Posted on 10/17/2012 4:06:25 AM PDT by markomalley
City lawmakers on Tuesday answered a mounting chorus of motorists who say the District is burdening them with pricey traffic-camera fines in an attempt to balance the local budget under the banner of public safety.
A trio of D.C. Council members introduced the Safety-Based Traffic Enforcement Act of 2012 to cap fines at $50 for certain moving violations, such as exceeding the speed limit by up to 20 mph, blocking an intersection, failing to yield to a pedestrian, running a stop sign, failing to stop before turning right at a red light and turning right on red where it is prohibited.
Fines previously could exceed $100, and speeders faced tickets ranging from $75 to $150 for the various violations.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
For those who don't do DC traffic much, a warning: speed cameras in the District used to be pretty easy to spot. In the past few months, they have been hiding them behind bridge pillars, in shrubs, etc. (I got nailed with two $150 "commuter tax assessments" from a camera on 295 and Benning within 2 weeks...got the second "assessment" before I even got the first notice in the mail). I now have joined the legion of people who won't go through the District unless I have a stop I must make inside the District.
fyi
In England, they hang petrol-soaked tyres on them and light them afire. There is a whole website with dozens of pictures.....NEAT!
Inspirational. But hardly unique.
Over here, they install cameras to watch the speed cameras.
WJLA: Prince George's County security cameras to watch speed cameras
So I just wonder when they will station cops to watch the security cameras watching the traffic cameras watching the drivers?
You have to make their cost of doing business extremely prohibitive.
As far as I’m concerned, they should change the first day of hunting season, to the first day of ‘camera’ season.
I belong to that Legion after paying two $100 dollar fines I just stay the hell out of DC.
There is nothing there I can’t get elsewhere. The one on Branch Avenue got me rolling down the hill, My foot was nowhere near the accelerator.I was nowhere near in a hurry,but 25 is hard to maintain going down that hill.
Oh Well: I paid it and now I just stay away from there.
It it’s “only about safety”, as is always the claim, and not about revenue, then surely no objection would be raised to earmarking those fines solely for property tax relief to seniors, veterans, disabled, charity, etc.
Right? Right?
Crickets chirping...
DC isn't the only offender. I got caught this past summer in Bowie, on a big open stretch of 301, with no traffic in sight. For out of towners, this road is a divided, dual land, limited access highway. It does have at-grade crossings and occasional stoplights, but it's open driving, and speedcammed to catch the unwary.
Lest anyone think I am Johnnie Leadfoot, I have never had a traffic citation from a police officer. Only the cameras.
In traditional speed traps, towns at least had to pay the police officer to lurk under cover, munching his donuts while awaiting his victims. Now the camera does the dirty work.
I have no objections to speed cams in residential neighborhoods where chronic speeding is a danger to pedestrians. Nor would I object to policing the red light jumpers. But that's not where DC concentrates its efforts.
It’s nothing to do with public safety but all about $$$.
I don’t understand why they are not stolen- gotta be worth a few bucks (no hunting pun intended)
295 in DC is a trap from start to end.
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