I got a stupid red light camera ticket!

[of the seas]

I'm mad at myself. I got a dumb red light camera ticket for turning right with a no turn on red sign that I did not see! What a waste of $100. They don't give you long to pay it either-under a month. Enjoy my money city of Naperville!

 

[AKL_Megs]

If you didn't see the "No Turn On Red" sign, perhaps you might have missed a pedestrian as well...?

I bet you'll look twice next time!

 

[golfgal]

I thought that those cameras were ruled unconstitutional? They had to take them out of intersections in Minneapolis. I didn't realize they still had them elsewhere.

 

[tvguy]

Sorry it happened, but I am shocked the fine is only $100.
The fine here is $351, and that's BEFORE they lump in $150 in fees and court assessments. Yup $501.

 

[JessicaR]

We have them everywhere here and they are still going up like crazy. Fine is $75.

 

[of the seas]

If you didn't see the "No Turn On Red" sign, perhaps you might have missed a pedestrian as well...?

I bet you'll look twice next time!

I guess you told me. I stopped, I just didn't see the sign across the street.

 

[RitaZ.]

I thought that those cameras were ruled unconstitutional? They had to take them out of intersections in Minneapolis. I didn't realize they still had them elsewhere.

Yes, many cities still have them or are about to install them.

The first city to install them in our county, city of Ft. Lauderdale, has determined that it costs the city way more $ than the revenue the tickets have generated. So, now they're considering doing away with the cameras altogether. Most people that get the tickets go to court and have them dismissed.

 

[lajones81]

Sorry it happened, but I am shocked the fine is only $100.
The fine here is $351, and that's BEFORE they lump in $150 in fees and court assessments. Yup $501.

 

[JessicaR]

Yes, many cities still have them or are about to install them.

The first city to install them in our county, city of Ft. Lauderdale, has determined that it costs the city way more $ than the revenue the tickets have generated. So, now they're considering doing away with the cameras altogether. Most people that get the tickets go to court and have them dismissed.

So crazy! I read about Ft Lauderdale not following through with the prosecution of the red light violations. They sure are following through around here.

 

[si-am]

I hate those "no right turn on red intersections" because there are so few of them, I'm not expecting to encounter one, so I miss the signs too.

Plus, I hate sitting there waiting on a green light because inevitably the person behind me doesn't realize it's a "no turn on red" deal and they get impatient and honk.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

We have them. The company that owns the cameras makes the most $$$ off of them, but they do provide some revenue, the tickets don't go on your record, and traffic accidents at intersections where they've been installed have gone way down.

As far as I'm concerned, the only fly in the ointment is the fact that some third party is raking in the dough over this one, but I'll take that as the cameras have saved lives.

 

[shelly3girls]

The camera near us may be eliminated. Over the past year the town has made tons of $ but accidents have increased. People slam on their breaks to avoid going through the light. When the camera first came the town actually shortened the yellow light to an illegal length. It took a local major to get a ticket before anything was done. The town had issued $800,000 in tickets in about 6 months. The state is still deciding if they have to refund the money.

 

[Maridw]

I wish they had them here. Maybe it would cut down on the number of people that run red lights. The intersection on the main road and our street is terrible. When I get a green light while I am on our street, I always wait a second or two to make sure no one is going to come through on the main road.

Sorry you got the ticket. We have only a couple of those "No Turn on Red" intersections. One of them is in a spot that really needs it during rush hour. I wish they would give tickets to people that block intersections. You know those people that figure they can squeeze in when traffic is backed up and ignore the "Do Not Block Intersection" sign that is on the same pole as the traffic light. I hate those people.

 

[bumbershoot]

I thought that those cameras were ruled unconstitutional? They had to take them out of intersections in Minneapolis. I didn't realize they still had them elsewhere.

Only some places aren't allowing them.



Our area allows them, and they got DH. The letter included a link and code to see the *video* of it! Which was good, because if I hadn't seen that video I would have fought it. I was in the car, we were on our way to a restaurant for my birthday, and hubby got super-tired not 10 minutes away from our place. He was making a legal right on red to pull into a gas station so that I could drive... But I guess he didn't actually stop, which is just mind-boggling b/c I was right there and I normally make sure he's driving well when he's tired like that! I don't remember him not stopping, I remember him stopping completely. But...the video doesn't back me up.

