Date:         Fri, 13 Dec 2002 12:29:55 -0800
Reply-To:     Leon Korkin <korkwood@WSHOST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Leon Korkin <korkwood@WSHOST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Thanks RE: Photo ticket at stop lights
In-Reply-To:  <11232E890694F74893375BC7AD88A62DECD8D6@MAINEX4.ASU.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Cities are constantly looking for new sources of revenue.
Not to mention paying the bill for cameras
Cameras at intersections are tools to collect it.
Many drivers know how long yellow light stays on and manage to cross
before red light turns on. To make sure cameras do their job yellow
light duration is reduced significantly so that people assuming they will cross intersection
while yellow is on all of a sudden get red in the middle of intersection.
Most red light drivers are just too ignorant or drunk to pay attention to cameras.
It's those of us who expect certain time yellow light will stay that get cought in this mess.
No wander first cameras in Los Angeles area were installed in Beverly Hills,
Santa Monica etc, affluent areas where locals couldn't care less about $$$ ticket.
Leon


12/13/02 9:35:21 AM, Sean Garrett <SEAN.GARRETT@ASU.EDU> wrote:

>I just canceled my class. I am gonna fight. Ill go to the intersection and
>time that light at different times of the day. Then request what the time
>was on that photo equip was installed.
>
>Ill plead not guilty but also have some data to fight it if necessary.
>
>Thanks everyone, Feb 24th is court date, I'll post a follow up.
>
>Sean Garrett
>1981 Westy (his)
>1995 Eurovan Camper (hers)
>Soon... 1987 Syncro project
>sean.garrett@asu.edu
>
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Robert Keezer [mailto:warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM]
>> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 10:04 AM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Photo ticket at stop lights
>>
>>
>> Sean-
>>
>> I agree with Isaac's course of action- go to the court, but plead "Not
>> Guilty"
>> They won't have anyone there to prove it was you behind the
>> wheel, and they
>> can't ticket a vehicle.The camera certainly can't show up in court to
>> testify against you.
>>
>> "Not guilty" puts the burden of proof on the court, and
>> rarely is anyone
>> convicted on one piece of evidence.
>>
>> Besides, as it has been said, it's not important eneough on a scale of
>> one-to -ten.
>> They have a speed reader -in -robes, ( here some guy in an
>> office without
>> robes) who doesn't care what you say , especially if you have
>> said you are
>> guilty.
>>
>> Never say you are guilty- let the court prove it.
>>
>> You can even find a traffic lawyer often for under
>> 400.00.Your insurance
>> rate will go up more than that.
>>
>>
>> Robert
>>
>> 1982 Westfalia
>> "gotta do jury duty next month"
>>
>>
>>
>> Isaac Taylor Wrote:
>>
>> >From: Isaac Taylor
>> >
>> >Hey Sean, I don't know what it's like where you live, but here in
>> >Massachusetts the axiom is Deny Unto The Death. Every time I've been
>> >pulled over -- every time -- the cops themselves tell me "you should
>> >contest the ticket in court, and it'll probably be dismissed". And
>> >they are right: every time I've contested a ticket (which is most of
>> >the time) they are dismissed, rubber-stamp style. The traffic courts
>> >here are so swamped that basically anyone who bothers to show up in
>> >court has their case perfunctorily dismissed, not because they're
>> >(we're) in the right, mind you; but because the magistrates and
>> >judges don't have the time to so much as listen to you explain how
>> >the light was yellow, and it was raining, and your kid just dropped
>> >his pacifier, etc.  Rubber stamp, and off you go. Deny, unto the
>> >death.
>> >
>> >Massachusetts writes a lot of tickets too, and our insurance rates
>> >are among the highest in the country. So you really do have to keep
>> >your safe driver rating as high (or low, or whatever) as possible or
>> >it can multiply your premiums by a shocking degree.  So depending on
>> >where you live, and which way the winds blow there, I recommend you
>> >don't automatically pay the ticket, but rather risk the court
>> >appearance. It could save you cash in hand, and wasted time in
>> >traffic school, and future insurance hikes. I think it's worth
>> >risking the potential increase in penalty, to have a chance to avoid
>> >all that BS, don't you?
>> >
>> >-Isaac in Cambridge
>>
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*.
>> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
>>
>
>