Effect of Traffic Cameras

[Brian Tymchak]

We used to have red light cameras here in Ohio. But then a state congressman got nailed by one so he got a law passed to ban them.. Claimed it was unconstitutional to not have the citation issued by an officer that witnessed the event.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I live in western Arkansas and have long wondered about that. If I’m going the speed limit (as I should be) and need to go around someone going 1 mph slower am I impeding someone speeding up behind me? If I speed up substantially to quickly pass will I get pulled over for speeding by the officer over the hill? Currently I pass very quickly but always worried about “what if”. Kind of a catch 22 decision. Damned if you do and damned if you dont.

Purely speculation, but I'd assume such a law would be intentionally vague to give the troopers some discretion? If you're in the left lane, impeding 1 car, and you are quasi-actively passing someone, you're golden. But if the lane behind me looks like LA rush hour for 3 miles, I'm going to change lanes or hope the judge is my uncle.

[Charlie Velasquez]

We used to have red light cameras here in Ohio. But then a state congressman got nailed by one so he got a law passed to ban them.. Claimed it was unconstitutional to not have the citation issued by an officer that witnessed the event.

But that was the rationale for a group in Iowa. But in Iowa traffic cams are not written as a penal code violation, but rather a city ordinance, somewhat similar to a parking ticket. It is the vehicle that gets the citation, and the owner of the vehicle that is responsible for the payment. He can argue it was a different driver and the civil courts will readily allow you to sue the driver if the owner can show by preponderance of evidence that someone else was driving.
It does not count against you wrt affecting your driver's license. The information is a public document and it is up to the insurance company to decide if your rates will increase.
A third party is responsible for issuing the citation and collection of fines under the auspices of the local government (the company that did ours was based inFlorida). There is an appeal process, but it does not need a law officer to appear in court. Rather you can sit down with an LEO and review the video. It is simple, "Is that your license plate on the vehicle?".
"Is that license plate on the correct vehicle?"

But if you choose not to pay, the municipality does not get involved. Rather the third party will take you to small claims court and report it to your credit rating.

When the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed its constitutionality it upset some South Dakotans that traveled through Iowa. South Dakota passed a law to deny sending car ownership information to Iowan agencies. Not sure how, but I remember reading it didn't slow down that Florida company too much.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Hey, I was one of those guys that left off the gas long before a light. I had traveled a certain route hundreds of times. RT 30 in PA, to rt 41 in PA , to rt 7 in DE to rt 1in DE.. I knew when I crested the hill, that if the light was green at the bottom, it would be red by the time I got there. If it was red, it would be green by the time I got there so I stayed on the gas., There were two more such lights in Delaware along Rt 7 . Currently, there is such a light along rt 24 near my home. Along 24, there are two lanes in each direction. I love it when some fool races up to the light and has to stop, and I coast up just as the light turns green and I can pass them in the other lane.

The ones that aggravate the heck out of me are the ones that drive 10 mph because there is snow on the road. When their car starts to slip going up hill, , they stomp on it and fishtail sideways. Or when their car is going down hilll, they lock the breaks and can't stop.

[Scott Clausen]

We used to have red light cameras here in Ohio. But then a state congressman got nailed by one so he got a law passed to ban them.. Claimed it was unconstitutional to not have the citation issued by an officer that witnessed the event.

They had companies go around and set up red light cameras for cities and get a cut of the revenue. They got removed after an attorney found out they had shortened the length of the yellow light time to boost the offender count. They also did a study that showed accidents actually increased after they were installed. People were so concerned about getting a ticket that they would slam on the breaks at the first sign of yellow and get rear ended.

[Jim Koepke]

They also did a study that showed accidents actually increased after they were installed. People were so concerned about getting a ticket that they would slam on the breaks at the first sign of yellow and get rear ended.

Could it be there is possibly a new problem inherent in almost every solution?

jtk

[Bill Dufour]

I belive part of the lawsuit that banned the cameras here was the police have to us their enforcement to help the flow of traffic and to teach the offenders to follow the rules. So cars making a mistake have to be informed they made a mistake, and all the others can learn from that. Giving a speeding ticket one month latter does nothing to reduce overall speed that day.
In court it is a valid defense if all the other cars are speeding at the same rate. Why were you chosen that day to be ticketed. why not yesterday why not tomorrow for the same speed.
Bill D
BillD.

[Brian Elfert]

In court it is a valid defense if all the other cars are speeding at the same rate. Why were you chosen that day to be ticketed. why not yesterday why not tomorrow for the same speed.

I don't understand why the fact that everyone was speeding is a valid defense. A single officer can't stop every car that is speeding.

[Rod Sheridan]

Red light and speed enforcement cameras are becoming more common where I live.

I love these voluntary taxation devices…..Rod.

[Bill Dufour]

I don't understand why the fact that everyone was speeding is a valid defense. A single officer can't stop every car that is speeding.

If the police are not enforcing the law then they are implying the faster speed is allowed. No they do not have top stop every car, but they should be stopping one as soon as they finish writing the ticket for the last one. Other drivers would notice and slow down before they get a ticket.
Bill D

[Bruce Wrenn]

NC used to have a bunch of red light cameras, run by private contractors. Only problem is State Constitution says all fines go to local school boards. Plus they photo shopped licensees, especially on toll road. One lady who got ticket with picture of a car with her licensee number on it. Only problem is she had a receipt showing she had turned in licensee a couple years earlier. Case dismissed, with civil lawsuit following to collect damages. Settled for an unknown amount.

[jared herbert]

I live in Iowa. A few years ago I got a letter from a traffic control company saying my vehicle which was a Ford pickup was speeding in a town 250 miles from me that I had never been in. They included a picture of my supposed vehicle which was plain to see a 4 door sedan not a pickup. And the whole thing was signed by an officer from that city that stated he had checked everything and it was correct. Turns out they had read a Q as an O. Obviously the officer never even looked at anything and just signed it. I had to make a couple of angry calls to that city and the whole thing was eventually dropped. One of my beefs with the whole process is that I wonder how many people, maybe elderly or gullible, who would have just mailed in the fine out of fear or confusion.

[Scott Kilroy]

I've got mixed feelings about it. On the one hand it promotes safer driving on the other hand I live in New York City and cameras are everywhere and they charge $50 a ticket!

[Bruce Wrenn]

Here toll road doesn't send out bill in time for it to be paid without incurring an additional fine. Twice we have had to BEG them for a bill. They always say "it went out yesterday," but postmark shows different. Usually two to three days after you call them. We always call from cell phone, as we can prove what time we called them, and how long we were on the phone.

[Ronald Blue]

Here toll road doesn't send out bill in time for it to be paid without incurring an additional fine. Twice we have had to BEG them for a bill. They always say "it went out yesterday," but postmark shows different. Usually two to three days after you call them. We always call from cell phone, as we can prove what time we called them, and how long we were on the phone.

That's why I have a "toll tag". All states are supposed to have a uniform coordinated system but even though it's a law I don't think some states are in compliance yet. Oklahoma for one still isn't part of it as far as I know. I know that Florida and Texas have some boothless toll roads. Illinois has what they call "Open Roads" and if you have the toll transponder the charge is 1/3 of the cash alternative plus you don't have to slow down. This also works in most of the East Coast states. Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York for certain. It maintains a balance and if it drops below $10 it automatically adds $20 back. With 3 toll roads on the way to my daughters it has been very convenient.