It was $124, and in our area the ticket counts as a *parking* ticket, not a moving violation, because it's not a human catching you. So we paid it.


And now he's finally realized how horrifically bad his sleep apnea was (his brain was waking him up to breath 110 times per *hour*, as an example) and he has a machine to help him out, I think those days of falling asleep at the wheel are finally finally over....


Long way to say "us too!"

 

[wtpntigger2]

We have them. The company that owns the cameras makes the most $$$ off of them, but they do provide some revenue, the tickets don't go on your record, and traffic accidents at intersections where they've been installed have gone way down.

The camera near us may be eliminated. Over the past year the town has made tons of $ but accidents have increased. People slam on their breaks to avoid going through the light. When the camera first came the town actually shortened the yellow light to an illegal length. It took a local major to get a ticket before anything was done. The town had issued $800,000 in tickets in about 6 months. The state is still deciding if they have to refund the money.

*bolding mine*

Our town was seeing what shelly3girls mentions so they have been getting rid of them. Between not reducing the number of accidents or an increase in revenue, they weren't worth it. However, MANY places around here have them and more are going up all the time.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The camera near us may be eliminated. Over the past year the town has made tons of $ but accidents have increased. People slam on their breaks to avoid going through the light. When the camera first came the town actually shortened the yellow light to an illegal length. It took a local major to get a ticket before anything was done. The town had issued $800,000 in tickets in about 6 months. The state is still deciding if they have to refund the money.

You know, that all just doesn't make sense. The most cost-effective solution seems to be simply reprogram the yellow light to a legal interval. Why give up on the (apparently) large revenue from the fines and the opportunity to educate the drivers that traffic laws need to be obeyed? Is it because a politician broke the law? That's unreasonable. As for increased accidents, well, it's up to the drivers behind to follow at a safe enough distance and speed so they can stop safely.

 

[SandrA9810]

Only some places aren't allowing them.



Our area allows them, and they got DH. The letter included a link and code to see the *video* of it! Which was good, because if I hadn't seen that video I would have fought it. I was in the car, we were on our way to a restaurant for my birthday, and hubby got super-tired not 10 minutes away from our place. He was making a legal right on red to pull into a gas station so that I could drive... But I guess he didn't actually stop, which is just mind-boggling b/c I was right there and I normally make sure he's driving well when he's tired like that! I don't remember him not stopping, I remember him stopping completely. But...the video doesn't back me up.

It was $124, and in our area the ticket counts as a *parking* ticket, not a moving violation, because it's not a human catching you. So we paid it.


And now he's finally realized how horrifically bad his sleep apnea was (his brain was waking him up to breath 110 times per *hour*, as an example) and he has a machine to help him out, I think those days of falling asleep at the wheel are finally finally over....


Long way to say "us too!"

Makes me wonder if the camera is time lapsed like every 3-5 seconds to give you that impression that you did not stop.

I saw the flash of a red light camera once. There's a right turn shortly after the left turn into the mall. So traffic on the outside can slow down suddenly after starting the turn. I went through the light on green (along with like 3 cars behind me), but before I cleared the intersection it must've turned red. Thankfully I never saw a ticket out of it.

 

[Art 1]

I thought that those cameras were ruled unconstitutional? They had to take them out of intersections in Minneapolis. I didn't realize they still had them elsewhere.

Orlando is full of them.

 

[fireflymedic]

If you didn't see the "No Turn On Red" sign, perhaps you might have missed a pedestrian as well...?

I bet you'll look twice next time!

I dont think people in walk way and the signs are in the same place soooo

maybe next time they will hit someone while she has her eyes looking up to dbl check for any signs

 

[kaytieeldr]

I dont think people in walk way and the signs are in the same place soooo

maybe next time they will hit someone while she has her eyes looking up to dbl check for any signs

I don't know why you think that

Approach a red light.
Stop (note: this seems to be the step a lot of people miss, at least here).
Look for signage regarding proceeding.
In absence of such signage, next look for barriers such as through traffic or pedestrians.
Go when safe to go, even if that ultimately means waiting for the green light.