Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Pictures taken by Red Light Cameras
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May 2, 2009 at 4:18 am #590710
QueMemberI drive through the intersection of 35th and Thistle frequently and have noticed that the camera flashes for picture taking on a pretty regular basis when it appears that nobody is doing anything wrong. Has anybody else noticed this? Does anybody know what the deal is with that?
May 2, 2009 at 4:29 am #665768
clark5080ParticipantI have noticed the same thing
May 2, 2009 at 2:01 pm #665769
JimmyGMemberAround 6:15 AM the other morning everyone was stopped nicely waiting for the red light at that intersection when we were all startled from our daydreams by the camera flash.
I did wonder what the hell as I’ve never experienced that with the red light cameras in Auburn, SeaTac or elsewhere.
May 2, 2009 at 3:27 pm #665770
EmmyJaneParticipantSeen it happen also…
I’d also like to note the high quality pictures that camera takes. It really leaves little to be disputed! I got to see its great work the other day when my fiance’s ticket arrived in the mail. Not happy.
May 2, 2009 at 4:46 pm #665771
OlMomParticipantThe same thing – I was traveling on 35th crossing Thistle on a steady green when FLASH. It was really unnerving.
May 2, 2009 at 6:44 pm #665772
clark5080ParticipantOne thing it may be is people making a free right are not coming to a full stop
May 2, 2009 at 8:26 pm #665773
TrickParticipantI’m glad you brought this up.
I noticed it numerous times.
Can’t seem to understand when traffic is at a complete stop, the camera flashes for no apparent reason.
May 2, 2009 at 8:36 pm #665774
dhgParticipantI saw it happen yesterday and it coincided with the green light for left turn. I wonder whether it can distinguish left-turning cars when the other lanes still have a red. Perhaps the worker bees have to sort through all the photos?
May 2, 2009 at 11:36 pm #665775
aunteesocialParticipantThere’s a flash like this at corner of Cloverdale and 14th in South Park, so keep that in mind if you go to Loretta’s Northwesterner.
May 3, 2009 at 4:11 pm #665776
Moose JawMemberI’ve seen the same at NB 9th @ James. Flash goes off when no traffic is passing through.
May 4, 2009 at 6:42 pm #665777
clark5080ParticipantI saw it happen to a Police Officer last night at 35th and thistle
May 4, 2009 at 7:25 pm #665778
west seattle golferMemberInteresting video on KOMO about this. Increasing the time a traffic light stayed in yellow by just ONE second caused 3 communities to stop using red light cameras altogether, as they were no longer ‘cost effective’.
http://www.komonews.com/home/video/44298997.html?video=pop&t=a
May 4, 2009 at 7:53 pm #665779
flowerpetalMemberThe SPD website gives no clear indication about why this might be happening; unless I am misreading something. Interestingly there are more than one cameras at the intersections. One takes a picture of a car as it approaches and the camera predicts that the car is going to run the light; another takes a picture of the car (including the plate) as it actually runs the light; and a third camera videos the whole intersection including where other cars and pedestrians are.
Oddly (to me) the infraction brought forth from these photos does not become part of the driver’s driving record and is treated as a parking infraction.
http://www.seattle.gov/police/programs/technology/redlight.htm
May 4, 2009 at 8:08 pm #665780
hopeyParticipantHow would you be able to prove who was driving the car?
The red light cameras cannot get a clear enough shot through the windshield to prove without a doubt in a court of law who is driving the car. Why should I, the owner of the car, get a ding on my driving record when my husband was really the one running the light? What if I’d let my best friend borrow my car? Or my mother in law?
They treat it like a parking ticket because they can prove the car was there at that time. They can’t prove who parked the car, just like they can’t prove who was driving it.
May 4, 2009 at 11:43 pm #665781
pigeonmomParticipantJust drove by 35th & Thistle and there was a repair person fiddling with the camera.
May 8, 2009 at 6:48 pm #665782
guidosmomMemberI just had this happen last night! It startled me. It was at 35th and thistle and I was going the speed limit, and driving straight through a green light. I’ll be mad if I get a ticket for doing nothing wrong.
May 8, 2009 at 9:58 pm #665783
flowerpetalMemberI wouldn’t worry about it. I am making a few calls to see if I can understand why the camera seems to be taking random pictures of “green light runners.”
Something I did discover is that a citation mailed to you is treated as a parking ticket would be. That is, it is not a moving violation and is not part of your driving record. So, if you get one of those citations and then at some time in the future are asked by your auto insurance company if you have had any traffic violations; you do not have to include information about this ticket.
To answer Hopey’s questions about proving who was driving your car if it wasn’t you. I did ask at the Muni Court about this. You can reasonably say it wasn’t you driving (if it wasn’t) but if you do say that, you have to tell the court who was driving your vehicle. Simply put, you can’t ditch the ticket by saying it wasn’t you and you don’t know who it was that was driving your car.
I will get back with more news (I hope) about why the camera’s seem to be taking unsolicited pictures.
May 9, 2009 at 12:57 am #665784
oddrealityParticipantI’ve seen this at 85th and Aurora also.
May 9, 2009 at 1:22 am #665785
WSBKeymasterF/P, if you find out, let me know – I actually just assigned someone to look into it, would have done it myself but this week I have been totally underwater with other news coverage plus garage sale runup (if you’ve never been a seller, we also mail out packets to participants, next year I’m hiring help for stamping and addressing 200 envelopes …). If you get to it sooner I’ll call off the reporter, they probably won’t get to start checking till Monday.
May 9, 2009 at 4:29 am #665786
CBMemberWhat’s this “hiring help” business, next time just say help needed!
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