Camera Light Ticket Nonsense...... please read

From what I've been told, the agency that handles these tickets is not a legal one. If that is so, then there shouldn't be anything stopping you if you choose not to pay up.

I'd look into it some more, just to be sure. . . .

 

It's a non-points violation that is charged to the owner of the car. If you don't pay it, the registration can be blocked and collection proceedings started. The cameras are indeed privately installed and run, and then a cut is given to the city. To make matters even more fun, most cities shorten the yellow lights at those intersections, and stats show an increase in rear-end collisions at them. You can't beat it, there's no judgment involved. It's just a tax, pay it and move on.

 

legally, a citation has to be served by an officer of the court. the companies that run these are not officers of the court. this is the basis for all the litigation regarding them. they generally do run video of the incidence to try and difuse the "judgement" issue that clearly doesn't exist by a camera but could by an officer.

 

Cities preying on its citizens.

Do these decision makers get a cut ?

Unconscionable.

 

I got my first one yesterday from the City of North Richland Hills. I was northbound on Davis at the Maplewood intersection, the first light after exiting 183/820. It was signed by a NRH patrol officer with his badge number. I viewed the video and the two other photos. I definitely entered the intersection .37 seconds after the light went red. I guess I have nothing to do but pay up,,,,,$75.

The wording on the citation said the violation was for entering an intersection on a red ligt. I had hoped I was turning onto Davis off of Maplewood as I sometimes do and could get off by turning right on red is allowed. But they have a video and I was definitely going straight.........Grrrrrrr...

There is an attorney in Dallas who filed a class action lawsuit for anyone who joined him in the lawsuit against one of the firms who operate the lights in Dallas. It seems that for someone to issue a citation in Texas other than local police, sheriffs dept, constable or DPS they have to be licensed to act as a private detective in the state. The light companies are from out of state and do not hold Texas licenses for any of the above. The way it sounded on the newscast from a couple months back the city of Dallas may have to refund the fines of over 100,000 redlight camera violations. I do not know the outcome. Does anyone else on here know?

 

you technically weren't served by the officer, even though it is signed. i imagine they acceptance by you (normally a signature) was the logging onto the sight and viewing.

if you get one, don't do ANYTHING. there is no proof you were served by an officer of the court

 

scary advice here. I'd never ignore it; contact a lawyer. I use John Gioffredi (214) 739-4515.

The ostrich approach almost never works in life.

 

Next time, start slowing down before lights just in case.

Sorry this happened, these lights are a waste of tax payers money. Just like the stop lights at on-ramps.

 

I have a trucking company and several of my 18 wheelers started getting these tickets in Diboll - East Texas. The city installed 4 cameras back to back in 4 intersections on Hwy 59 through town. My trucks - weighing 80000 pounds loaded can't stop without ending up in the intersection with these short cycled yellows.

The speed limit through town is 45 mph. I told my drivers to start going 20 mph through town with their flashers on and that would give them plenty of time to stop when a yellow comes up. That solved the problem. So far I have not got a ticket for going too slow through town, but that will probably be next.

my

 

Sorry here is the deal, no attorney needed...

This ticket does not go on your driving record, it is not a criminal matter it is a civil matter.. so here is the deal.

You can choose not to pay it. I would not pay it, not that I have ever received one.

It is a debt, plain and simple, you cannot go to jail they cannot take your license away. All they can do is send you a bill.

Since you didn't sign for it they cannot even put it on your credit.. They might threaten that, but all they can do is keep sending you a bill, over and over. Which you can throw away..

So do what you want, I think there dangerous and cause more accidents then they are worth so the more people that don't pay the faster they will take it down..

I read a few months ago that in Houston 40% of the people did not pay it.

 

When we lived in Scottsdale, my wife received several of these speed camera tickets. We ignored all of them and nothing happened. We were told that you had to be served by a police officer or someone appointed by the court. That never happened.

