Maryland Construction Zone cameras #%$@*!
Thu, 12/10/2009 - 2:33pm
 14 years
|
I recently got a ticket in the mail from a construction zone camera. The ticket claims that I was going 63mph in a 55mph construction zone (The Baltimore Beltway near Charles street). The notification has pictures, but I can not see any evidence of my speed from the pictures. The notification has a link to a web site (with a pin for seeing my pictures), but the pictures are not available on the site. How do I know the speed measurement was accurate. There is nothing more than a picture of my car driving. The ticket is only for $40, but it is just frustrating and aggravating.
I would love to fight it, but it is probably more trouble than it is worth.
Fight it--please!
I know in many states they subcontract the speed camera ticketing out to private contractors. They make the ticket look all official (many times even including the State Seal, etc.) but the fact is that in many states by law you have to be "served" with the ticket--either by having it handed to you by a sworn peace officer, or, via a summons served by a process server--certified mail often does not constitute "legal service," so check your state's laws. They basically just send the tickets out and hope that people will just pay it--even though technically they're not legal.
I'm not a lawyer--this is just what I've learned from various websites. Google it, and you'll find all kinds of info.
Good luck!
NP
In times of profound change, the learners will inherit the earth while the "learned" find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists...
ewillner wrote: I recently
I recently got a ticket in the mail from a construction zone camera. The ticket claims that I was going 63mph in a 55mph construction zone (The Baltimore Beltway near Charles street). The notification has pictures, but I can not see any evidence of my speed from the pictures. The notification has a link to a web site (with a pin for seeing my pictures), but the pictures are not available on the site. How do I know the speed measurement was accurate. There is nothing more than a picture of my car driving. The ticket is only for $40, but it is just frustrating and aggravating.
I would love to fight it, but it is probably more trouble than it is worth.
I thought that you only got a fine if you were going more than 12 miles an hour over the limit ?
63 in a 55 isn't anywhere near that.
In fact, many cops won't even write you a ticket for less than 10 over.
Must be nice.....
I recently got a ticket in the mail from a construction zone camera. The ticket claims that I was going 63mph in a 55mph construction zone (The Baltimore Beltway near Charles street). The notification has pictures, but I can not see any evidence of my speed from the pictures. The notification has a link to a web site (with a pin for seeing my pictures), but the pictures are not available on the site. How do I know the speed measurement was accurate. There is nothing more than a picture of my car driving. The ticket is only for $40, but it is just frustrating and aggravating.
I would love to fight it, but it is probably more trouble than it is worth.
I thought that you only got a fine if you were going more than 12 miles an hour over the limit ?
63 in a 55 isn't anywhere near that.
In fact, many cops won't even write you a ticket for less than 10 over.
I don't know about where you live, but here in Oregon they WILL give you a ticket for as little as 5mph over the limit and they LOVE giving out tickets in construction zones because the fines DOUBLE, even late at night when there are no workers--which is supposedly why they double the fines in the first place to protect workers......yeah, right!!
In times of profound change, the learners will inherit the earth while the "learned" find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists...
My mistake in my original
My mistake in my original post. It was 63 in a 50 construction zone. The web site says that drivers are ticketed for 12mph or more over the speed limit. There is no way (other than trusting) to know the actual speed.
$40? That seems too cheap
$40? That seems too cheap to bother fighting. It also seems to low for a municipality bother sending out the fines. Then again, maybe they are going to make it up in volume. Hey, that's the WalMart approach isn't it ?!?!?
the fine is set by law
The fine in this particular case is set by statute and is collected by the state as it is a state camera operating on a state highway in a state construction zone.
ɐ‾nsǝɹ Just one click away from the end of the Internet
If I were you, I'd pay the
If I were you, I'd pay the $40. I did a little research on google, and this is what I found.
"Failure to pay the fine or contest the violation in court can result in additional fees and penalties, including suspension of the vehicle registration."
The full story is in the link below.
http://www.explorebaltimorecounty.com/news/103358/sha-speed-...
I am going to pay. Perhaps
I am going to pay. Perhaps I feel a bit better after venting....
I think you're doing the
I think you're doing the right thing.
I was at a redlight intersection yesterday. The light turned yellow, and I didn't have enough time to stop, so I went through. It was yellow, then turned to red. I didn't see any flashes, but I wanted to make sure I was in the clear. I looked up some rules for redlight cameras in Illinois. One of the companies out here charges more if you call to discuss your ticket, or contest it. You just can't win.
I am very familiar with the
I am very familiar with the area as well as the speed camera. It is mounted on a white Jeep with white and yellow fashing lights on the roof. My advice would be pay the ticket as the law state that anything over 12 mph. I don't think that it is worth the time to go to court. As least there are no points involved.
ewillner wrote: I would love
I would love to fight it, but it is probably more trouble than it is worth.
That's what they are counting on!