Red Light Camera: San Diego, CA

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TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: Doboji
You know it's funny... ATOT is so predictable.

I don't know why I let it get to me.

IMHO those of you who feel I "deserve" a $361 fine for this are idiot fascist pigs... and I hope you recieve nasty fines yourselves as soon as possible.

From this post forward I will no longer respond to your idiocy...

-Max

You're the asshole getting all pissed off when everyone is calling you an idiot, when everyone knows coming into the thread that the OP is going to be called an idiot. Dont use the forums to cry, and nobody will rub salt in your wounds.
 
Nov 7, 2000
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how else do you expect commifornia to pay for all their ridiculous legislation? taxes can only go so far
 

OS

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
15,581
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i haven't gotten any red light tickets yet, but several speeding ones. I paid $361 before additional fees and traffic school, prob $400 total for my last speed ticket.

The fines are definitely too high, one of the reasons i have considered moving out. You absolutely must drive to get around in CA, but if you slip up once anywhere, even if you didn't actually endanger anyone, it will cost you a ton of money.

I'm not saying the streets should be anarchy, but $300+ for tickets is way too much, I am a professional and it still alot. I wonder how the hell college students or people working menial jobs pay these. It is a shame there is no voter revolt against this.

 

Q

Lifer
Jul 21, 2005
12,042
4
81
Only reason it sucks is that sometimes you are going through the intersection while it's yellow, and it will quickly change to red and screw you over.
 

xeemzor

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2005
2,599
1
71
Originally posted by: Tobolo
Originally posted by: xeemzor
Just contest the ticket. You can find more info here.

Its a camera with a pretty picture. Not to mention that most states will charge the owner of the car without regard to who was driving.

Just because they charge you doesn't mean you can't fight it. Also, other states have found that speeding ticket cameras are illegal as they often they can't prove that it was you who violated the law, just that your car did. Since you can't ticket a car, there have been successful defenses against these types of tickets. I'm not saying that this applies universally, just that it applies to at least some parts of country. Obligatory IANAL.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
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I'm on your side, Doboji. You provide a good excuse of being in a rental car in a strange world (I'm sure SD is far different than VA). You made an honest mistake.....people have gotten warnings for worse. Hell, people drink and drive and still get away fairly clean. $361 is almost near the minimum $500 DUI fine here in KY!

I "ran" a red light about 7 years ago because it was a very short cycle, meaning green to yellow to red was way too damn quick, like 2 seconds too quick. It was either keep driving the 45MPH, or lock it up. The cop sitting at the intersection didn't give a crap, though, and gave me my ticket for $135.

No matter how you put it, $361 is WAY too much for a freaking red light run. You idiot ATOT'ers need to step down off your high-horse and think like a normal citizen. Typical ATOT, though.....everyone here obeys the law 100%, makes $150k a year, and have wives who wipe their feet clean when they take their shoes off after driving the speed limit home from work.

EDIT: I also wanted to add that until cops themselves quit speeding, running lights, and doing whatever they please, then it's every citizen's right to bitch about ticket costs. Cops never get tickets for going 20 over on the interstate (which is ALL the time), or turning their sirens on to get through red lights (couldn't count how many times I've seen this). I guess we don't have to worry about that much anymore, though, since cameras are doing their work, now, and they can sit at the dougnut shop longer on their shift.
 

thepd7

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2005
9,423
0
0
Originally posted by: OS

i haven't gotten any red light tickets yet, but several speeding ones. I paid $361 before additional fees and traffic school, prob $400 total for my last speed ticket.

The fines are definitely too high, one of the reasons i have considered moving out. You absolutely must drive to get around in CA, but if you slip up once anywhere, even if you didn't actually endanger anyone, it will cost you a ton of money.

I'm not saying the streets should be anarchy, but $300+ for tickets is way too much, I am a professional and it still alot. I wonder how the hell college students or people working menial jobs pay these. It is a shame there is no voter revolt against this.

Maybe they don't have to pay them because they drive the speed limit? btw, I am not saying that I do, but if we had speeding cameras or lots of cops I would. It's risk vs. reward for me.
 

