I think I got a ticket........

1pump · 02-05-2003, 09:13 PM

On the way home from work tonight I was treated to a blinding flash from an anonymous-looking Ford van parked on the side of the road. I glanced in the rearview as I passed it and got blasted again. Marvelous. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]
I wasn't too concerned at first 'cuz I thought I was only 5 mph over the limit. So I went around the block to double check and he got me right where the speed changes from 35 to 30. I was going 40. Oops. :shocked:
Anybody got one of these tickets in the mail before? If so, how did you deal with it? Until last May I'd gone almost 20 years without a ticket, and I don't need another one this soon. I drive for a living, so this goes far beyond a fine and insurance rates.
I've been against photo radar since its inception (in Portland) 7 years ago, for reasons I won't elaborate on. If you've been burned by this robotic revenue generator, let's hear it.

Firedog · 02-05-2003, 09:17 PM

My wife has gotten at least two of these and got out of them each time. If they can't say for sure it is you driving they have to throw it out. So at least form her expereince take agood look at the picture make sure they can say for sure it was you.

02-06-2003, 05:51 AM

Was it on your CDL? Photo radar should be illegal.

lightline · 02-06-2003, 07:58 AM

In a related story a guy is alittle tardy going thru a yellow light and gets drilled. He is sent a $100.00 ticket with the picture. The guy lays out five twentys on the kitchen table takes a picture and sends it in. They in return send him a picture of a set of hand cuffs. The guy them sends in the money. I don't know how true the story is but it looked to me that every one had a good since of humor.

Smj · 02-06-2003, 08:51 AM

1pump, My wife got one of these tickets a couple of years ago for doing 52 in a 35. The car was and still is registered in my name. I simply sent the ticket back telling them I was not the driver at the time and never heard another thing about it.

My wife doesn't speed any more...I suggest you don't either.

Smj

1pump · 02-06-2003, 09:07 AM

Keta,

I was in my pickup, but as of October the DOT doesn't make any distinction between your commercial record and your non-CDL record.
The good news is that some internet-lurking attorneys state that photo tickets are the easiest to beat in court, for a lot of reasons that make sense.
Photocops are illegal in most states. From what I can tell, it's huge in Europe and Canada. With the failure of Measure 28, we might be seeing more of it.

Lightline, I've heard a few variations on that story. It's probably true, and you gotta give everybody points for creativity. :smile:

Smj, I wasn't speeding intentionally, but I know that's not much of an argument. Guess I'll keep an eye on the mailbox and see what happens.

[ 02-06-2003, 10:14 AM: Message edited by: 1pump ]

1pump · 02-06-2003, 02:09 PM

FIL, he got additional pic of the backside of my rig as I passed. You might need a cover for your rear plate. I don't know the law, but I'm pretty sure they're not legal.
When I ran a parts store a few years ago, we sold a product that you could spray on your plates to "wash out" the number in the glare from the photocop's flash. Wish I still had some. I also heard a coat of clear gloss spray paint will do the same thing.

Jettin' Fool · 02-06-2003, 04:40 PM

I got one of those tickets last week. I drive a company rig so the ticket was sent to my company. There was the picture of me clear as day talking on the phone! Everybody at the office thought it was pretty hillarious [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

The thing is....When I saw the flash I immediatley looked at my speed and I was going 50 in a 45 and the ticket said I was going 60! It was a 2 lane road so I think I got the ticket for the speeder next to me on the inside lane. I want to fight it but right now Im anonyomis because of the comany rig.

If I fight it and lose, will they nail me and my insurance get notified???

This sucks

STGRule · 02-06-2003, 06:04 PM

I saw an expose on TV about those products that are supposed to keep them from "seeing" your license plate. Not one of them worked. Guess you just have to drive the speed limit. Although you may have a point Jett. :whazzup:

[ 02-06-2003, 08:15 PM: Message edited by: STGRule ]

Mad Mikey · 02-06-2003, 06:24 PM

I've got an old cobra fuzz buster in my truck, not a lot of good for those instant on radar guns unless you are behind the guy getting scoped. The nice thing is that it picks up those photo vans and the FYI trailers a half mile away.
I'm not an aggressive driver by nature, grew out of that years ago but my little toy helps keep me in check.
A cheaper fix would be to drive around with some sort of halloween mask on! :grin:
Imagine the guy who sorts the tickets/photos to be mailed out:

Uh, hey Seargant, did you know that Casper the friendly ghost drives a Ford and lives in Aloha???

ReelTrouble · 02-06-2003, 09:13 PM

Yeah, im pretty sure we have all gotten flashed. First of all, be sure and look at ALL the laws regarding the ticket

When I got flashed, first thing I did was doubled back, to be sure they were following all the laws, they wernt. It wasnt. The car wasnt registered under my name (My dads) so i lucked out there.

Im not sure on specifics, but here are a few of the laws I remember that they were not following or that I was not so sure they were following.

1) There must be a sign within 400, but not to be closer than 100 yards of the photo radar saying that photo radar is in use....

2) The radar van MUST show your speed

3) There must be a uniformed officer in the van.

4) Signs must be posted on all major routes into the city, (im pretty sure that if you come into the city on a route without a sign that states that photo radar is enforced, you can beat the system)

Just another note, most of the time they will flash you twice if you are gonna get a ticket, ive gotten of many of times with the one flash, but never the two flash. Me and my friends have become quite informed of photo radar, they sit on 122nd by my school and parkrose, so everybody has been hit, and everybody always seems to have a way out.

Good luck,

Fish_N_Russ · 02-06-2003, 09:43 PM

Hmmmmmm

seems like if ya don't speed, u don't have to worry about all the laws and regs and crap :smile: . I know that sounds like being an a** but I know from hundreds of K miles driven in the last 10 years that the extra 5 or 10 mph don't make that much diff :smile:
Just a different viewpoint

ryleysmom · 02-06-2003, 11:43 PM

I got one of those tickets and the funniest thing is that the person that was at the cop shop stuffung the envelopes with the tickets and your picture they somehow forgot my picture, but I did get the ticket and went to court and they had to throw it out as the was no picture to prove that it was me driving.. Guess I lucked out this time... Dont plan on it happening agian though!

fishing is life · 02-06-2003, 11:57 PM

i bought a clear cover for my front license plate that blurs out the number when you are not looking at the license plate straight on. 40 bucks for some peace of mind. but i always worry i will get a big fine if a cop sees it.

Smj · 02-07-2003, 05:23 AM

Fish_N_Russ, "Hundreds of thousands of miles" Wow, just think how far ahead you could be at this point if you'd been going 10 over for all those miles!!!

Smj

steele · 02-07-2003, 05:40 AM

Smj, Thanks for the first chuckle of the day. Always seems to make it a better day when it starts that way.
steele

Fish_N_Russ · 02-07-2003, 07:53 PM

Hah, good one smj, I appreciate your humor :smile:

AtWorkALot · 02-07-2003, 11:21 PM

I remember when getting "flashed" while driving was something I looked forward to. Those were the days... [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]