The traffic camera

[truckinik]

I was driving when I saw the flash of a
traffic camera. I figured that my
picture had been taken for exceeding
the limit even though I knew that I was
not speeding.

Just to be sure, I went around the block
and passed the same spot, driving
slower, but again the camera flashed.

Now I began to think that this was quite
funny, so I drove even slower as I
passed the area once more, but the
traffic camera again flashed. I tried a fourth and
a fifth time with the same results and was
now laughing as the camera flashed
while I rolled past at a snail's pace.

Two weeks later, I got five tickets in
the mail for driving without a seat belt on.

[layback40]

Tell me, if you stop bashing your head on a brick wall, does it stop hurting??

How did it know you had no seat belt?

[psychwarfare]

Originally Posted by layback40

Tell me, if you stop bashing your head on a brick wall, does it stop hurting??

How did it know you had no seat belt?

It's likely that the camera takes pictures of all motorists and then the pics are analyzed.

In Philadelphia on Roosevelt Blvd (which is a terribly dangerous road) there are red light cameras that constantly take photos...even if you're stopped...I'm assuming the city didn't want to foot the bill for actual sensors...

There's a red light camera near my residence that will take your photo when turning on yellow and I actually received a ticket for that...

People in NJ are starting to rail against these cameras now that a few editorials have come out noting how much money municipalities are making from them...and the fact that the photos are taken and analyzed by a company in Arizona if I remember correctly...

From a legal standpoint...there are states where these cameras violate their laws...and the issue with many of these cameras is they don't actually take a photo of the driver...some only take photos of the rear of the car...so it would be very difficult to prove in court who was driving...there's nobody to debate the violation with...

And the tickets generally arrive a week or less before your scheduled court date...in an effort to goad you into just paying as opposed to trying to fight the ticket...

[raymr]

They are the Devil. Our area is filled with speed and red light cameras. Actually I support the red light cams because it is a clear cut safety issue. The speed cams are supposed to be near schools, but some of them are placed on down hill stretches and other spots where the school isn't even visible. They are a cash cow for the local government, and no doubt they will be everywhere soon.

[pmckechnie]

We had a few red light cameras near where I live (SE of Charlotte,NC). One of the first things i noticed was the yellow light time was reduced. If you were traveling the speed limit when the light turned yellow, it would be possible that you couldn't stop before it turned red. I timed the yellow light, then did some breaking test in my 500SEL and found that from 55 MPH I couldn't stop in the time recorded. And no, there is nothing wrong with my brakes. The thing that shut them down was the fact the town didn't get anything from the company that owned the cameras. The deal was, the city would get a percentage of the fines AFTER expenses. Guess what, there was very little remaining after expenses. The other thing was the people of the town were getting tickets when the light was yellow, not red. The other thing was the camera company showed the data that there was a great reduction in accidents in the intersections with cameras. Truth was, there were less accidents IN the intersections, but MORE accidents NEAR the intersections from people slamming on brakes so they wouldn't get a ticket. Cameras are off and won't be back on until new rules are made that are fair.

Paul

[Txjake]

spray paint civil disobedience is in order...

[retmil46]

I'm thinking that, if it's possible for you, it'd be worth your time to appear in court for this one - if for no other reason, to ask them to produce the actual photos and prove that, from the photos alone, they can clearly see you inside the car and say beyond a reasonable doubt that you weren't wearing a seatbelt.

Unless this camera was set up and focused with a narrrow field of view SPECIFICALLY to catch people not wearing seatbelts, personally I'd have my doubts that a normal traffic camera, set up with a wide enough angle to catch your license plate and a good view of the vehicle itself, would show the interior of the vehicle with enough resolution to be able to tell whether or not the occupants were wearing seatbelts, much less how many people were actually in the vehicle.

I'm familiar with the hoorah about the cameras in Charlotte, as I was still living in NC 25 miles north of Charlotte at the time - could be this is a similar situation, a third party company running the cameras - and when they weren't able to assign any other violations to your photos, just decided to claim they could tell you weren't wearing a seatbelt and get some cash out of it. Might be they looked at the date/time stamp on the photos, just minutes apart, figured you were screwing with them by setting off the camera multiple times as a prank, and decided to nail you for something as payback.

If nothing else, from the same date/time stamp, I'd at least make the argument it should be one ticket instead of five, based on the circumstances.

[truckinik]

I'm planning on sending them a photo of all five tickets, and a photo of the fine money.. All displayed out neatly on the table.... Just to see what they try next...

[10fords]

Originally Posted by truckinik

I'm planning on sending them a photo of all five tickets, and a photo of the fine money.. All displayed out neatly on the table.... Just to see what they try next...

Someone did this years ago and they sent him a photo of a pair of handcuffs!!

Were you serious?

I thought you were recounting a joke.

[The Swede]

Anything is possible in a Lambo.

[psychwarfare]

Originally Posted by Craig

Were you serious?

I thought you were recounting a joke.

I was pretty sure the OP was joking...but since I have an interest in the traffic camera issue...it was worth a serious reply...

If you meant the poster about the picture of the handcuffs...I've heard that story too...whether it's an urban legend or not...who knows...

The townships near me have been making 6 figures off the cameras AFTER paying the costs/fees to the camera company...it is ridiculous...

They're also claiming a reduction in accidents within the intersections...but I foresee an increase in accidents at the light with people slamming on their brakes (I've already seen this happen a few times in the past couple of months)...but of course they'll leave that stat unreported for the time being I'm sure...if it is indeed occurring...

I thought the OP was joking, I've also heard the handcuff story (no idea if it's true).

[cmbdiesel]

Originally Posted by Craig

I thought the OP was joking, I've also heard the handcuff story (no idea if it's true).

I'm with you on that.... These other guys are kinda makin' me nervous..... As a routine practitioner of sarcasm and satire, my methods require the recipients to be, at least partially, cognizant of them to achieve maximum ROI...

[HuskyMan]

more cameras = safer drivers = I feel safer.