[Ron1n]

Originally Posted by BKV122

These sensors and cameras are set up to detect if the law was broken, by the book (full stop at the stop bar). A officer may have let it slide as they may have saw no reason to stop you.

I'm hoping this exact reason is why it'll get dismissed, but we'll see.

[nub340]

It might be "common" and a double standard here yes, but that doesn't mean you're immune to getting cited or that you shouldn't. You are essentially gambling every time you do it. Eventually you're going to get popped, just like I did. Cost me $420 after traffic school and everything. I have adjusted my habits since and now always make sure I come to a complete stop, if only for a moment.

IMHO you should stop complaining about it, be a man and admit that you f*cked up (and deserved it), pay your dues and learn from your mistake. I'm not trying to sound condescending or harsh, but life isn't fair man. It's important in life to be able to admit when you messed up. As long as you learned from it, it's a valuable experience...

[airshane]

This is why photo enforcement should be banned. The majority of the tickets issued by these things are from technical violations, not ones which were blatant disregard of the light. I'm sure some will flame me for saying it, but this is why these things exist ... to make money.

They're popping up more and more in Colorado and I detest the bloody things.

Having driven in LA and SD, coming to a complete stop like you were supposed to you could have easily been rear-ended, flipped off, honked at, or some combination of the three.

Not sure about CA laws, but as I understand it in Colorado if they can't see the face you tell them it wasn't you, and you don't have to divulge who it is, so they throw it out. Of course I'm not a lawyer, so insert legal disclaimer here. Next time you're on foot, carry some post-it's and cover up the lens of the camera.

[nub340]

I do agree however that these cameras are a bunch of bull. If an actual cop cited you for the same thing, it's only like $120. Why is it more than twice as expensive when a camera catches you doing the same thing?

Nevertheless, I also believe in owning up to your mistakes and accepting the consequences. If I were you I would still try and fight it, you never know. Either way, learn from it and don't complain about it too much.

[airshane]

I'm really surprised there aren't more instances of these things being burnt to a crisp or shot with a high powered rifle. I for one would not do it, but I'd certainly not speak out against someone who did.

[bsamoul]

Originally Posted by nub340

I do agree however that these cameras are a bunch of bull. If an actual cop cited you for the same thing, it's only like $120. Why is it more than twice as expensive when a camera catches you doing the same thing?

Nevertheless, I also believe in owning up to your mistakes and accepting the consequences. If I were you I would still try and fight it, you never know. Either way, learn from it and don't complain about it too much.

Because they have to make up the cost of the cameras

[mike-y]

Originally Posted by airshane

Having driven in LA and SD, coming to a complete stop like you were supposed to you could have easily been rear-ended, flipped off, honked at, or some combination of the three.

LOL.. I LIVE in L.A. and drive over 20k miles a year here. I always come to a complete stop at a red light when turning right, and have never been rear ended, flipped off, or honked at.

Yes, they are technical violations, but they are still violations, and you will eventually get popped for them. That's why I always stop, you never know who will be watching.

[Ron1n]

Originally Posted by nub340

On the other hand please learn your lesson and try to be a better driver in the future. Always come to a complete stop! At least you used your blinker though.

Originally Posted by nub340

IMHO you should stop complaining about it, be a man and admit that you f*cked up (and deserved it), pay your dues and learn from your mistake. I'm not trying to sound condescending or harsh, but life isn't fair man. It's important in life to be able to admit when you messed up. As long as you learned from it, it's a valuable experience...

This is the second time you've posted semi-inflammatorily in this thread. I never said I didn't run the light, number 1. Number 2, my driving habits are likely better than 95% of the people here.

Leave your OPINIONS regarding me to yourself, and work on your rudeness while you're at it. Also seems like you're a bit bitter about the fact that you got nailed and couldn't get out of it. Don't put your petty bs on me as a result.

[lucas.kent]

Originally Posted by Ron1n

Just so everyone understands, I'm not arguing whether or not I stopped. I know I didn't come to a full stop (close, but not quite, although the photo images on the ticket show 14MPH in a 2 second time lapse...not possible, since I had my breaks on (obviously)), I'm arguing whether or not there is a question of safety as a result. This is a common sense ticket. Nobody in the crosswalk, turn arrows for the alternate flow of traffic were on, etc.

It's a load of bullshit, and a physical cop would never have stopped me for that.

I agree; there's no way a cop would've stopped you for that. Did you come to a complete stop? No, but almost. There were no pedestrians, and the lane you were facing clearly had a left hand arrow. This is a prime example of why red light cameras are no more than a money grab by the state. The law isn't necessarily black and white all the time. And giving you a ticket isn't making anything safer.

[Ron1n]

Originally Posted by lkw15

I agree; there's no way a cop would've stopped you for that. Did you come to a complete stop? No, but almost. There were no pedestrians, and the lane you were facing clearly had a left hand arrow. This is a prime example of why red light cameras are no more than a money grab by the state. The law isn't necessarily black and white all the time. And giving you a ticket isn't making anything safer.

I'm hoping I can plead to the sensibilities of the judge or the DA and avoid the fine, as I'm to understand it's rather pricey (there's no infraction cost on the ticket I got).

I should take a pic and post that up, too.

[nukezero]

the state is running out of money....

everybody needs to pay their fair share via traffic fines. Arnold wants to implement traffic cameras and I guess he already has !!!

