Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Redlight camera in Montgomery

It has already been ruled unconstitutional.

Here are a couple of issues of concern. All lights have a different lag time in yellow phase some to short most not long enough. One area is strip on HWY 11 Tuscaloosa. You have to actually slow down because the light will change almost as you go under it. Another concern is camera angle and lapse time. Another concern is do you slam on brakes sliding into intersection causing a wreck. All those aside a camera could be a tool to help awareness and warnings issued to bring public awareness to light or road issues. But as a tool to ticket to generate a revenue should not be it's sole purpose.

Well I wasn't driving. And it's $60. I'm sure that's why they make the fee low because who wants to waste the time on $60 but I've already told my wife. I'm not paying it. If she wants to that's up to her. The problem I have is it was certified mail so I can't say I didn't get it. But by the time I hire an attorney and all that jazz I'm way out more than $60. I just hate government over reach. I don't know if she ran the light. She says she didn't but after the pictures she says she must have.

Make a bet. Red lights are all I've worked on the last 18 years! I've heard from 4 different vendors of red light technology, sat through all their spills and know how they are installed and revenue is divided. Explain how you think you know more about them!

No amber timings can be less than 3 seconds. It's not possible. The red light vendors do NOT have access to the traffic signal controllers which have the timings.
You only get a picture taken and reviewed if you cross the stop bar after it has been red for a couple of seconds. So if you cross the stop bar while amber you're fine

Explain how my mother-in-law got one in Michigan on the same day she was in the Bahamas.

Now there are two cities in Alabama. Center Point and Midfield that was giving camera "speeding tickets".

The only places I know where the red light cameras are "legal" in Alabama are Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and Selma. All of those cities had special laws passed by the state legislature approving them.

Was it her car? Anybody can contest it. My brother in law got one in the mail but was easy to prove it wasn't his car.

Bingo! Laws passed so they are legal.

I'll never pay one. What they going to do??

I'll just say this. I got one in Tennessee and just paid it. I wouldn't want to go back through that town and get pulled over then they find out I had an old ticket on my record. It wasn't but 50.00. Definitely not worth going to court and arguing about it.

Got one in Montgomery in a company tractor trailer on the south bypass about a month ago. I was only running 43 per computer /gps but was grossing 87k and light turned yellow about 50 ft before crossing the line and was red before trailer cleared the intersection. They sent a video and ticket to the company I work for.....it sucks, but ticket was only $60 and did not go towards my record. I sent them a m.o in the company's name because the ticket was issued to the truck per the tag. I try to avoid going thru there if possible....but got to go again tomorrow. I think there are only 5 red lights on that stretch that have cameras and all have signs saying photo enforced. I'm glad no points are accessed towards your license.

Doesn't go on your record. The ones in Montgomery have nothing to do with the PD. The "tickets" come from a company in Arizona. If you don't pay, they turn it over to a collection agency. If you still don't pay it can affect your credit rating. At no point is law enforcement involved and will never be seen on your drivers record.

Laws were passed to allow them to enforce criminal laws civilly is what it amount to. Like I've said on here a few other times, my law enforcement ethics have a big problem with anyone, particularly a private company profiting from enforcing laws. They spout off all the "safeguards" but the truth is, anytime there is money involved, the temptation to fudge results or cheat is there. The name of the game in LE is avoiding the appearance of inappropriately. These cameras fail at doing this. The cities get a small amount of the fine money, but the majority goes to the camera owners. Joe T. Smitherman used to preach, and I've heard it straight from his mouth, if you have to count on and include fine money to balance your budget, you're already in trouble.

Plus I don't like cities trying to be cute and doing an end run around requirement in Alabama law on how criminal charges can be brought, and running a red light is a criminal charge.

I predict some judge or judges will see them for what they are and eventually strike them down. Selma, for a long time supposedly held on to the fine money in received in case they had to give it back. My understanding now though is while saying that they were spending it like a drunken sailor. If they are ever ordered to give it back, it will bankrupt us.

Here in TN we trash them...

My family has gotten 4 letters in mail over the past few years. Never paid one and never will. It is violation of our law to have the cameras there.

It hasn't effected my credit score one single point and they date back almost 7 years now.

Brantley has the speeding cameras, saw them yesterday.

THIS is everything thats wrong with America today. People willing to give up their civil rights for a small degree of perceived safety and security. I can't believe we have fallen so far.

I hope nobody in your family kills anybody from continually running red lights

I understand what you're saying. But they could ticket every 3rd, 5th or whatever car and if half said what you said...REVENUE. That's why, imo, it's just not right.