Comments on: West Seattle’s speed cam tickets fewer drivers than its counterparts

By: Andrew Edmond

Andrew Edmond — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 01:20:29 +0000

Here is a video recreating the reaction time required to adjust your speed from thirty miles per hour to 20 miles per hour. Reaction time required going south (which is how I got my $189 ticket) is roughly 2-5 seconds, a significant slow down AROUND A TURN, and something I consider very dangerous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgOOsqGGjdg

By: Ajax

Ajax — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:09:21 +0000

I wonder if the people complaining about getting a ticket from a machine instead of living, breathing cops are the same ones who complain about taxes being too high?

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 23:10:14 +0000

It is called a Speed LIMIT, not a Suggested Speed. It is that basic. Stop thinking you are above societies laws and you need not fret, complain or make excuses like some little kid. Jesus people, grow up!

By: AJP

AJP — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:54:14 +0000

Sorry, but we’re talking about kids here. Go slow. I don’t care if it’s cops or cameras, go slow and you won’t get a ticket. It’s black and white.

By: sadiegirl

sadiegirl — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:44:08 +0000

I am one that got a ticket in front of OLG. If you notice, the white van is always parked northbound, right at the blinking lights. Not a lot of time to slow down from 35 to 20 before they take your photo! The light should be moved back to the old fire station if that’s where they photos are going to be taken. I contested by mail and got my $189 ticket down to $100 (which seems to be the standard amount if you contest).

By: Am I Dumb?

Am I Dumb? — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:07:39 +0000

Yes. I was speeding. But my name is Shirley. Shirley that should excuse me. LOL.

By: WAMU Refugee

WAMU Refugee — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:00:49 +0000

I am so paranoid I refuse to drive. Big brother is watching my every move.

Who cares if I don’t stop at stop signs? Who gives a rip if I go 50 mph in a school zone?

Big brother.

ROFL at laughing at some of the comments above mine. If their precious little buck-snorts got run over, you would hear and see a different tune.

By: j

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:59:48 +0000

The mayor’s spokesperson stated that the tickets can be reduced through mitigation.
*
RCW 46.61.440 states the fine can not be reduced
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(3) A person found to have committed any infraction relating to speed restrictions within a school or playground speed zone shall be assessed a monetary penalty equal to twice the penalty assessed under RCW 46.63.110. This penalty may not be waived, reduced, or suspended.
*
So, are the SMC judges ignoring State law or are there different rules for the camera issued tickets?

By: Come on

Come on — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 22:43:21 +0000

J242,

Actually it is illegal in the state of Washington to take a picture of someones face. The cameras can not do this. So there is no “photographic evidence” that you did anything. There is a photo of a car that is registered to you committing an infraction. But who is driving the car? Again the burden of proof is on the state. they have to prove YOU committed the infraction. Not your car.

And by the way I don’t have a problem with a cop enforcing the speed limit in a school zone.

By: lox

lox — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:16:00 +0000

Again I have to agree with everything Come On said. We are allowing Big Brother to control our every move. If I am getting slapped on the hand, I want a human being to do it. It’s amazing how we are just letting this happen to us. Nobody is questioning why our government thinks it is ok to run our lives by remote control.

By: J242

J242 — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:13:43 +0000

“The burden of proof lies with the state to make a case that I did in fact committ an infraction.”

Photographic evidence triggered by a speed detector is proof of an infraction. You might be able to contest the calibration of the equipment used but without multiple other “false readings” it’s ludicrous to assume the equipment would have one single error out of hundreds of positive non-activations and dozens of proper ones. That in and of itself is catching you via speed detector and catching a photo to verify and prove it is you, in your car committing the infraction. I can only imagine how upset you’d be if instead of the manned camera vans they staffed multiple cars to go after each speeder.

Here’s an idea, observe the speed limits posted instead of complaining that you got a penalty for speeding. It’s really that simple. You probably are one of the folks who have complained that Admiral hill is one 30 mph or the Bridge is 45 and that the limits should be raised. Plan accordingly, leave 5-10 minutes early when you can and you’ll still get where you’re going with time to spare without violating the standing traffic laws regarding speed.

By: shirley

shirley — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:07:22 +0000

And as far as red light tickets, that is a scam. Especially the one at 35th & Thistle. If it is going to be a red light camera intersection, make the blinking “walk/don’t walk” device have a count down timer one it. I don’t know whether to speed through the light or slow down enough to make the stop if I needed to, potentially causing someone to rear end me. Very dangerous! And to cjboffoli, I did not realize driving down Delridge at 9:30 am at 37 mph would be breaking the law!

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:40:16 +0000

I got my $189 ticket at Gatewood on December 12 a little after 3:00 pm. I was clocked at 30. I would swear the light was not flashing and there were no kids around. If the light was flashing, I would think that the picture they sent me should show some blur around the lights just like car lights in the picture have a light aura around them. It took me several calls but finally I got to SPD Traffic who explained the power source for the camera is only on when the flashing light is on. At Gatewoood that is 7:55 to 8:55 and 2:35 to 3:35.

By: Come on

Come on — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:05:54 +0000

How is contesting a ticket working the system? We still have a presumption of innocence in this country. The burden of proof lies with the state to make a case that I did in fact committ an infraction. It is your right to contest their evidence and present your own case. You’re not working the system you’re embracing it.

The people that are working the system are theropod who dreamed this up. Red light and speeding cameras were suppose to cost the same as a parking ticket according to the legislature. But instead of the standard fee of $30-40 for a parking ticket they interpreted the law to include such parking tickets as not having a handicap permit and parking in a handicap zone. Thus allowing the city to charge $150-250 per infraction. Without charging the higher amount the city wouldn’t be making any money on the cameras. That’s working the system. And completely against what the legislature intended.

So challenge every damn one of the tickets. And when the city starts losing money on each infraction watch what happens to the cameras.

By: Kgdlg

Kgdlg — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:58:04 +0000

I was roundly criticized when I posted in the forums about the van camera at 35th and OLG and the ticket i received. Many have Cjboffoli’s belief that “if you do the crime, you do the time.” Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, I think there are some very pressing broad questions associated with this kind of policing that we should all be asking ourselves:

- If the City can make a million a month on this type of survelilence what is next? What about jay walking? What about smoking near a business?

- When I got the ticket my main concern was that this wasn’t a cop stopping me and showing me how he had come up with my speed, it was a camera on a van…and I think this raises interesting questions about technology and how much we trust it, especially at 189 a pop. Maybe many of you think this is MORE reliable than a human. I, personally, do not.
And the idea of cameras monitoring us all over the City kind of just creeps me out.

-How many children have been hit in school zones in Seattle in recent years? I have absolutely no issue with penalties to stop certain behavior, but at OLG kids don’t even load on 35th – so sometimes it feels like the City is using this hammer “protect the kids!” as an excuse to create a revenue generate enough surveillance.

Now, I am fine if you just want to criticize me and say “pay your ticket!” because the camera said I was speeding, but in my opinion there are these deeper more concerning questions here that we should all be talking more about, and are more important than whether I deserve a ticket or not.