Ticket!? Crap...

[mikester]

So...we went to San Francisco for a little get away gack in September...we rented a car - flew into San jose and drove up to SF.

We stayed in the financial district at the palace. It was pretty cool.

Today I got in the mail a ticket for running a red light at a photo enforced light. Actually - my wife got it but it clearly isn't her driving. So - for her to send it back she has to prove either she didn't have the car then or turn in whoever was driving. For example - if it were me driving then she would have to turn me in to obsolve herself. That doesn't seem right or fair but we constitutionally don't really have the right not to incriminate our spouses. Beyond that issue I have with this is that the evidence shown are 4 separate pictures. ! of our car at the intersection, one in the intersection , a third of the license plate alone and a fourth of the driver. That's it...

It seems to me they are missing a key picture of us actually driving AND the license plate visible in the same picture. Plus it shows our speed a 25mph - who goes through a red light at 25 mph? Besides that...normally if I get pulled over for something like speeding I'm only irritated if it was really close - like 68 in a 65 where the fudge factor of a speed-o-meter really could be an issue. REgardless...has anyone fought one of these without appearing and won? I live in Socal and it isn't cost effective for us to fly up there (or whatever) and fight it. It isn't a cheap ticket though it's nearly $400 and with the cost of traffic school to keep that point off it will easily be more than $400.

Bastards...

[bryanthompson]

The guy i bought my 944 from got a ticket in the mail for "his truck" that went through a red light in upstate New York somewhere. The problem... he doesn't even own a truck and he's never even been there. It turned out to be some crazy mistake, because they had the same license plate number, different states, different vehicles... but the ticket came to him.

[concentric]

The close ups of the driver and license plate are likely zooms from a larger shot. I used to work for a toll road administration company and we used a similar system to catch toll violators. The photos were actually digitally archived and manipulated using some custom image enhancement software made by Lockheed-Martin, the parent company of TCA.

Were you driving at the time? Make sure the ticket was taken during a time that you were actually renting the car.

JCM

[Stanley]

I don't understand what the problem is. All you have to do prove is that you were not renting the car when the photo was taken. That can be esaily documented by the rental company. Unless it was a valet or someone stole your rental car went for a joy ride and put it back where they found it.

Edit: I just reread your post. I seems as though YOU were driving but the ticket was sent your wife. Therefore it probably means that your wife was the person on record at the rental place. For example- My car is owned under by dads name, but I only drive it. So if I were to get a photo ticket it would go to him, not me.

[bryanthompson]

Parking garage attendant, maybe?

[Z-man]

This thread is worthless without PICS! Let's see those shots!

-Z-man.

[mikester]

No - I was vague on the drive intentionaly and will leave it at that. I do not suspect that the car was stolen or that the picture was taken at a time when we were not renting it. I only know it wasn't my wife driving it. I'd rather not incriminate in any way who ever was driving it.

I wonder if I can request a proper photo showing what I want to see - the drive and the license plate in the same frame and readable.

It irks me a bit because the fine is rather stiff and the violation is within a second of the light turning red. Regardless of that a violation is a violation I suppose and if I'm guilty I'm guilty and I don't have a real problem with that. I'm just not sure I am - all I need is for them to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

We'll probably just pay unfortunately - we don't have time for this right now. She's due with our first on 12/2 and this is really the least of our concerns. She was concerned about giving it to me because she thought that with some of the other set backs I've had in the last two weeks (career wise - nothing major though) that I would be pissed. I think she was a bit surprised that when she handed it too me I read it and was pretty easy going about it. A citation in general doesn't make me too mad but those stupid ones I've gotten have really irked the heck out of me.

I got one a year or so ago for "no head in parking" what kind of crap is that...

And then on my way our of Florida (moving to CA) I got a speeding ticket (68 in a 65 zone) that at the time I couldn't do traffic school for unless I was in Florida. So I ended up with a point on my license for it. THAT one pissed me off. But this one - the fine is troublesome but who ever is at fault can do traffic school to take care of the point and then it's gone.

[mikester]

Originally posted by Z-man
This thread is worthless without PICS! Let's see those shots!

-Z-man.

Alright...here it is.

[vash]

i know that intersection well. i dont think you can fight it. but i wouldnt just pay it. that is obviously not your wife. i would give up the driver, after discussing it with him/her. sorry, but if the person is smart enough to blast through an intersection with a big green box with a lens on it at each corner, then you are gonna have to pay the fine. tough dookies. unless the person doesnt have a driver's license, then it is a whole new ball game. the $400 is cheap compared to the insurance cost in the long run. good luck.

[mikester]

25 mph isn't exactly blasting through a red light.

[island911]

I like the way the call it "Automatic Enforcement" euphemistically for "Automatic Collection".

"Automatic Enforcement" would be be like at a railroad crossing.

ANyway, I would expect a lawyer could take-care of this for you. . . er. . .your wife.

[mikester]

[bryanthompson]

In my town we have a single stoplight, it's a four way, so it just blinks red... aaanyway, the town where I work has, heh, three real life (not kidding) stop lights, one even has an arrow for the left turn lane... Out here, you don't run the orange... (feel free to make fun of those of us in the middle of nowhere)

So, last week I went down to Lincoln to watch state volleyball finals, and was totally freaked out by the number of cars just blowing right through orange lights. I even got honked at because I stopped as one turned orange. WTF?? I thought that was the correct way to drive!

[vash]

Originally posted by mikester
25 mph isn't exactly blasting through a red light.

depends

i only jest because i got a ticket one intersection over. same thing. but the judge let me off...still have the paperwork just in case that one comes back.

[BigD9146gt]

hey mike,

try this: Pay the ticket, but pay it $5 more than the amount. When the send you the check, burn it!

This worked on a buddy of mine who got a speeding ticket, since he never cashed it, it remained open so that the moving violation never got filed, so he never got dinged. Just a thought.

Bryon, orange i'm assuming is like our yellow, it means caution, aggitation, cause for worry. This could be seen as speed up, but those who are laid back, stop like you.

One more thing. Next time you want to "Grand theft auto" through lights, put your visor down. If they cannot see your face, theres no ticket. Another buddy of mine did that all the time in Arizona.

[mikester]

The humiliating thing is that the person in the picture - whoever that is - was caught outside of his Porsche on film.

Yep.

[red-beard]

Even _I_ can recognize the guilty...

You _must_ do traffic school. Cheaper than the insurance increase.

Now for the turn around...

Brand new BMW X5...58 in a 45 in about 100 yards...

god damm muther folkers...

[1973911s]

Dude,

What is your wife going to due, when she finds out you posted her age, and weight?

Michael

[Don 944 LA]

funny, reminds me of a place .. Guantanamo Bay Cuba

way back, there was one and only one stoplight with a sign saying " This is a stoplight " I believe the colors were reversed on 2 sides so that they could use half the bulbs ..
bar right next to it called " Stoplight cafe " or something

[/ irrelevant story ]

[mikester]

Originally posted by red-beard
Even _I_ can recognize the guilty...

You _must_ do traffic school. Cheaper than the insurance increase.

Now for the turn around...

Brand new BMW X5...58 in a 45 in about 100 yards...

god damm muther folkers...

Of course you do - he's wearing his favorite shirt AND his favorite hat AND his favorite sun glasses. Shameful really.