I am MEGA pissed off!!!!!

[SacredCow]

Baton Rouge has been putting in those red light cameras over the past few months. I've been on the fence about this- on one hand, there really was a bad problem of people blowing through red lights but cameras pointing everywhere? I dunno- it kind of smacks of Big Brother. Anyhoo- it didn't worry me too much, as I'm really a pretty laid-back driver (I've been accused of driving like a grandpa, in fact). I didn't think there was a chance in hell of me getting such a ticket.

Well, I was wrong. I got a citation yesterday for running a red light near my house- and it's just completely and utterly bogus!!! The light is CLEARLY green as I start to go through it!!! It turns yellow about halfway through my turn, and by the time it's red I'm already well out of the camera's view!

Take a look- that's me and you can see that the right turn signal is clearly green:


This pic is almost exactlly one second later, and the light has just turned yellow:


There's a video, too- but I haven't had the chance to capture it yet (they technically won't let you save it, of course). In the video, you can see that I'm not even in the camera view when the light turns red.

This is a pisser. I had to mail off a form that I was going to contest the charge (along with a nasty letter, of course). There is apparently nowhere you can call to say, "Hey- Ummmm... are you effing BLIND???" If I have to go to court over this, the city WILL be getting a bill for my time!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Brigid]

1. They need a few of those around here.

I see people running yellow and red lights every day around here.

[SacredCow]

3. Had I been in the wrong-

I'd still be pissed, but I would accept it. This, OTOH, is clearly either a fuck-up or an attempted con job.

[redqueen]

2. challenge it... they have problems with those things *all* the time.

they're taking some of them down here cause although they did get lots of money from tickets, there were the same number as traffic accidents as before they were put in, and the reason they put them in was to reduce accidents... so they're actually taking them down.

[SacredCow]

4. I'm definitely challenging it...

But I'd surely rather have them 'fess up to screwing up so I don't have to take MY time to go to court.

[redqueen]

7. yeah no kidding...

this mindless bs is the kind of thing that makes so many people just hate hate hate anything having to do with the gubbamint.

[SacredCow]

8. As I said in the OP...

I was on the fence about these things. But if this is the best they can do, then I'm now firmly on the "nay" side of these stupid cameras.

[JCMach1]

5. You guys would hate UAE... 99% of traffic enforcement is done with cams

even worse, you don't get the bill until you register the car every year.

No such thing as a challenge.

[SacredCow]

6. So you don't even get "proof" such as this?

Yeah, I would definitely hate that.

If I do something wrong, I own up to it. But I don't take kindly to the idea of "let's just throw around all of these charges and see if something sticks."

[JCMach1]

9. They have it all on computer, but the judge and police would have a cow if you insisted...

might as well bang your head against the wall.

I once got an expensive ticket for parking my car in a dirt lot when visiting friends on a weekend because some idiot said I was selling my car and blocking traffic... neither of which was true. Parking is literally a jungle here and you often have to make do.

Well, I took my case to the police and argued until I was blue in the face and the only thing I got was a reduction of fine. No reason to that either... just lopped-off amount X. Different culture... they assume you are guilty and that I was just trying to negotiate. Arg!

Good luck with your case... The police do make mistakes. I will never forget driving though a hick Alabama town (no offense to good Alabamans) and got pulled over for speeding. Was I speeding? Hell no! I had set cruise control for the exact limit. I argued until I was blue in the face, but apparently he had his radar up his arse. The worst thing is I was traveling and OBVIOUSLY couldn't come back for a challenge in court. So, I paid the fine. Then the idiots gave me more grief telling me I had overpaid them by $5. I had to send a money order, so there was no way to change anything. It took 30min of arguing to tell them to keep the freakin' change. What an absolute joke! Who knows maybe they never did straighten it out and I will be arrested some day in Alabama for overpaying a fine!

[SacredCow]

11. Alabama is a whole different planet sometimes...

My cousin got pulled over by an Alabama state trooper and ultimately was cuffed and frisked because the trooper saw a weapon in his car. Said weapon was a soldering gun (my cousin is an electronics technician).