B00ne

Platinum Member
May 21, 2001
2,168
1
0
Originally posted by: Doboji
Are you muther fing kidding me? WTF? I'm absolutely blown away...

$361 for a red light? how is that even legal?!?! where is my recourse... WTH?!?!

-Max

Dont complain. Here in Germany you would have lost your license on top of the fine + plus points. Running a red light is a pretty serious traffic offense
 

OS

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
15,581
1
76
Originally posted by: xeemzor
Originally posted by: Tobolo
Originally posted by: xeemzor
Just contest the ticket. You can find more info here.

Its a camera with a pretty picture. Not to mention that most states will charge the owner of the car without regard to who was driving.

Just because they charge you doesn't mean you can't fight it. Also, other states have found that speeding ticket cameras are illegal as they often they can't prove that it was you who violated the law, just that your car did. Since you can't ticket a car, there have been successful defenses against these types of tickets. I'm not saying that this applies universally, just that it applies to at least some parts of country. Obligatory IANAL.

Atleast in CA, unfortunately, traffic violations are not criminal cases, so the courts actually have lower standards for evidence, "preponderance of evidence". The judge will often say, well if it's probably you, too bad.

Plus traffic courts are pretty much half ass, i recently had a ticket where my trial was set well outside the 45 day window required for most situations by state law. I wrote the court several times about this, that they are actually supposed to dismiss cases if they can't hold them in a reasonable timeframe, i even pointed out the law, and the court stonewalled me and said I had to show up anyways. Eventually they moved it up, but it was still outside the window and they again denied my request to dismiss it, even though it is required by state law.

I mentioned this whole situation to a friend of mine who is in law school and he also agreed the whole situation was not right, but I would probably have to appeal the case up to a real court to get redress. Most people don't have the time and knowledge to take it that far, the system is obviously broken and slanted towards revenue collection.





 

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
4
81
Originally posted by: blurredvision
EDIT: I also wanted to add that until cops themselves quit speeding, running lights, and doing whatever they please, then it's every citizen's right to bitch about ticket costs. Cops never get tickets for going 20 over on the interstate (which is ALL the time), or turning their sirens on to get through red lights (couldn't count how many times I've seen this)..

Umm..it's called priority calls buddy. What if the burglar alarm in your house is going off? Do you want cops to just loaf around and get there when they can, or do you want them to hurry up and get there?

Idiots like you are the real downside of being a police officer.
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,488
2
0
Originally posted by: LostHiWay
Tell me about it man...I just got a ticket for going 3mph over the speed limit. The fine is $237. To top it off if I want to fight it I have to go to Mayor's court (huge conflict of interest). Only way I can get it out of mayors court is if I demand a trial by jury...which I'll lose since I was going 3mph over the speed limit.

sucks

BWAHAHA! I got a 78 in a 60 today, the county Sheriff that pulled me over was very nice and reduced it to a 69 in a 60. Went from a $180 ticket to $83 and some change; I plan on just paying the fine, taking that 3 hour course, and picking a different way to get to Tampa :p
 

OS

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
15,581
1
76
Originally posted by: thepd7
Originally posted by: OS

i haven't gotten any red light tickets yet, but several speeding ones. I paid $361 before additional fees and traffic school, prob $400 total for my last speed ticket.

The fines are definitely too high, one of the reasons i have considered moving out. You absolutely must drive to get around in CA, but if you slip up once anywhere, even if you didn't actually endanger anyone, it will cost you a ton of money.

I'm not saying the streets should be anarchy, but $300+ for tickets is way too much, I am a professional and it still alot. I wonder how the hell college students or people working menial jobs pay these. It is a shame there is no voter revolt against this.

Maybe they don't have to pay them because they drive the speed limit? btw, I am not saying that I do, but if we had speeding cameras or lots of cops I would. It's risk vs. reward for me.

actually i just remembered if you say you have no money, they make you serve an equivalent time of community service.

Last i heard the equivalent rate was about $10/hr so you would have to to do 35+ hrs of community service for something like this.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: OS

I am a professional and it still alot. I wonder how the hell college students or people working menial jobs pay these.

Professional dickhead?