 

this can happen if the number of fines justifies paying an officer of the court to deliver them

 

I was just trying to figure this out. I watched the video of my "infraction" and timed the yellow lights. Two seconds yellow before going red. I was going 40 mph and it looks as though I would travel roughly 71 feet in 2 seconds at 40 mph. How far does it take a 1998 Audi A6 to come to a complete emergency stop from 40 mph. I think it is about 78 feet but I cannot say exactly. Okay, I see the light turn yellow and lift and apply the brakes. I know there is some delay time from the time I lift before my foot begins the braking process. Say a 1/2 second delay. That is about 18 feet before the brakes become active. Combine the delay time footage with the actual braking distance and it looks like I would have proceeded 96 feet after first observing the light becoming yellow before coming to a complete stop.

Keep in mind that it said I entered the intersection .37 of a second after the light turned red. I did not lift but instead maintained the 40 mph speed I was traveling. If I entered the intersection .37 of a second after it turned red it means that at 40 mph I was 83 feet from the intersection when the first light went yellow. Hmmm, 83 feet from the intersection when I see the light change and I come to a stop in 96 feet. 13 feet into the intersection.

It looks to me like I would be approximately 1/2 the way through the intersection when I came to the emergency stop. Would I still get a ticket because I crossed the double white line without stopping before the light turned red? It appears to me that to make that happen would be physically impossible given the braking delay, braking distance and duration of the yellow lights. I think I was screwed both ways. Either proceed on through the intersection and clear it before the crossing traffic begins to move and get a ticket for running it or make a full emergency stop and come to a stop in the middle of the intersection and get a ticket for crossing the white lines and possibly one for creating a dangerous driving situation since I would be blocking both lanes of crossing traffic. And hope that there was no one close behind me who cannot stop as quickly as the Audi does who then hits me from the rear.

What a crock this is...........

Oh, and we live six blocks from the Police station and they patrol our block regularly. I would not like to get on the NRH Police dept blacklist for not paying. NRH Police do not go easy on people they believe are wrong........rock and a hard place, would you say???

 

Actaully a stop from 40 mph should be achievable in under 70 feet in most cars (trucks, especially with trailers are another matter). But a 2 second yellow seems awfully short to me.

 

As mentioned, these tickets are unenforceable as a matter of law. Specifically, they are inadmissible in a court under the hearsay rule. Unfortunately, the traffic court judges conveniently overlook this deficiency and will find you guilty and impose the fine. If you don't appear, the judge will impose the fine and refer the conviction to the DMV for action. All of this, of course, can be an enormous hassle for you.

As an attorney, I'd recommend paying it and moving on. It's a non-moving violation, as stated, so there are no points charged to your record. Strangely, insurance companies don't care about non-points offenses, even if they're running red lights. More importantly, you don't have to worry about being assessed some outrageous fees and penalties by the DMV at some point, which you'd have to address at that time. Of course, you'd argue that the nexus of the original charge was not legitimate, but the DMV clerk will read their little computer screen and pass the buck. You'll then have to go and sort this out at traffic court. I doubt the clerk of that court will give you a pass. So, in the end, you'll likely have to pay up, either way.

Ain't Government Grand?

CW

 

I totally plan on paying mine. I just had to vent as to the validity of it. And the apparent shortening of the yellow light length....

Like I said I do not want to have our diligent police officers seeing me as someone who attempts to avoid paying compensation for their "crimes".

 

if you ran the red light you ran the red light. I bet there is a law saying anything you carry has to be tied down in your truck so I would assume that argument is moot.

good luck with that.

 

See thats the problem.
Everyone just pays the fine, as I do, letting this predatory practice continue.
I honestly believe they have altered yellow light times to "improve" violations.
"To serve and protect"

 

Separate from the camera issue, my guess is that someone at the court house would say that you are responsible
at all times for maintaining proper speed(and control) of your vehicle, which would -include- the ability to stop at red lights.

Remember that the posted speed limit is supposed to be the -max- speed, not the -required- speed.

Under this line of thinking, the above post about big trucks going 20 mph would be the recommended solution,
-not- slamming on the brakes and causing a load shift, and definitely -not- speeding up or entering
the intersection late.

 

The motto was changed a few years ago. "To serve and collect."

 

Super bump !

Has anyone actually ignored these red light camera tickets and got away with it ?

 

Define ”gotten away with it.”

I got one several years ago and tossed it. It showed up on my credit report for a while. I don't think it's still there but sometimes I wonder if it will pop back on there some day. But I've renewed my drivers license and had several roadside chats with public servants who wanted to discuss my driving habits, and the red light camera matter was never discussed.

YMMV