I half expect that I'll have the same experience as you- "We're right, because we're the LAW. I don't care WHAT the pictures show- you'll be giving us $117.00, PLUS the $50.00 for DARING to defy us by requesting a hearing."

[sasquatch]

20. I already hate the UAE and it has nothing to do with traffic cameras

[zingaro]

10. oh that's frustrating.

One of my neighbors has been ticketed now twice with those photo cameras.

My own personal opinion is that it's crap. If the PD can't pull you over and write you a ticket, then I don't think they deserve the revenue. I hear the argument about high accident areas and all that but it still smacks of some Big Brother entrapment to me.

Sorry. I hope you challenge it and win.

[SacredCow]

12. I've already sent in the form to contest...

(return receipt requested), and included a rather pointed letter (out and out bitchy at times, truth be told).

I hear that the particular contractor handling our cameras has civil complaints filed against it out the wazoo.

[Javaman]

13. It's not you. Yellow light times are shorter when red light cams are installed...

check this out. It might help you...(the last two links may help you fight it)

6 Cities That Were Caught Shortening Yellow Light Times For Profit
http://www.motorists.org/blog/red-light-cameras/6-cities-that-were-caught-shortening-yellow-light-times-for-profit/

Red-light camera monkey business may be a national trend
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080413-red-light-camera-monkey-business-may-be-a-national-trend.html

Cities making red-light cameras more profitable by making them less safe
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/04/12/cities-making-redlig.html

Dallas, Texas Cameras Bank on Short Yellow Times
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/20/2068.asp

Info & Advice about California Red Light Camera Tickets - - for Free!
http://www.highwayrobbery.net/

Red Light Cameras, Yellow Light Times
http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/04/red_light_cameras_yellow_light.php

[SacredCow]

14. The yellow light cycle wasn't all that short...

Once I have captured the video, I'll post it. I was completely out of the cameras view shortly after the 2nd picture was taken, and the light was still yellow. What's more, the car behind me (which isn't even visible in either of the pics) made it through the right turn before the light turned red.

According to their policy, citations are only issued if someone ENTERS the intersection when the light is red. If it turns red while you're already in it (regardless of whether it was green or yellow when you entered), you're not supposed to be cited. So I'm at least 2 degrees out of the realm of violation here. I entered on green, and was out during the yellow cycle.

[Javaman]

15. don't you just love modern technology?

sounds if you got scammed. I think this is one fight you will win easy.

[SacredCow]

17. They've already had problems with vandalism on the cameras...

and now I certainly understand why. If I had access to an acetylene torch, I'd be heading out there at 3 am to cut that betch down!

:mad:

[grace0418]

16. My friend got one of those tickets and didn't even get a picture. He had absolutely

no way to contest it. And he's a TOTAL grandpa driver. I used to carpool with him and he'd put on his brakes when approaching a *green* light, in case it might turn yellow. Utter bullshit.

[SacredCow]

18. I don't get that at all...

he couldn't request a picture? I certainly wouldn't take ANYBODY on their word.

[Redstone]

19. You didn't know what a racket those things are? The companies that set them up get

a cut of the money collected for the tickets issued, ranging from about 40% to 60%. Do a google search, and you'll find out.

They have NOTHING to do with traffic safety; in fact, many municipalities who install them actually SHORTEN the duration of the yellow lights, just to increase the "take" of tickets issued.

It's one of the most cynical money-making travesties this country has ever seen. You are absolutely correct to be angry.

Redstone

[SacredCow]

21. I'm not aware of any yellow light shortening...

the video shows a pretty long yellow duration. Again- If I had done it, then shame on me and I'd be $117 poorer but wiser. But I just didn't break the law.

This IS Louisiana, of course- anything corrupt and underhanded to make a buck will certainly fly. But they're not getting my money without a fight. If I have to hire a sleazy lawyer to fight it, so be it.