Red Light Camera Ticket

[AndrewL]

Anybody ever received one of these while visiting central FL? Didn't pay it and now getting threatening letters from collections agency about my FL driving privileges being suspended. Wondering if that is really true and if there would be any issues renting a car in the state.

 

[bumbershoot]

We got one of the red light tickets near home, once. Got mail, it had the URL for us to look at it. I was able to see that we did indeed go right through the light (we both would have SWORN that we had stopped...we were actually getting off an exit in order to switch from the tired driver to the fresh driver so it felt a little ironic or something).

So we paid it.

Why wouldn't you pay it? Did the initial letter you got have info proving the ticket?

I googled a bit and don't see that there are any spam/scam letters going around about red light tickets. ("didn't pay a toll" spam, YES, that's going around, don't click on the links or give them info!)

 

[bsiev1977]

Anybody ever received one of these while visiting central FL? Didn't pay it and now getting threatening letters from collections agency about my FL driving privileges being suspended. Wondering if that is really true and if there would be any issues renting a car in the state.

If you feel you received a citation in error, you should deal with it appropriately. Not doing anything about it isn't a good idea.

If you did run the light, pay the ticket and don't assume next time that you can get away with something like that just because a cop doesn't immediately pull you over.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I agree - pay the ticket. Why would you ignore this; this isn't going away. It's going to be a ding on your credit rating.

 

[DaretoDis]

I just got my own dashcam for situations like this...and others as they occur. Always get the lights when I'm entering an intersection.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

We got a speeding camera ticket in South Carolina on vacation. Like others we saw picture and it was our car. Now who was driving you couldn't tell- it came in hubby's name since his is first on registration I assume. We paid ticket and insurance never went up. I was actually driving.
I'd pay it.

 

[ericstac]

The ones I've received actually have a link to the video of the vehicle running the light so its pretty much a ruling in their favor lol.

I own a business and get them occasionally on company vehicles. The registered owner of the vehicle is responsible not the driver..

 

[Saimaeve]

I could see rental agencies refusing to rent to you if your driving privileges are suspended.

Just pay it, no big deal and not worth the hassle.

 

[ericstac]

It is no big deal, but I do think the cameras are a joke and should be banned.

I'm curious to see how much the cities pay in red light camera fines when their employees don't follow the law...

 

[LilyWDW]

Why the heck would you just ignore it? That was a really bad move on your part OP. Now you are in a worse situation when before it would have been really easy to deal with.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It is no big deal, but I do think the cameras are a joke and should be banned.

I'm curious to see how much the cities pay in red light camera fines when their employees don't follow the law...

Why are they a joke? They catch people running red lights, which is a real hazard.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Why are they a joke? They catch people running red lights, which is a real hazard.

They are ineffective at behavior change and simply money machines.

The bulk of the money goes to the company that has the contract. Locals have been known to program shorter yellow light times to generate more revenue. Consequence to the misbehavior is delayed making it less likely that behavior will change. Rear end crashes increase.

 

[macman752]

The ticket is a charging document intended to notify you of the violation. The rental company provided your information as the driver of the vehicle and the ticket found you.

If you ignore it a court will eventually issue an arrest warrant. That warrant will go into the nationwide database and you can count on being arrested on the outstanding warrant should you have an encounter with a law enforcement officer at any point.

 

[bumbershoot]

They are ineffective at behavior change and simply money machines.

They sure changed OUR behaviour! We are now extremely careful to come to a full and complete stop. Especially at that same intersection, LOL.

 

[ktate82]

The ticket is a charging document intended to notify you of the violation. The rental company provided your information as the driver of the vehicle and the ticket found you.

If you ignore it a court will eventually issue an arrest warrant. That warrant will go into the nationwide database and you can count on being arrested on the outstanding warrant should you have an encounter with a law enforcement officer at any point.

This isn't quite true. These are not actual traffic violations (since they can't prove who was driving). They do not have any criminal association. They can however follow up in civil court and send it to collections. They can take it to civil court, and if they win the judgement, you don't pay, THEN a warrant can be issued.

 

[ktate82]

They are ineffective at behavior change and simply money machines.

The bulk of the money goes to the company that has the contract. Locals have been known to program shorter yellow light times to generate more revenue. Consequence to the misbehavior is delayed making it less likely that behavior will change. Rear end crashes increase.

I agree with you. They do not actually catch anyone, just a car. I have seen them flash when the light was still yellow. The cameras are an easy way to generate income, and can be hard for people to fight. If it is A's car but B is driving it, get a red light ticket, it comes to A. A tells the court B was driving, but unless B steps up and says "yes I was driving" responsibility still falls on A to pay the ticket. How does anyone learn from that?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I agree with you. They do not actually catch anyone, just a car. I have seen them flash when the light was still yellow. The cameras are an easy way to generate income, and can be hard for people to fight. If it is A's car but B is driving it, get a red light ticket, it comes to A. A tells the court B was driving, but unless B steps up and says "yes I was driving" responsibility still falls on A to pay the ticket. How does anyone learn from that?

They learn not to loan their car to B!

 

[ktate82]

They learn not to loan their car to B!

Yes, but how many times does this happen and innocent people are the ones paying for tickets for a crime they did not commit. The point is, their main purpose is to bring in revenue not to deter people from breaking the law.

 

[vicki_c]

Regardless of how you may feel about it though, once you get one, you need to DO something. Pay it, fight it, call and investigate it, whatever. But not doing anything at all is the biggest mistake.

 

[LilyWDW]

Regardless of how you may feel about it though, once you get one, you need to DO something. Pay it, fight it, call and investigate it, whatever. But not doing anything at all is the biggest mistake.

Exactly.

It doesn't matter one bit a person's thoughts on these cameras. All that matters is, that if you get a ticket, you don't ignore it. That is just dumb. There, I said it. It's dumb. Ignoring a ticket can get you into a lot of hot water with the law and can lead to your license being revoked and having a warrant out.