So is it a government funded company or an outside source?

 

IIRC in Cali paying those tickets (Speed cam) is VOLUNTARY.

There used to be a ton around me, now they're all gone because they're expensive to maintain

 

The company that maintains the equipment is private, contracted through the municipality.

They send only the pics/video/info that in their opinion passes the standards for being a violation.

Once those are sent, the law enforcement officer reviews each one and decides if a violation occurred and only then are the violation notices sent.

 

I got turned over to a collection agency once here in Dallas (Plano) for running a red light. This was a few years ago in my Jeep and was behind a semi making a left turn. By the time i entered the intersection (following the semi and other cars, was 2 lanes wide) and the light came into view (no side arrow lights, just the overhead) it was red. So rather than stop in the middle of the intersection i cleared it.

Was clearly on the video what happened...

Anyways, They made a typo on my address (vehicle registration was correct, THEY messed up) and mailed the citation to the wrong address. When I didn't pay they turned me over a to a collection agency (which found my correct address quite easy). Suddenly I got a $570 bill in the mail and harassing phone calls on my work cell telling me to pay up or they would report me to a credit agency.

After threatening a lawyer in person at the "agency" they lowered it to only $200. Since i was looking for a house at the time i didn't want my credit to be dinged and paid it. Only to find out later they can't report it to a credit company...

They are nothing but a giant scam that fear mongers people into paying. If i ever find the CEO of one of these companies or the politician they payed off to get the county to install them... Lord help them.

By the way, I agree that they cause problems. People (idiots, and there are lots of them) either speed up excessively or slam on their brakes trying to beat the camera. I have seen so many near hits or actual accidents at these intersections it is crazy.

 

My wife, who always complains about my driving, just got nabbed by a red light camera.


I couldn't resist pointing out to her that I drive through 4 intersections a day that are monitored by these cameras, and I haven't had a single ticket from them in 11 years.



One thing I really like about Texas is that Speed Cameras are illegal by state law. Cities drag radar signs out that show your speed and the speed limit, but if you drive past them too fast they can't give you a ticket for it.







Don't tell me, let me guess..............

Park and Preston.

 

Close. Plano Parkway and Jupiter.

 

^^^^ same here, they installed about 9 of them in the greater Montreal area ( 4 million people ) about 3 years ago.

They brought in so much money that they'll be installing 25 or so more in this province alone.

I'm on the road all day long for my work, so i basically either slow down approching one, or be carefull at a red light.

I think it's a big cash scam if u ask me.

 

I drive through that intersection every day. I live in far east Allen and take Jupiter north through Plano rather than trying to make the nightmare that is 190 and Central.


I got thrown off by your "was 2 lanes wide" comment and was trying to remember which intersection in Plano has 2 lanes that turn left. The only one I could think of was Park and Preston, but now I assume you meant that the semi was taking up 2 lanes.

 

Nope.

Heading west on Plano Parkway in the turn lane to go south on Jupiter there are two turn lanes. There are also like 5 camera pointed at that intersection and under the toll way.

 

I had to Google Maps it because I've never driven that way. Sure enough, 2 lanes turn left. You would think that after having driven through that exact intersection 5 days a week for the past 11 years I would have noticed that by now.




Really strange that they only have 1 lane turning left on the northbound Jupiter side, considering it's ALWAYS backed up far enough to block the left lane that goes straight through.


I think that's the intersection my wife got her ticket at as well. Either there or up on Shiloh somewhere.

 

It's $ 125-175 In north burbs of Chicago

 

When the red light cameras first came out I was for them, After my wife got a ticket ($185) I went to the intersection and timed the yellow light for the left turn lane. It lasts 1.5 seconds. I was pissed. Hardly enough time to stop. The intersection is 6 lanes wide on all sides 12 total and there are two left turn lanes. If the cameras are legal, there needs to be rules set for them. Like a realistic length of time for a yellow light giving you ample notice to stop.
More government big brother we don't need.

 

That spray might not work, but this one does. When sprayed on the lens of the camera

 

Someone tried that, and the local sheriff sent him back a picture of handcuffs.

 

Ummm, you work for the government which collects this money, and then pays you. Yeah, you will be impartial. You will also believe the false data that the private company provides you. Stop promoting the and conning everyone. I worked 25 years in law enforecemnt in FL and I know better, especially working for the STEP program for two years. (Federal government sponsored Select Traffic Enforcement Program). You don't have to believe me but I also suppose every leading car magazine and study is wrong as well. Just stop it!! It is nothing but a money grab for local government.

 

They sent me a ticket once... Told them i wasn't driving. i let someone borrow my car. And Im not paying their ticket.

They dismissed it

Burleson tx redlight cam

 

Running a red light is NEVER acceptable nor does running a red light "sometimes" have to happen. :verybad: this reminds me of drunk driver lawyer commercials "you drove drunk, don't worry, I'll get you off"

 

Neither is it acceptable to shorten the yellow to make more people "run" a red light or ticket them for clearing an intersection when caught in it. They don't care though because they have pictures of you sitting there. Don't matter how it came to be.

 

Doesn't matter, yellow doesn't mean speed up and a ticket isn't given to a person who is in the intersection when the light turns red. It's given to the person who enters an intersection on a red light.

 

So i guess when they shorten the yellow on a road that is 45mph you have plenty of time to make a decision to either stop or keep going? Most people don't want a ticket so they slam on their brakes.

That was one of the main points of this thread. The cameras seem to make things less safe, not more.

Further more, they exploit someones unfortunate situation (not all, plenty of people are just a-holes that disregard the light and deserve a ticket). If someone gets stuck in an intersection on a yellow and the light turns red you get a ticket some (most) times. If a cop were present he could differentiate between someone running or someone getting stuck. Instead we have cameras that take video or snapshots of us and then fine us saying "prove me wrong" or just seeing what sticks. Funny how the video leading up to someone sitting in the intersection almost never gets recorded. Just something that makes them look incriminating.

Anyways, enough from me. Going to get too worked up over it.

I have only gotten one ticket ever in my life for anything, and it was from a red light camera when i was just following traffic after the light turned green. I pulled up behind a semi in a turn lane and kept going with traffic. I couldn't see the light turned red. Yeah, my fault but any decent cop would let you go for that. Not the camera people though, they want their money. Which is all it is about... money.