Municipal thievery

[SarahsGMC]

I'm not sure but it was completely uncalled for but he had a good attitude about it

 

sent from my truck in a field

[patriot]

Even if not true, claimin he was targeted for DWB might be a good way to get out of the ticket. Sure! Drop the race card! Everyone else does.

[SarahsGMC]

Um... wow

 

sent from my truck in a field

[MikeNH]

uh-huh

 

lol

so long

j-ten-ner

 

 

You must not know what freedom is. Such devices are illegal in both states.

 

Michigan:

 

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/15/1582.asp

 

NH:

 

http://newsmine.org/content.php?ol=security/bigbrother/cameras/new-hampshire-dismisses-police-state-red-light-cameras.txt

[kstruckcountry]

My friend (who happens to be black) was pulled over because his air freshener on his rear view mirror was an obstruction of vision... he was then cuffed thrown in a car and his entire car searched. Now this kid is a drug free college student that would never do anything to warrant a search. We told him he was being too black lmao

 

sent from my truck in a field

My white friend (with KS tags) was pulled over in IN for having an air freshener. Usually they use it as an excuse to pull you over or even search. He said ok on the search, I wouldn't have.

 

Maybe I'm missing something. I would be ok with redlight cameras. People who run them either do it on purpose or are wasted. Either way I don't want them to get away with it.

[SarahsGMC]

One would have helped in this situation. My friend just restored this truck this year and on his way back from the dunes he was turning and some idiot tboned him at 90 mph rolling the truck. He suffered a completely shattered ankle and that's all. So sad to see the truck go.

 

 

sent from my truck in a field

[MikeNH]

Sarah the issue with the cameras is they offer no discretion and also violate constitutional law in my eyes by assuming guilt until innocence is proven instead of the other way around. Also, many red light cameras are not owned/controlled by the police but by a corporation. They generally shorten yellow light times to increase revenue and it has also been proven that they increase rear end type collisions because people jam on their brakes to avoid the shortened yellow. It's not something that should ever be considered and several cities and states who tried them have since removed them. It's a scam no matter how you look at it. I'd rather take my chance of catching an officer on a bad day than a camera configured by people with an ulterior motive.

[SarahsGMC]

Yea I see your point it only really offers another view say in a case like scotts. I live where there are no stop lights so i never think twice about it.

 

sent from my truck in a field

[j-ten-ner]

 

 

You must not know what freedom is. Such devices are illegal in both states.

 

Michigan:

 

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/15/1582.asp

 

NH:

 

http://newsmine.org/content.php?ol=security/bigbrother/cameras/new-hampshire-dismisses-police-state-red-light-cameras.txt

 

I think we've got a little misunderstanding going on.

I thought you were talking about dash cams.

My mistake.

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[Ventilator]

 

 

You must not know what freedom is. Such devices are illegal in both states.

 

Michigan:

 

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/15/1582.asp

 

NH:

 

http://newsmine.org/content.php?ol=security/bigbrother/cameras/new-hampshire-dismisses-police-state-red-light-cameras.txt

 

 

Mike,

 

You do realize that they already have cameras in place at certain intersections in MI? I drive through one intersection every work day that has the cameras. This is where 2 Michigan rural 2-lane highways intersect. Lots of accidents, several deadly, over the years. This intersection also has a lighting system that is controlled by traffic volume, especially at night. If nothing is coming in the other direction as you approach it, if you flash your brights at it, it will change back to green in a few seconds, as long as there is no traffic on the cross road. They also have solar panels with antennas back from the intersection at the warning signs, but never really looked into what it's all for. These cameras have been in place for around 5 years or so. This is in rural central Michigan.

 

I really don't know what the cameras are currently doing, but I suspect they are there to determine fault of who ran the red light if an accident were to occur? Maybe they are just there as a deterrent? I am sure that the State is monitoring them somewhere in some control room full of monitors. I do know one thing, those cameras sure have cut down on the red-light-runners and accidents. Having to go through that intersection twice daily on my commute to and from work, I can appreciate that. Nobody wants to get T-Boned as they are going through a green light at 55 MPH.

 

I don't ever want to see the day when they are sending tickets in the mail, unless they can be 100% sure of the SPEED, VEHICLE/PLATE, and DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. That 100% isn't ever going to happen.

 

 

To the OP.

 

That really sucks, and like Mike mentioned, you need to prove your innocence, instead of the other way around. I would fight it though, don't let them steam roll you. They are counting on you to send them the fine because they know it is cheaper than fighting it. I hope you fight it, and I hope the judge awards you money for your lost time and mental anguish.

 

I would be livid! The fact that they have some IDIOT that cannot tell one number from another does not surprise me. If they don't have any clear evidence, I cannot see how they have a leg to stand on.

 

Good luck, and fight it, so the next guy might not have to!

[txab]

^^^^^^ What you're calling cameras are actually there for detecting traffic so the lights can adjust for traffic patterns. They are not for taking pics or are they able of taking pics.

[Spurshot]

The issue of red light cameras is what Mike stated. Shortened yellow lights to reap in more revenue. The companies running these "enforcement" cameras have a monetary interest in issuing higher numbers of citations. In about any definition I've ever encountered "conflict of interest" fits the situation. If municipalities were truly interested in safety, they'd lengthen yellow lights to appropriate length based on safety data rather than revenue interests. The city of Long Beach CA received so much flak from the citizens that the city council shut down the cameras and lengthened the yellows. The short yellows were blamed for numerous rear end collisions as well. I believe NHTSA had some data on cameras and shortened yellows.

[MikeNH]

Cameras have been used in place of traffic sensors at lighted intersections for years now. I suspect this is what you're talking about. They're mounted on the traffic light mast and look sort of like a security camera. These are NOT red light cameras. For one, they're aimed facing the vehicle which makes them useless as MI does not issue front plates. Back when NH started using these the DOT had a press release of sorts to explain them. At intersections that use sensors rather than timers to control lights, light vehicles and especially bikes may not trigger the sensors.

 

Red light cameras are huge things that are staged ahead of the intersection to photograph the rear of a vehicle as it blows the red light. You can see them frequently in cities like Cleveland or Chicago. The fact is, the AG says they're illegal here. That means it is impossible for police to ticket you based on anything they get from a camera. And thankfully for the time being, there are (mostly) logically minded folks running the show in Lansing so that BS will never gain traction. U'm obviously not in support of people running traffic lights but it is fact that the companies that implement them are out for profit, not safety.

 

As for the antennas, they are likely for a system called Opti-Com or similar. It's basically an override for traffic lights to ensure emergency vehicles like ambulances and such can force green lights to expedite response times.

 

My brother worked for a company that installed traffic lights for several years so I learned far more than I ever wished about traffic control devices.

[Spurshot]

In California, the cameras are facing the oncoming vehicles, since we have front plates here. They get a driver face as well as the front plate, because the cameras have powerful flashes.

 

I have received letters with fees/citations from toll roads in CA that stated that I had not paid a toll nor had the transponder (Fastrak). I called the number on the letter and contested it with the person answering. They pulled the picture up while we spoke and they agreed both times it was not my truck and the issue was resolved right then.

[Chris]

The red light cameras here get the front of vehicle shoing face and plate (if equipped) and the rear showing the plate