I just got a red light camera ticket, but...

[Hatta]

So... I don't know. What do you guys think?

I think you should contest it on principle.

Also, I hate the widespread adoption of the speeding/red light cameras everywhere. DC made almost 30 million in less than a year off the cameras...

Indeed. Law enforcement should be entirely separate from revenue generation. I don't see how anyone can justify such a conflict of interest. It seems just at first glance, to make the burden of enforcing the law shouldered by those who break the law. But in reality, it only provides incentive for the government to criminalize as many people as possible. Revenue should come from taxes, fines should simply be destroyed (enriching us all by increasing the value of the dollar by constricting supply).

[Luke]

Obeying the law and keeping officers on task of things more important than monitoring traffic is a bad thing?

You guys are bonkers.

[Ziggy]

I'd call right now. Don't wait. With another week they might pull some "maybe you don't remember correctly" nonsense.

Well the date of the incident was August 7th, and I just got it today. I don't see anything happening over the phone anyway. I just see them saying if I wanna contest it then check not guilty and mail it in.

Just pay it because I doubt it is as much as what your time is worth. (time off, gas, driving, court time etc.)

Well, it use to be just $50, but as of April they added this $30 "administration fee" so it's $80 total. If it were just $50, I might consider just paying it, but $80 is another story. I know it's more in some states ($150 in DC?) but $80 is still a lot to me.

This is actually friendly advice even if I sound like a buttwad

Oh, yes, I know how to roll in court.

I know it WAS an emergency vehicle that trip the light, I'm almost positive that it was an ambulance, and I kinda feel like that's worth mentioning. I wont say "I think it was" or "vehicle of some kind" in court, of course. Even if I flat out say it was an ambulance, the only way they could prove it wasn't is showing me the full video of that 5-10 minute window, which would just prove my case further. If I really wanted to, I could probably go down to the fire house and ask about ambulances dispatched on that date and time.

I don't even drive that much, and I've seen this happen a few times before. An emergency vehicle goes through an intersection (camera or no camera) and some times it messes up the light and it stays red for a really, really long time. The people in traffic court must know that this occurs from time to time. For that reason, I think it's worth mentioning.

But all that aside, the video clearly shows ALL traffic going through the red light. I was not the first, I was in the middle of it. People were honking to go. Seriously, what was I suppose to do, stay stopped? They didn't teach that one in defensive driving, and it wasn't on the road test. I think this is the strongest part of my argument to have it dropped.

[fastbilly1]

Traffic cameras in most states are actually recording video. I would imagine that NYC does that since middle of nowhere TN where I live does. If it is, they may watch the tape.

[Ziggy]

Traffic cameras in most states are actually recording video. I would imagine that NYC does that since middle of nowhere TN where I live does. If it is, they may watch the tape.

Yeah, we have video. You can watch it online, I already watched mine. It shows all traffic going through the red light, including me of course.

[Hatta]

Obeying the law and keeping officers on task of things more important than monitoring traffic is a bad thing?

That's not what red light cameras are about. Red light cameras are about padding out city budgets and delivering business to cronies. Pure corruption.

If you could demonstrate that red light cameras increase traffic safety and that the fines levied didn't cause a conflict of interest, then there would be no problem with red light cameras. But when they've been studied, it's been found that red light cameras actually increase accidents due to people stopping short . Plus, the fines being used as revenue has led to municipalities monkeying with the length of yellow lights. You'll do a lot more to decrease accident rates by increasing the duration of yellow lights, but that doesn't pad the budget.

"Enforcing the law" sounds great as an abstract concept. But you have to follow through and check that both the law, and the method of enforcing the law have the desired policy effects. Never just trust that the government has your best interests in mind. That is bonkers.

[Luke]

Oh, yes, I know how to roll in court.
...

They didn't teach that one in defensive driving, and it wasn't on the road test. I think this is the strongest part of my argument to have it dropped.

No you don't as you keep making excuses.

It isn't anyone's fault but yours. Your ONLY argument is that there was a faulty traffic light. Placing blame on an ambulance or people honking at you won't do squat and will more than likely tick off the DA.

Take my advice or leave it, but your statement should be three points and made in under five seconds. "Light was faulty, traffic was becoming dangerous, I have a perfect driving record".

[Luke]

That's not what red light cameras are about.

So running a red light isn't breaking the law?

Very well then.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

That's not what red light cameras are about.

So running a red light isn't breaking the law?

Very well then.

That's not what he said.

[Ziggy]

No you don't as you keep making excuses.

It isn't anyone's fault but yours. Your ONLY argument is that there was a faulty traffic light. Placing blame on an ambulance or people honking at you won't do squat and will more than likely tick off the DA.

Take my advice or leave it, but your statement should be three points and made in under five seconds. "Light was faulty, traffic was becoming dangerous, I have a perfect driving record".

These excuses are made here, on RB, for the forum to give me feedback whether or not I should bother fighting it or not. I'm giving you guys the full story, including how an ambulance will some times mess up a traffic light. This isn't necessarily what I would say in court.

I don't have a perfect driving record. I got a ticket some years back for going through a stop sign (a moving violation I think).