First my father is everything I have ever wanted to be as a child and adult so I say all this with the most respect possible. As of about 2 years ago Albuquerque has taken on the initiative to have speed/red light camera's installed at many of the major intersections of our little city. My issues: Private company controlled No due process No accountability by the city Fines are twice that of a standard fine Funds that actually make it to the city are inappropriately allocated My father and I have been at odds about it since the implementation of it constantly arguing about how the process is unfair. My father feels that they have a place and there is no infringement on our simple rights. Well guess what he got in the mail today? 160 dollar fine for doing 8 over in through an intersection. Guess what? His tone has changed :thongue2:
Not here, you contest it they expect immediate payment (they simulate due process) You do not pay in 1 month it doubles 3 months they lien on your car. It is BRUTAL
Little bit of both sides. He is pissed because he got popped. He is also pissed that he is out the money where its going and has hands on experience of the "process"
How do they justify the double fine? Are you saying that if a cop gave you the ticket instead of the camera it would cost less? or have they designated those areas as double fine areas.
Cameras = Civil fines Cop = Criminal Fine and points off license Cameras are controlled and regulated by a private organization as well so there is additional overhead
uh oh... let me guess. If a cop is sitting at an intersection with a camera you could get nailed for both the civil and criminal offense?
Actually, the cops around here don't seem to do anything! I've seen cops run red lights pleanty of times!!!
this is very true haha.. I have talked to a few cops that have been burned by the fines because they were not running code when they blew through a light.
Well. I'm all for it. Morning briefing: "Ok guys, units 5,12,17,and 19 will deploy at camera one, 3,7,and 22 at camera two,..." City coffers will be overflowing, downtown will look like Disneyland and you'll have the best schools in the country. As soon as you guys pay for all that I'll move there and help you fight it. :rofl:
Do what I did and you will never have that problem....By a 2000 Alero:starwars: LOL I could not speed if I tried with a tail wind rop:
Can't speak for other places, but in So Cal all red light camera infractions are reviewed by sworn personnel... typically an ofc who is either on light duty or involuntary desk duty .. once verified the citation is forwarded to camera contractor.. costs are based upon the ticket, processing fees charged by contractor(including procurement, installation and maintenance fees as these devices are not worked on by city personnel) and the fees to get the data back to the station.. dedicated high speed data paths, storage costs and eventually costs to provide the video media to the court .. and then the city fess.. videos/picts are not your standard jpg. format nor are the cameras a typical IP device.. In our case a few cameras do pay for themselves, others have not and cost more than they take in.. in many instances these non productive cameras are removed from service.. usually after the travelling public learns to not roll through the red lights.. our PD boys do get some grief if they become exceesive in the abuse of rolling through the lights on a frequent basis if not warranted... but what is understated is the significant reduction in traffic accidents at the problematic intersections.. a red light camera ticket in our area start at $360.00 (LA area) Ken
I would think that this is a double jeopardy issue and this would not be legal (two seperate citations for the same offense)... I say this because "some" traffic infractions are not criminal (aka: not arrestable) offenses in and of themselves. But, each state has their own laws. All so true from what I've gathered. My one gripe with it was that my wife was caught under a light (traffic ahead of her stopped) and finished her turn POINT-8 (.8) seconds after it turned red. $399 fine. A patrol unit likely wouldn't have cited her in that particular instance, as traffic (that was out of the camera's view) prevented her from making an otherwise perfectly legal turn.
For you San Diego guys, there is a VERY active camera on Aero drive. I swear, the damn thing never stops flashing. I garantee that camera has more then paid for itself....
Well, in Albuquerque, I guess the issue has always been for me the lack of proper representation when inflicting a civil program on the citizens. There has been a lot of political jockeying for position and even a temporary shutdown of the cameras when the Governor threatened to secure the profits from the cameras for the state coffers. The citizens had no voice when this program was initiated, which as a civil program affecting the citizens as well as visitors, they should have had. The lack of true due process is distressing as well. Here in Albuquerque, we have uniformed officers reviewing the camera footage as well, but they are fallible, as are the cameras in absentia. I don't run red lights, and I know where the cameras are, so I slow through the intersections and if I decide I need to speed after that, I drop the hammer, so the cameras are ineffectual for the type of lawbreaker that I am. My opinion is that the cameras were probably installed initially for the safety benefits and once the profits started rolling in, the corruption and temptation of the big money tainted the spirit of their existence. That makes them wrong as hell, in my opinion...
