Photo Enforcement is Nothing but a Bunch of $%#!

First question I have is they took a picture of you stopped (that's a full stop) then in 3 seconds they took a picture of you moving.... is there a law that says a full stop must be longer than 3 seconds?  Also, if that camera is taking a picture every 3 seconds, and you were stopped behind the line for 15 seconds, then they should have about 5 pictures of you stopped at that light... not so?

Finally, DO go to court and fight the ticket. They are counting on you not doing that and just paying the money to be shut of the problem... very underhanded. If you do go to court, most of the time you can beat it. You had an eye witness in your car... get her to write up a statement to take with you. Write up your own statement too, while it is fresh in your mind. And if it is possible, go back to the intersection and take pictures of where you stopped, pulled forward and turned. At least draw a diagram. Fight the farging bastiches is my advice!

katt

I'm inclined to agree with Katt here Lips.  Don't let these bar stewards get away with it. 

If you do go back to the road/stop line with your camera, I would also take a picture of how much you can (or can't see in this case) see without pulling forward past the stop line.

Good luck if you do appeal.

blue

Kat is 100% correct.  Before reading what Kat typed I thought the same thing.  It worked many, many years ago for me on a parking ticket.  U taking pictures will get u out of the ticket.  Take the 3 pictures as Kat suggested.  Lable them 1, 2 and 3.  When u go in front of the ref u hand the 3 pictures to the baliff and say to the ref, "your honor, for your convience I labled them 1,2,3 for the correct order".  This proves u are being professional and serious about the ticket being in error.  You may think this is stupid but it isnt.  See, we are talking about giving away 1, $100 deposit to an online casino or worse yet 2, $50 deposits to online casinos.  Keep us updated.  Oh lastly, if u get a statement from our favorite Froggy make sure she has it notorized or if she is back overseas the equal to our notorizing.  Ms. Sorry No USA, I rest my case.

Oh by the way, notify me if u get a speeding ticket.  I am 3 for 4 in getting out of those.  The one I paid was the only one I wasnt speeding more than 5 miles over the speed limit on the interstate.  The state trooper lied about the radar gun speed by 16 miles an hour. I was on the way from the casino $300 ahead so I gave the State of Ohio 1/3 of my winnings.  I would have had to request the radar calibration report and pay $70 for a mechanic to test and give me a statement that my cruise control was accurate.  I got out of 1 with a warning by acting deaf and dumb.  I just kept pointing to things outside my driver side and front window.  The officer gave me back my license and insurance card with the warning and I said thank you.  Why he gave me a pissed off look is beyond me. 

The sign is another very good thing to have a picture of in your exhibits. The only way you should not fight is if that sign does say NO RIGHT TURN ON RED. That is the only way you could be guilty on this.

Don't let them get you down because they are the "government"... that is how they get away with all the crap in this nation today... people are afraid to fight and say, "No, you can not take away my freedom."

Just examine and photograph the scene (on foot please, don't need another ticket!) and determine what the sign says. Then fight. They can't throw you in jail for fighting the ticket! Just be organized and prepared when you do go to court.

Oh yeah, goole earth or other satellite map of the intersection could help with your diagram of the area... just a thought.

katt

Can't wait to hear ... hurry back!

katt

Excuses, excuses.....might as well just pay it.  Good luck, Lips!

Way to Go Gurrrrlllll!!!! Hope you got the other pictures too! Now fight them! Their own pictures show you had to have stopped, they have a picture of that! You can most likely request the pictures just before the ones they sent you also... showing your car waiting at the light before pulling up.

If you guys were that aware and talking about the light as you sat there, then you are not guilty of not paying attention and breezing through there.  So there is no reason in the world to be intimidated into paying them $100 or $1 for something you did not do. Good luck!!!

katt

I agree with kat's advice.

I would also think it is necessary to pull forward a bit to see oncoming traffic. 

I hate those stoplight cameras.  It seems like a lazy and very costly way to try and bust people.  I drove to the gas station 3 min. from my house today and 2 people had no clue what a turn signal was. One pulled in front of me so I had to slam my breaks and then decided to drive 12 miles UNDER the speed limit.  Stop those idiots instead.

Good luck and keep us posted.

You have to fight it, even if the odds for winning are not great. But you have to love a good fight

NO way you should pay that lips. I know who we're prank calling this weekend!

Well, to be honest..There's a spray you can buy (Yes it IS illegal in some states) that will obscure your license from photo enforcement. I am of the type I don't need it as I have never violated the rules, but from the sound of this occurance, I suspect the cops want every dime they can get and like some have said "It's just a simple way to make extra cash for the city"

        Hey Lips,  wouldn't a VIDEO be better than a still photo for a moving violation as it could be taken out of context as you have ably demonstrated?  We down here in  Florida are constantly bickering about the legality of traffic cameras.    By the way,  if I ever visit Chicago I think I'm just going to take a cab everywhere. 

Hey lips... I was looking at CDOT regarding redlight cameras in Chicago and saw a place you can watch an actual video of the incident as it transpired. Need the license number and ticket number to view it... you could give it a look and see what you think of the situation...

oh, and suny... keep an eye on them sneaky insurance companies... they are trying to get access to the camera tickets too and if they do there goes your insurance sky-high again!

katt