Somebody's gotta pay for the budget deficit.

[Ron1n]

Originally Posted by nukezero

the state is running out of money....

everybody needs to pay their fair share via traffic fines. Arnold wants to implement traffic cameras and I guess he already has !!!

Somebody's gotta pay for the budget deficit.

One would argue that maybe it's time that the State figured out how to budget, instead of increasing unemployment taxes, increasing tags costs, and frivolous other items.


There's the ticket, btw...

[bsamoul]

Originally Posted by Ron1n

One would argue that maybe it's time that the State figured out how to budget, instead of increasing unemployment taxes, increasing tags costs, and frivolous other items.


There's the ticket, btw...

Maybe you could argue they got the wrong year of your car, so it must not have been you since yours is 3 years newer haha

[tys90]

I was always under the impression a real person reviews these before they actually get issued in the case a false alarm is issued. As you can see, someone has to sign it. I would even venture that they are less strict than a traffic cop may be because of the whole photographic evidence thing. *shrug* Although I could see them just issuing the ticket wrongly and forcing the person to dispute it instead.

[I335]

You broke the law here, but given the situation (no danger present) I think they're a-holes for bustin' you for it. It's purely a revenue device that happened to snap a picture or your credit card that day...

[Ron1n]

Originally Posted by bsamoul

Maybe you could argue they got the wrong year of your car, so it must not have been you since yours is 3 years newer haha

The plate shouldn't have been on the car, tbh...and I know that. It's from my old lease that I turned when I got this car, that apparently the DMV hasn't processed the registration bits on yet. I've now removed the plate to avoid any possible future issues with that being a source of problem.

Something I did just come across:

Vehicle Code (Section 21455.5(a)(1)) says that warning signs must be posted at each camera-equipped intersection and "visible to traffic approaching from all directions," or at all the main entrances to town "including, at a minimum, freeways, bridges, and state highway routes." (In a city with a large airport, I think that the airport should be considered to be a "main entrance.") Most cities elect to post the intersections rather than the town entrances, and occasionally some forget to post all four directions at the intersection, especially when they have just made a new camera installation. (There must be four signs even if there is only one camera monitoring one direction of traffic.)

The posting of warning signs is a "foundational" requirement - Defects # 2, # 3, # 6 and # 10 are others.

All signs must comply with CalTrans specifications: They must be at least 30" wide and 42" inches high, they must be at least 6 feet above the pavement level (to the bottom edge of the sign), and they must be laid-out per this CalTrans design...


I'm going to go back and make sure that there are signs in all 4 directions, because I don't recall there being any at all.

[bsamoul]

Originally Posted by Ron1n

The plate shouldn't have been on the car, tbh...and I know that. It's from my old lease that I turned when I got this car, that apparently the DMV hasn't processed the registration bits on yet. I've now removed the plate to avoid any possible future issues with that being a source of problem.

Something I did just come across:

Vehicle Code (Section 21455.5(a)(1)) says that warning signs must be posted at each camera-equipped intersection and "visible to traffic approaching from all directions," or at all the main entrances to town "including, at a minimum, freeways, bridges, and state highway routes." (In a city with a large airport, I think that the airport should be considered to be a "main entrance.") Most cities elect to post the intersections rather than the town entrances, and occasionally some forget to post all four directions at the intersection, especially when they have just made a new camera installation. (There must be four signs even if there is only one camera monitoring one direction of traffic.)

The posting of warning signs is a "foundational" requirement - Defects # 2, # 3, # 6 and # 10 are others.

All signs must comply with CalTrans specifications: They must be at least 30" wide and 42" inches high, they must be at least 6 feet above the pavement level (to the bottom edge of the sign), and they must be laid-out per this CalTrans design...


I'm going to go back and make sure that there are signs in all 4 directions, because I don't recall there being any at all.

Is that one on the signal on top of the street name? Can't tell because of the sun glare.

[Ron1n]

Originally Posted by bsamoul

Is that one on the signal on top of the street name? Can't tell because of the sun glare.

I looked at the pics just now, and I can't tell, either. I intend to go down there and find out for sure. I'll take any loophole I can to make this go away.

[BMWinNorthdakota]

Lol, I love how on ALL tickets it seems that cops list our cars as


Make: BMW

Model: 2 door
or
Model: 4 door

And list the color in accordance to the car.

Dumb.

Traffic was turning to the left of you, meaning that there was no danger in doing what you did. At some lights they have green arrows for right hand turn, and in this case, I think the arrows would had been on (If the light had them)

[Definitive]

Heh, that sucks. If it makes you feel better, I went around a road closed sign today right by my office, just to check out the flood levels as I live in the area.

There was a cop and he ticketed me for failure to obey road signs. Moving violation. I have a clean record, and he didnt care at all. I meant SUCH A DICK...

Too bad you had a dick of a camera!

[jopa489]

Originally Posted by Definitive

Heh, that sucks. If it makes you feel better, I went around a road closed sign today right by my office, just to check out the flood levels as I live in the area.

There was a cop and he ticketed me for failure to obey road signs. Moving violation. I have a clean record, and he didnt care at all. SUCK A DICK...

Too bad you had a dick of a camera!

That's just plain asinine.

[Spitfirocks]

I read somewhere that it costs $24,000 a month per intersection to have these running. THey have to make their money somewhere..