Automated Wash. DC speeding ticket

rammstein · 01-24-2006, 05:32 PM

Suprise in my mail today.

Infraction- 68 in a 45 through a tunnel somewhere in DC. Was committed 10/23/2005, and sent out 1/18/2006. Apparently it takes them that long to send it out.

It even includes nice color photos of me going through. Thing is, I can't necessarily doubt the ticket, but I mean, 2.5 months ago? I dunno what I was doing then. The photo does show another car in the approaching lane in the far corner, and supposedly if another car is in range its not supposed to send out, although its a long way away from me. Probably grasping at straws.

It claims if I pay, no points get assessed. I guess I have no choice but to pay. Any thoughts?

Also... I think I should get that photo-blocker spray, and a frickin V1. Ticket is for $150. I am broke. This is unpleasant.

legion · 01-24-2006, 05:51 PM

That stinks. I don't think those should be legal.

How can you be broke? You have all of my money!

rammstein · 01-24-2006, 06:13 PM

Unemployment has a way of eating into one's funds.

My old car would have looked better in the photos.

chuckw951 · 01-24-2006, 06:36 PM

My wife has a couple of those tickets from DC...a couple speeding tickets and at least one red light camera. You have to admit the pictures are good. The one she got had a full picture of the car and then a second photo of the license plate. Pretty slick commuter tax.

snowman · 01-24-2006, 09:24 PM

In Ca you can ignore this kind of ticket, at least thats what I am told.

slodave · slodave's Garage

here's a link regarding CA photo tickets.

hiwayrobbery.net

Dunno how accurate the info is.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

If you're not a DC resident and don't drive here often, I believe you can ignore this ticket. The only one I ever got was in my mom's SAAB in DC. The ticket got sent to her in NJ and she had to rat me out by returning it with my info for her to get out of paying it. I never heard from them.

If I ever get one of these, I will most certainly fight it. I've heard a rep. from Lockheed, who supplies the cameras, comes to court in place of a cop. I would really enjoy asking him some questions.

KFC911 · 01-25-2006, 10:15 AM

I received a 'red light ticket' here in NC about 3 years ago. I never paid it, then the fine doubled to $100, which I still refused to pay. In our case, it's a municipal 'fine', and has nothing to do with your driving privleges, points, etc. After at least half a dozen phone calls (from the red light camera vendor) over a year and a half, and me repeatedly telling them "I'm not paying", I haven't heard back in at least a year. I guess they got tired of wasting their time

singpilot · 01-25-2006, 10:24 AM

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but better here than on the side of the road late one night.

On the side of the road some late some night is when the officer (trying to decide to write you for the 60 in a 45) will get the report of the ignored (muni or otherwise) citation.

He will decide at that point that you need to learn what authorities you can ignore or not ignore.

Might be cheaper in the long run to pay it.

If you ever get nominated to a public office, Senator Kennedy or Senator Feinstien would learn of your civil disobiedience and decide (after checking your political affliation) to vote up or down on you.

Could be all kinds of ramifications here.....

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I've been pulled over plenty since the DC ticket. No mention of it ever.

singpilot · 10:54 AM

Rick;

These karma things take time to develop into really bad timing. Don't worry, it will happen when you least need it to.

You know I am smiling as I type this. I have a couple of those out there 'cooking'. I have no doubt that these will bite me someday.

KFC911 · 01-25-2006, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by singpilot
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but better here than on the side of the road late one night.

On the side of the road some late some night is when the officer (trying to decide to write you for the 60 in a 45) will get the report of the ignored (muni or otherwise) citation....

Maybe I wasn't clear, but the fine was a 'city thing' and has nothing to do with the DMV etc. so it would have never appeared on any type of 'license check'. I felt OK about it then, and even moreso now that our courts have since decided the 'red light cameras' were illegal (for reasons that I won't get in to).

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Well, I did have a stack of unpaid DC parking tickets show up on my credit report. But each time I either refinanced or bought a house, the lender brought them to my attention but said they didn't require me to pay them to close the loan. My credit score is excellent and I see no way they can make me pay. I view DC's local gov't. to be about as honest as that of Mexico and I just refuse to pay them. Once I got a ticket there in a cousin's car, so I had to pay it and I wrote "Marion Barry's Crack Fund" on the memo line of my check. THis was when he was still mayor. It hasn't gotten much better since then.

singpilot · 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KC911
Maybe I wasn't clear, but the fine was a 'city thing' and has nothing to do with the DMV etc. so it would have never appeared on any type of 'license check'. I felt OK about it then, and even moreso now that our courts have since decided the 'red light cameras' were illegal (for reasons that I won't get in to).

Keith;

I think Rick's last post is a hint of how these things get wrapped around the axle.

I refinanced my boat last year. The financing went thru on the day the payment was due. The bank (USAA) took the old note and wrapped it into the new note. They took my (on time) payment to the now old note, and applied it to the new note. But forgot to clear the payment due on the old note. Several months later, it showed on my credit report as a 'mortgage late'. My primary bank credit card (USAA) raised my finance rate substancially because of it. My credit score went down almost 100 points. Get this... then my auto and property insurance (USAA) rates went up on renewal. It is still being cleared up, almost a year later. All of this within the same company. No rebate of increased charges, credit report shows the error being the lenders', but my score has not been repaired. Insurance rate was adjusted back down, but 8 months' premiums were not. Credit card interest charges were not adjusted either, although the rate was.

Like I said, it is out there 'cooking', just waiting for that perfect moment to be 'delivered'.

KFC911 · 01-25-2006, 11:08 AM

I hear what you're saying Sing.... I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Sing, I hear ya, but I will never run for office, will probably never apply for a security clearance and will certainly never feel guilty about not paying DC even legitimately-issued fines. This local gov't. can make a law-abiding citizen totally forget his law-abiding ways. They are such bumbling crooks that nothing I do will make me feel bad compared to them.

singpilot · 01-25-2006, 11:23 AM

Rick;

I have a sister living in the 'district'. She tells horror stories about local politics and the abuses. Is a joke all right. I was surprised to see the post. I am gonna slow down in the tunnels when I am there.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Just run a radar detector! That's another law I view as optional.

VaSteve · 01-25-2006, 12:06 PM

Rick

Ever notice how in DC they leave radar guns running on those orange signs all the time to mess with radar detectors?

Ug!

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Actually, I so seldom drive in this embarrassment of a city, that I have nothing to worry about. I drive here fewer than 5 times a year and hate every minute of that. Can't wait to move to AZ.