Washington I-5 Traffic Camera Warning

[Mr_D]

The city here has been installing speed signs that flash your speed. The other night I was going home and was making a turn from Main St. The sign said I was going 38 mph. NO WAY as I had just started moving forward from a dead stop and making a 90° turn toward it. If they start issuing tickets over that then they're going to have lots of problems!!

[mrschwarz]

the problem isn't whether or not you are doing something wrong, once one of these devices decides you've caused a violation, you're guilty until proven innocent. The bedrock of justice is the opposite.

i have a real problem with privatization and mechanization of justice.

[greggholmes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman There is a really simple solution...do not run the red lights and do not speed....no ticket. It seems to have become a totally foreign concept to obey the law...just find someone to blame when you do not. Ken

obeying the law doesnt always keep you out of trouble.

Who polices the police?

[RickO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggholmes obeying the law doesnt always keep you out of trouble. Who polices the police?

I'm not sure where you draw the line on this kind of logic. And therefore we should........?

It's interesting to look through this thread which started three years ago. Most of the old posts seem to favor the "don't break the law and you have nothing to worry about" theory and many/most of the newer ones are far more skeptical of authority.

I know there was a lot of problems with the camera strategy in the Phoenix area because for some reason the courts would not enforce the citations as I recall. People just ignored them and nothing was ever said.

Rick

[mrschwarz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggholmes obeying the law doesnt always keep you out of trouble. Who polices the police?

And we all know that equipment NEVER malfunctions.

[greggholmes]

The "dont break the law" theory doesnt work. Thats why The innocence project exists. I read almost every week of wrongfully convicted being released after decades in prison.

[wa8yxm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Submustang I'm not a lawyer, but as I recall from high school civics, you have the right to face your accuser. There are also laws prohibiting entrapment. It would seem that where cameras are involved they have an obligation to post warnings. Thanks again Christine G.

Though I fully agree with you (Right down to the "I am not a lawyer") I am, however, a retired police dispatcher....

As a result I have seen article after article on automated traffic enforcement systems. Speed cams. Red light cams and the like.. MythBusters even did a segment on products "Guaranteed to beat the camera"

Courts have rules ... both ways as I recall. But the cameras generally are upheld.


Of course there have been many SCOTUS decisions where I have seriously disagreed with the court.

[GPW]

Although it's all about driving responsibly , some people just don't get it ... We see all manner of BAD driving here , and those people should be caught ... But we've see a lot of traffic cameras that take advantage of the most minor infractions ... For example , the red light cameras , now have intentionally VERY short caution lights (2 seconds) ... easy to get trapped in an intersection if the guy in front is driving slow or the road is blocked ahead, even if the light is Green when you enter ... Ticket !!!... too short a caution is not about safety , all about making money ... Another favorite one is the white line on the streets .... At a stop if your front bumper crosses the line , even slightly , it fires the camera... Ticket for a technicality ...That's not Justice , but entrapment ...
Here the camera pics are reviewed by the Police on Well paid details , paid for by the traffic camera companies ... sounds fishy huh ... ??? They approve 99% of the citations ... And trying to fight the ticket is just not worth it ... They make it near impossible to contest .. and very expensive ...

Worse , the Feds are now involved investigating all the kickbacks , and "campaign contributions" the Traffic camera company paid to the politicians who ushered in this idea as 'Public Safety" ...