ignore the scary letters.
In Colorado, the legislature wanted to outlaw photo enforcement, but our not-esteemed Gov Hickenlooper blackmailed the Dems to withdraw from their bipartisan support to do this, so the legislation was not even voted on.
In the mean time, Colorado citations are merely civil issues and are mooted in 90 days with zero consequence if you ignore their letters and then dodge any attempted civil service, which I’ve done successfully in the past.
Also, if the photo of the driver doesn’t match the gender of the car’s owner, they won’t even send out the letters. I’ve often contemplated always wearing a gorilla mask the few times I’m forced to drive in the City of Boulder as a means of thwarting their photo ticket BS.
I like that response. I may try it and plead ignorance if I ever get nailed with one again.
In Rochester NY's case, minorities were blowing through red lights at an alarming rate, getting the tickets then never paying the fine. Seems they would pay the fine right after they actually insure and register the vehicle, get a valid driver's license. . .oh wait--a good chunk of those vehicles were stolen. "But Mayor Lovely, that wasn't me driving my car, it was your average, ubiquitous, un-friendly neighborhood thug who stole my car."
Some was posted that they did that and they sent a picture off handcuffs back to him. He paid the fine.
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