The trouble with speed cameras.....

What do they do to people who are on welfare or who's sole income is untaxable government aid and can't afford to pay? Do they send them to jail, or sue them for more money which they cannot recover under the law? There are many people who live off government subsidies (disabled, etc.) whose income cannot be garnished or sued for.

"The trouble with speed cameras'...is..that they exist.

Whatever happened to the right "to be confronted with the witnesses against him"?

you have the right to contest your ticket, then ask for a representative for your local police, county law enforcement or highway patrol and even the company representative that snapped your picture. The evidence is a picture,video or both. and your constitutional, right will be preserved.

Obviously there is more to a contest of the violation than just showing the picture and document already sent you in the mail. I'm sure they take other circumstances into consideration for dismissing or lowering the fee (how far over the limit, road conditions, ability to pay an exorbitant amount, etc.). If they just showed you the same papers you got in the mail then there would not even be the option to contest it in the first place.

SW,

Someplace on the citation/paperwork you received should be a link to the photo camera website. You'll be able to view the evidence both still and movie. If it shows you 'on' the freeway exceeding the limit (which, based on your description was probably 55 mph in that particular spot) then you're pretty much hosed. If there's some doubt or careful viewing shows another vehicle overtaking you then 'maybe' you have a defense, especially if the data was recorded by one of the speed vans and not a fixed camera.

For those who don't live in Arizona (and particularly the Phoenix area) speed limits are subject to change, seemly on a whim. Even though there's no apparent construction the limit can sudden drop from 65 to 55 for no reason. It might have been 65 yesterday but now it's 55 and that's when the camera/radar equipped mini vans come out. I don't think they give you the 11 mph freebie that the fixed cameras do either.

Cheers

You perhaps can view the video, and see their allegations that the speed displayed is you. But I don't see how you can believe it's you the speed display is referring to.

That would require both sides to have expert witnesses, theirs to testify how the speed sensor works, what it's accuracy is and why it's your speed displayed and not an error.

Then your expert would go on the stand and explain how that sensor is in error and that's not your speed displayed.

This is the problem with this whole affair.

Unlike red light cameras where you can see what happened and the state of the lights, they expect you to just believe their evidence.

If they didn't have such a conflict of interest, that might make sense. But the camera vendor has a huge conflict of interest. They make more or less money based on the amount of citations.

This is not like a cop writing you a ticket. He doesn't make more or less because of how many citations he issues.

I should have ignored it in the first place like everyone later told me to do (after was too late). Going in the 60's on a freeway when they change from 65 to 55 back and forth all over should not warrant a $200 ticket (or any at all) in my opinion. And I'm not saying that because it was me; I believe that for everyone. I'd admit if I was being unreasonable or reckless.

1. Yes there are sensors buried at all of the Arizona permanantly mounted highway photo radar enforcement cameras, which is how they know what lane you were in and hence what car to send the ticket to
2. If you DO receive a photo enforcement ticket, you have no obligation to do anything about it. If the state decides to pursue the issue after your lack of response, they must physically serve you with the citation. If you are never served, the ticket simply goes away. Furthermore, tickets issued from the stationary cameras are a revenue generator only and do not add points to your insurance or driver license. CAVEAT - citations issued from the MOBILE photo RADAR enforcement vans DO add points to your DL and your insurance will find out about them.
3. NONE OF THIS MATTERS ANYMORE because ALL of the highway stationary and mobile photo enforcement cameras are now OFF. The contract was not renewed with Redflex and the cameras are (asof late July 2010) no longer operable. Redflex will be removing them during the fourth quarter of 2010. SO -- PLEASE STOP SLAMMING ON YOUR BRAKES WHEN YOU SEE A CAMERA ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.