Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Just got a red light photo ticket for my son or daughter......

I received a red light ticket from an intersection I've never driven before. Turned out it was a different truck with 1 digit different on the license plate. It was also a GMC like mine, but a different year model and lighter shade of grey. The photo of the plate number was grainy and at an angle. They should never have tried to collect on it but they did. Anyways, I ended up talking to some woman in Arizona on the phone of all places, as this was an outsourced collection agency. It was cleared of course, but I hate those dmn red light cameras and have thought that I had a ticket more than once when going through a yellow light. If I remember correctly, it turns out in that particular municipality, the rule is you won't get a ticket if your tailend is already in the interesection at the time it goes red ... or it might be you had to be halfway through. Not totally sure now. I think this same municipality, or one close to it, did get caught for shortening the transition from yellow to red. I know there are some places where they seem awfully short on that. They're more likely to put you in that awkward split-second decision of either stomping your brakes or goosing it to make it through. Plain wrong in my book. That's the kind of scenario where a decent LEO might use some discretion.

That's a bunch of BS. Those cameras piss me off.

I showed the pictures and citation to my son when he got home. He said he remembered the light that day, thought he got into the intersection on yellow but he would pay the $75.00 without hesitation. He's a good kid.

some states requirre that you have to be positively identified, others do no, some will let you go to traffic school some don't. i would do the school thing and forget about it. make the kids pay

He'll pay the fine. It does not go on anyone's record or get reported to the insurance companies here. There is not an option for traffic school.

Some city got their set up shut down when it was learned the company monitoring the lights had the ability to change the light to red when someone entered the intersection and apparently they were using that option regularly.

Good kid for bucking up, but still I would protest the ticket, per our rights, you have the right to face your accuser, never seen a camera show up and testify.

Not sure if you read this:
I think we'll pay the 75 unless I can find a loop-hole that makes it a slam dunk for me.

I read that someone actually did that. The cops replied with a picture of a pair of handcuffs.

RickyD: Two recient stories come to mind.

The first I read out of Texas, it was in a burb northeast of Austin or Houston. Guy gets a red light ticket, so he goes back and times the yellow light, because under state law it has to be on for so many seconds...well it was short by just a microsecond or two, so he complained and the state highway dept came out and sure enough. Not only was his ticket negated, but several thousands others and the city had to send everyone back the money they paid in fines.

The city of Las Cruses NM smarted around and installed some red light cameras to collect some $$$. They went through the Arizona company which collects a percentage of the fine monies. Problem was the the cams were on state owned highways! So the state wants all of the fine monies collected and Las Cruses can go [bleep] themselve in figuring out how to pay the company their percentage. Needless to say, those cameras are coming down pronto.

I don't know if I agree one way or another about them. Hell I drive so slow, mopeds pass me on a regular basis. But, if your going to get the ticket, there should be proof that you did it.

I think my local government used federal stimulus money to put in those red light cameras.

Like I wasn't pizzed off enough about the stimulus already!!

I'd like to know what jobs that created?

If we have a similar law regarding time for the yellow, it might be worth a try. I'll check on that and might time it. Thanks!

Legalized highway robbery