Anyone here ever fight a photo radar ticket in court?

[Rick Lee]

Mrs. Lee got a nice fat envelope from Scottsdale today with four very clear photos of her and her car, allegedly going 54 in a 40 zone. She's not a speed demon and she's never gotten a speeding ticket before. One photo shows her blue BMW from the front, but with a gold Lexus slightly ahead of her and sort of blocking the view of her car. The second photo was taken from behind, but this time the gold Lexus was considerably farther ahead of her, suggesting that was the car that tripped the camera. They have two other photos, one very clearly of her rear license plate and the other of her face. No contesting it's her. But it really does look like the Lexus was pulling away from her quickly.

I can't post the photos here, as it could technically be proof of her being served. And the way it works in AZ is that the ticket is dismissed if you can dodge the process server for 120 days. Mailing it does not constitute proper service. Since we don't answer our door for unannounced company and keep the garage doors closed, I don't see how they're going to get her that way. But she thinks she has a chance in court, which I think is a pipe dream. Dodge it or fight it?

[Moses]

Dodging it sounds fun!

[BeyGon]

I followed an SUV through a left turn and got a photo ticket, I didn't even see the light until I was in the intersection. I didn't go to court, I did the mail in court, I don't think there is a chance in the world of getting out of one around here.

[ODDJOB UNO]

put her in a secret undisclosed shopping mall for 120 days and you"ll be fine.



star valley got wifey also. she observes the speed limit always. stated she was going 45 in a 40mph. she freaked when she got the mail. i told "dont worry-be hopi!"



so she became a "hopi" and blended with the wind, and star valley never got her despite being on their "most wanted" list.



the trick here is NOT getting pulled over while those are hanging in space over her head(your wallet).

[BeyGon]

They stopped the photo cameras in LA because nobody paid

[EarlyPorsche]

I have heard that you may be able to fight it by asking in court for proof of calibration. Find out how often they must be calibrated and hope it wasn't.

[RWebb]

put her in a secret undisclosed shopping mall for 120 days and you"ll be broke

[Gogar]

Make sure you READ, READ, READ all about it for your state, Rick.

Up here, a few lawyers discovered the statute that makes photo-radar tickets NULL and VOID unless personally served. So, (for now), in Colorado, you can just ignore it if you get it in the mail. If something happens, (for now), you can challenge it and win.

Are photo radar tickets worthless? -- KDVR

[Radioactive]

Read....................

Home - Fighting Red Light Camera Tickets

[Rick Lee]

Yes, they are also null and void here unless personally served. But if that happens, that already means all kinds of late and process server fees and then there's no getting out of it. And what was just a fine now becomes points, driving school and serious money. It's all or nothing here. I think she should just toss it in the trash and forget about it. I would save a court appearance for a real moving violation issued by a live cop, where there's no other way.

The stationary cameras on the highways were better because each lane had its own set of wires under the pavement surface. So the vascar camera knew which lane tripped it. The radar cameras on the mobile vans don't discriminate between lanes and you can, in theory, get nailed when others pass you. I got passed in the 993 by a swarm of Harleys doing way over the limit at night that set off a ton of flashes. But that was in front of the stationary hwy cameras, and because none of them were in my lane, I didn't get the ticket.

[John Rogers]

In San Diego and other CA cities where they stop light cameras (no speeding ones yet) are used, plead not guilty, when in court ask to confront a technical expert from the camera company (which is your accuser). That also works for the speeding cameras too. Out here the companies send a computer disc with relative stuff and there is a poor desk bound cop, usually one accused of shooting some one, who does all the court appearances. There are several websites that list the questions to ask such as: when was it calibrated, who calibrated it, how was that person trained, etc, etc. I have heard from a reliable source in Phoenix that the speeding ticket backup for court dates is like a year and a half??!!

[JavaBrewer]

How much is your time worth. YMMV.

[Rick Lee]

I would take a day off to fight a parking ticket. But this is not my ticket.

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

How much is your time worth. YMMV.

At this point I'm ready to find out. They're counting on people who have your attitude to make it work.

[slodave]

I can't wait to find out how my traffic case comes out... With the article in the paper the other day about cutbacks, it may be another 6-9 months, though.

[mikester]

Members of the commission looked on those figures with skepticism. They also questioned the legitimacy of the citations issued to drivers photographed running red lights or involved in other moving violations. Because the Los Angeles County Superior Court system does not criminally pursue people who fail to pay the tickets, which typically run more than $400, the camera program essentially was "a voluntary citation program. There's no teeth in it, no enforcement," said Commissioner Alan Skobin.

Los Angeles Traffic Cameras | Red-light cameras: Los Angeles may give the red light to traffic cameras - Los Angeles Times

[chocolatelab]

Momma got one here in cali. I did some research and there is a thing called " fishing " that goes along with those tickets. The key is that unless you respond to their notice or get served you are scott free. Never herd about it again.

I read a great story about some guy in Phoenix who had 100 plus tickets from the 51 freeway but was always wearing a gorilla mask. They couldnt prove it was him driving the car.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by chocolatelab

I read a great story about some guy in Phoenix who had 100 plus tickets from the 51 freeway but was always wearing a gorilla mask. They couldnt prove it was him driving the car.

They did eventually get him. But the irony is that the photo radar tickets cannot be used in criminal speeding cases and he was always going 20 over, which is criminal speeding. Again, it's all or nothing here.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by Gogar

At this point I'm ready to find out. They're counting on people who have your attitude to make it work.

Don't get me wrong. I have tried to fight two similar tickets. Perhaps I was not 'smart' enough to beat the system but in the end I was always the loser. YMMV. If it were me I would pay it and move on with life.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

If she thinks she can get to/from work every day for four months without getting served, ignore it. My money is on "pay it" since people are creatures of habit and IIRC process servers are paid for success, therefore motivated. They need only get your address (which they have), lie in wait and wait for her to head to work some morning. As soon as she's getting into or out if the car, "here you go, you've just been served" and you lose.

Will she REALLY be wary and vigilant every single day and not engage in predictable behavior/travel patterns until December? I tend to doubt it but maybe...

If you think she can honestly duck it for four months then roll the dice. If you have any doubt, just pay it and get on with life.

How can anyone possibly get busted by photo radar anyway? Don't they have to put notification signs like a half mile in advance warning you "hey, there's a photo radar checkpoint up ahead" in AZ?