What do you think about traffic violations recorded from cameras?

Big Brother hath arrived. I think the average in California is 65. Am I right?

They have them in NJ not all over, but at busy intersections and any new lights they put up they seem to put cameras on them. And yes, they send your ticket to you in the mail with a picture of your car going through the light while its red. Same thing for those speed traps that say your going X mph. They take pictures if you go by them too fast and then mail you a ticket. They also have these cameras at tolls in case you try and go through the ezpass lane without ezpass.

How do i feel about them? Well i think it sucks because im more likely to get a ticket now lol. Its not that i run red lights, but i try to beat the red light all the time(as im sure a lot of you do)

BONUS: 55–65

I think camera tickets are ok. Cameras are cheaper than police patrols.
In my experience they tend to be located in problem areas, not random locations.
Where I live, they are required to be in public view and are usually marked as well.

Avg. highway speed in BC is 60mph (near populated areas) and 70mph otherwise.

I think they’re fantastic….then again, I’m an excellent driver and I’m scared of getting myself killed for shaving off three minutes on my way to work.

They are wonderful. I’m all for getting these people caught. Flying through an intersection when the light is changing, or when you are going too fast is always dangerous, with or without police presence. I hope these people learn.

Highway speed limit in Wyoming is 75. Scares the hell out of me. And people still need to drive faster. Incidentally, the reduced speed limit in some construction zones is 65. I don’t get that.

@Les: Are you shitting me?! You go over 55 here and people FREAK, well law enforcement does. Most people go 65 anyway.

No, I am not. Now, occasionally I will find a 55 reduced speed zone, but 65 is the norm. And the speed limit driving into Denver International Airport? 65. I can’t stand that. I’m from Chicago, and driving into O’Hare the speed limit drops from 55 to, I think about 35. And then I go to DIA, and I have no idea where to get off at the airport because it goes by at 65 freaking miles per hour.

Christ.

Meh, that’s nothing like the technology that forcibly slows your car.

We have them and like others have mentioned, they are at intersections and you get a nice picture of yourself running the red light with your ticket.
One good side benefit about them that has happened where I live is that they have actually caught other crimes on tape and also law enforcement can track a person of interest as they travel through the city (if they stay on major streets that have the cameras).

I T-boned someone at a light 1 month after I got my license and since then I just don’t run lights. So I don’t entirely dislike the idea, on the other hand, speed cameras are a step too far in my book, these guys agree.

Portland has had those for years now and I think it’s a good idea. Generally they’re at intersections that have a bad record of crashes, and they’re never hidden. Running red lights – purposely – is absolutely idiotic. Anyone who chooses to jeopardize the lives of others can smile for the camera, in my opinion.

The speed traps aren’t a bad idea, either. Generally you’re only nailed with a ticket if you’re going significantly over the speed limit. Five above won’t typically get you in trouble, unless you’re in a school zone.

Speeds here range from 35 to 45 in the more residential areas, while highway speeds are typically 65.

@hoosier banana thats hilarious lol

I like the camera idea as I see many cars breaking the speed limit and running lights. Usually it only takes one big ticket to slow someone down.

I got a ticket in New York City for going through a red light. Didn’t know it caught me until the photo arrived in the mail. The good thing is that you don’t get points on your license because, although they have a picture of the car and license plate, there’s no proof that YOU were driving.

I read a joke/story online where some guy got a ticket mailed to him with a picture of him running a light, so he mailed a picture of a check. A couple of weeks later he got a picture of a pair of handcuffs, and decided to pay the fine for real.

Does this question happen to have anything to do with your recent ticket that you told us about in the chat room?

haha, awesome scamp!

@PnL you really shouldnt be speeding, its not safe.

@tali – no it didn’t . i was just driving home today and thought of it. but thank you for revealing the news about my ticket in public. note to self: do not admit any legal violations in the fluther chat room ever.

@uberbatman – I do not speed. hmph. My foot just hit the accelerator more than it should have due to the sheer law of gravity.

In all seriousness, before everyone on this thread thinks I am a horrible driver, this is my only violation and I really am a rather safe driver. i promise

edit: 65 MPH

Oh yay! bonus! Did I get it right? Did I? Did I?

and do I get extra lurve for answering the bonus q?

no no! you get no lurve at all ! tsk tsk.

I live in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona and they just installed several new speed cameras on several sections of freeway. There has been disagreement from many in the city on this issue for a long time now and I don’t think it is a good idea either.

We already have the Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol) out there and they can run radar and set speed traps just fine without the cameras.

As far as in the city itself, I got nabbed by a red light camera within the last month (I was making a left turn in an intersection on a green arrow and was too late, got the citation in the mail) and I like these cameras about as much as those on the freeway. But, I also concede that the intersection cameras can be more of a deterrent and I think they might actually help reduce accidents and red light violators in the long run.

I forgot about speed limits – it is 65 mph on the outskirts of the city and then it reverts to 55 mph the closer you get to approaching the inner city/downtown areas.

Yep, they’re popping up everywhere. Very intimidating. The signs anyway…wonder if they just have the signs up and fake cameras—it could save money. lol They’re annoying and will probably catch me someday as I like to go fast.

I guess I like them more than the one that tell you how fast you’re going.
Those are annoying. You’d have to stop dead to get it down to the posted speed in time to register on the machine.
That’s my driver’s perspective.

@pnl: it appears I do get lurve for the bonus q :)

They are just starting to use red light cams here (my Chicago area suburb), and at a few key intersections. There are some speed cams on the expressways as well.

I think we have a problem here. The U.S. Constitution guarantees individuals the right to confront witnesses against them. I don’t know how you can confront a computer that reads your plate number from a photo and mails you a ticket. However, traffic enforcement generally gets a bye when such matters come up; i.e. all traffic violations carry with them the presumption of guilt. I don’t think you’d get very far arguing your Sixth Amendment rights by taking one of those tickets to court.

I think it’s more interesting that some companies have been compiling databases of these cameras and incorporating their locations into GPS systems. Given that we have the technology to foil these systems, I’m all for them. Cops can and do routinely fake their radar readings in order to write speeding tickets, but these cams and the computers that control them have no such capability. Just get yourself a Passport 9500 and put the pedal to the metal, baby! Zzzooooooom!

Seeing as how I haven’t gotten a ticket from a camera (knock on wood),
I was a bit indifferent to them either way. But a friend of mine just told me
that most of them are run by private companies, which sounds a bit iffy.

Did a quick Google search and this article came up.
Sounds a little too Big Brother-esque for my liking.

Also, the National Motorist Association opposes them for the following reasons:

General
Ticket recipients are not adequately notified.
The driver of the vehicle is not positively identified.
Ticket recipients are not notified quickly.
There is no certifiable witness to the alleged violation.
Ticket camera systems are designed to inconvenience motorists.
Ticket cameras do not improve safety.
Taking dangerous drivers’ pictures doesn’t stop them.

Photo Radar Specific
Photo radar is still radar, and it can generate false readings:
This type of enforcement emphasizes ticket volume.
Ticket cameras are very inaccurate on certain roads.
Photo radar encourages artificially low speed limits.

Red-Light Camera Specific
Cameras do not prevent most intersection accidents.
These devices discourage the synchronization of traffic lights.
There are better alternatives to cameras.

@Nimis , great stuff. I read a news blurb a while ago about how they started using these things in Europe, and local vandals have been going around spray-painting the lenses. I don’t normally encourage vandalism, but in this case, I’d help them buy the paint.