Judge rules auto speedtrap/redlight cameras

[boringscreenname]

This is a little 'burg in Cincinnati where I live. Surprises me not. Elmwood Place is SOOO freaking corrupt, this is just the tip of the iceburg.

Peppergirl, I was just going to say this. I live in the Cincinnati area as well.

There was another story about Arlington Heights which is a little village, and a notorious speed trap. The mayor's court handled over 20 times the number of cases as the average Ohio community. It recently came out that several village employees were stealing a lot of the money and keeping it for themselves. Here's a link to the article. http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/local_n...speeding-fines

[protege]

I'm not sure exactly how things work in your area, but around here fines are only doubled in work zones when workers are actually present.

It wouldn't surprise me if PA did the same thing. I do know that fines are doubled in work areas. Most of the time, there are signs with blinking lights reading "fines doubled when lights blinking" or something to that affect. Strangely, the lights on those signs are usually on 24/7 and workers are *not* present

[wolfie]

dash cams are legal. it's radar detectors that aren't legal. so in short, install a dashcam if you want.

Only illegal in Virginia, DC, and military bases for personal vehicles.

Radar detectors are illegal in all states for commercial vehicles (governed by FMCSA, with the "F" being for "Federal"). Cars are governed by state law, which is why they're illegal in VA and DC but legal elsewhere. Also, illegal for all vehicles throughout Canada (governed by federal law).

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Illegal in all states for commercial vehicles (governed by FMCSA, with the "F" being for "Federal"). Cars are governed by state law, which is why they're illegal in VA and DC but legal elsewhere. Also, illegal for all vehicles throughout Canada (governed by federal law).

Dash cams or radars?

[HYHYBT]

Why would dash cams be illegal anywhere, other than places no cameras of any kind are permitted? (And if you're driving through a restroom then you've got bigger problems)

[PepperElf]

From what I've found online, nope they're perfectly legal.

My mother did the same thing, got a red light camera fine, asked to see the photo and the fine was dropped.

I believe it depends on the state. AFAIK it's not used in my state because of the lack of a "witness" on the behalf of the state. i could be wrong but… i haven't seen a single camera here yet.

although in the state directly south of me i see them, and have seen them flash at drivers who run through.

Unless things have changed fairly recently, radar detectors are legal in many areas.

Is "it's all about the money" also the reason they sometimes put up "work zone, fines doubled" signs and lay out barrels next to the road weeks or months before work begins and leave them there many weeks or months after work is complete? Because that's not just a nuisance; it puts workers in greater danger when they're actually there.

indeed. IIRC they're legal here. and in the state below me too. I think.

I haven't tested it yet cos i don't need one really.

[EricKei]

On the "fines" subject, if not cameras...

Back home, there was a point where the local Council (or whatever) decided that the local boys in blue were not taking in *enough* money from traffic citations, so a requirement was added that the traffic cops each write a certain minimum total dollar amount in tickets every shift...In other words, a quota.

The cops themselves were not amused by this. They responded by issuing *exactly* enough tickets during each shift to meet the quota, and then put their ticket books away for the day ~_~ (they still went out and dealt with actual accidents, arrest-worthy calls, and reckless drivers, et al, as usual) ...The net result was a notable reduction in the amount of traffic fines issued and collected. The requirement was swiftly and quietly dropped, as a result

[MadMike]

Ah yes, quotas. The cops swear up and down that they don't exist, but everyone knows otherwise.

[Greenday]

Ah yes, quotas. The cops swear up and down that they don't exist, but everyone knows otherwise.

Because it's just by chance that the end of the month is when cops are visibly pulling people over and writing them tickets more than any other time.

The other thing that bothers me about red light cameras is that more than half the money collected for red light tickets goes to the company monitoring them, not the town. So it's not even being put to good use. And I quite frankly don't trust private companies not to screw people over for money.

[HYHYBT]

There's a distinction between having a quota as such and using how many tickets someone assigned to traffic patrol writes as part of determining whether they're doing their job or not.

(For the nothing it's worth, the only speeding ticket I've ever received was the first week of the month. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure both accidents I've been in where there was significant damage were also the first week of that same month, though in three different years. Maybe I should stay home then.)

[Canarr]

And I quite frankly don't trust private companies not to screw people over for money.

But you trust your government officials and your police officers not to screw you over for money? So, every elected local sheriff, every small-town police force, every single state police unit, are *all* above suspicion, but any professional company supplying and operating speed trap cameras is just a bunch of crooks out to steal your money? How does that even make sense to you?

[lordlundar]

But you trust your government officials and your police officers not to screw you over for money? So, every elected local sheriff, every small-town police force, every single state police unit, are *all* above suspicion, but any professional company supplying and operating speed trap cameras is just a bunch of crooks out to steal your money? How does that even make sense to you?

In a horribly corrupt area you would have a point. Now assume for just a moment that not every place in the country is not completely corrupt and there are still areas where law enforcement actually serve the public or lose their jobs. Shocking concept but this is called the majority of the country. In that situation, law enforcement serving the public safety is FAR more trustworthy than a company who has no incentive beyond financially bleeding the public dry.

[mikoyan29]

But you trust your government officials and your police officers not to screw you over for money? So, every elected local sheriff, every small-town police force, every single state police unit, are *all* above suspicion, but any professional company supplying and operating speed trap cameras is just a bunch of crooks out to steal your money? How does that even make sense to you?

At least the elected officials are somewhat accountible to someone. The only way the company is accountible to someone is thorugh those same elected officials.

[MadMike]

So, every elected local sheriff, every small-town police force, every single state police unit, are *all* above suspicion, but any professional company supplying and operating speed trap cameras is just a bunch of crooks out to steal your money?

I don't trust either one, actually.

[Greenday]

But you trust your government officials and your police officers not to screw you over for money? So, every elected local sheriff, every small-town police force, every single state police unit, are *all* above suspicion, but any professional company supplying and operating speed trap cameras is just a bunch of crooks out to steal your money? How does that even make sense to you?

Yes. That's exactly it. I trust my local government officials and my police officers not to screw me over for money. Unlike wherever you are from, the people in my town aren't out to get people. The cops here are good people. I know my local officials and they are good people. They actually run my town efficiently.

Now do I trust companies who are trying to make as much profit as humanly possible to not claim there were more people running red lights than there actually were? Hell no. This is 2013. Big businesses like this ARE out to get us. It's just one reason our economy is as fucked as it is.