------------------------------------
Take a week off to learn some courtesy

Anandtech Moderator
 

OS

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
15,581
1
76
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: OS

I am a professional and it still alot. I wonder how the hell college students or people working menial jobs pay these.

Professional dickhead?

if I am, you must make a lot more than me.
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: Anubis
pay the ticket and dont run red lights

pretty simple


What if they said that the ticket is $2,000?

Would your answer be the same? Surely there must be some kind of justification for the price (other than revenue generation).

Just because you do something wrong doesn't give the state a blank check to do whatever they want to you.

I see a lot of posters on here using the faulty logic of "you did something wrong, therefore the ticket amount is justified". Nobody is saying that he didn't break a law, the contention is that the cost is unreasonable.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: OS

I am a professional and it still alot. I wonder how the hell college students or people working menial jobs pay these.

Professional dickhead?

if I am, you must make a lot more than me.

Did you just use the "I know you are but what am I" comeback? Wow, goodnight.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: 91TTZ


What if they said that the ticket is $2,000?

Well, if it was public knowledge, then there is no problem. If you can afford $2,000 then go ahead and blow red lights. I bet the ticket rate would drop dramaticly.
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: BoomerD

Like it or not, you ADMITTED that you ran the red light, so even if the fine were $1000., you're guilty...so pay up...


You're claiming that his admission of guilt necessarily justifies the cost of the ticket.

What if the ticket was $7 million? At what point do people think to themselves that the fine must be proportionate to the offense?
 

OS

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
15,581
1
76
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: OS

I am a professional and it still alot. I wonder how the hell college students or people working menial jobs pay these.

Professional dickhead?

if I am, you must make a lot more than me.

Did you just use the "I know you are but what am I" comeback? Wow, goodnight.


oh I'm sorry, you're actually a slut dickhead then because you do it for free.

seriously, if you are really in iraq, why don't you go outside and start sh8 with someone who is actually out to get you.


------------------------------------
Take a week off to learn some courtesy

Anandtech Moderator



 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
166
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
"That simply isn't the case... I was driving a rental car in a strange city... it was a simple error... one you and your like could make just as easily. "

Okay. I'm still waiting. Around here the light is green, then it turns yellow to warn you that it's about to turn red, giving you plenty of time to either stop before the intersection, or make it through the intersection. My 16 year old with a learner's permit has figured the timing out and knows when to stop vs. when he has time to get through. But, that's around here.

Tell me about this strange city. Do they use different colors to trick you? Does it go Green... Aquamarine... Red? Or, perhaps they go through the whole ROYGBIV before getting to red? Green... Blue (and you're driving along wondering wtf?)... Purple? Orange??! RED! "AAAHHHH! I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO GO TO YELLOW BEFORE RED! THEY TRICKED ME!" Yeah, strange city.
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: 91TTZ


What if they said that the ticket is $2,000?

Well, if it was public knowledge, then there is no problem. If you can afford $2,000 then go ahead and blow red lights. I bet the ticket rate would drop dramaticly.

This is faulty logic.

The fine must be proportionate to the crime committed. You can't seriously believe that guilt=blank check for the government to do what they want, do you?

What if they said that jaywalking carried a $50,000 fine? Do you ever think that maybe the fines must be kept in check, or do you just blindly trust the government and accept that if you do something (even a minor thing) wrong, your life is in their hands?

Do you believe in absolute power for the government, or do you believe that it must be kept in check by, and answer to, the population?
 

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
4
81
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Tell me about this strange city. Do they use different colors to trick you? Does it go Green... Aquamarine... Red? Or, perhaps they go through the whole ROYGBIV before getting to red? Green... Blue (and you're driving along wondering wtf?)... Purple? Orange??! RED! "AAAHHHH! I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO GO TO YELLOW BEFORE RED! THEY TRICKED ME!" Yeah, strange city.

It's California dude, the dry heat tends to distort your vision, which makes it appear like the light is still green but really it's red!
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: OS

oh I'm sorry, you're actually a slut dickhead then because you do it for free.

seriously, if you are really in iraq, why don't you go outside and start sh8 with someone who is actually out to get you.

You really think a solider can just walk off base by himself and just magically find bad guys?