Photo tickets

[phenom5]

Ugh...I got nailed on Broadway last night...I think...by that stupid photo enforcement van. They park it right after the speed limit drops down to 30mph.

So what's the consensus...if I get the "ticket" in the mail, should I ignore it? Seems like everybody has "a friend" that ignored a photo ticket without any problems, but I don't know. From what I can tell from reading online, the initial contact by mail is not actually a ticket, or from the City of Tucson, but something from the camera company. If I respond I am liable. If not, they have to serve me within 120 days.

Seems like the risk/ reward is that if I avoid being served I am good. If not, the price of my ticket goes up $35.

[Merkin]

Ugh...I got nailed on Broadway last night...I think...by that stupid photo enforcement van. They park it right after the speed limit drops down to 30mph.

So what's the consensus...if I get the "ticket" in the mail, should I ignore it? Seems like everybody has "a friend" that ignored a photo ticket without any problems, but I don't know. From what I can tell from reading online, the initial contact by mail is not actually a ticket, or from the City of Tucson, but something from the camera company. If I respond I am liable. If not, they have to serve me within 120 days.

Seems like the risk/ reward is that if I avoid being served I am good. If not, the price of my ticket goes up $35.

Avoiding the server worked for my brother in law. He just told his kids never to answer the door. Finally they gave up.

[PieceOfMeat]

If you believe it's a bogus place to get a ticket, then...assuming you get one...take it and fight it in court.

Or, just be like everyone else and throw personal accountability out the window even though you were breaking the law. Everything I've ever heard is if you can avoid being served, you can avoid the ticket.

[Spaceman Spiff]

You could always fake your death and start a new life in Mexico. It's an out of the box solution, but it applies in most major life choices.

[ASUHATER!]

Pay the ticket. You broke a simple law. End of worry and confusion. Only ticket I've ever received was in that exact same spot on Broadway from a photo van. Paid the ticket and moved on with life.

[Jefe]

Dont pay the ticket if you haven't been traffic school in the last 2 years. Online course is pretty simple but takes 3-4 hours. In person is 4 hours but you get to hear everyone complain about the law. If you pay the ticket it stays on your record for 3 years and insurance could go up

Hate that stretch between Campbell and Euclid. 30mph is assanine

[Daryl Zero]

I agree with Jefe about taking the class.

Here is an article from The Tucson Weekly on photo tickets (from 2007 so may not be uptodate):

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/how- ... id=1087324

As photo radar becomes more popular with City Hall, enterprising violators are coming up with strategies for beating it. If you get caught speeding or running a red light by photo radar, the evidence against you--a photo or videotape of the violation--is pretty clear-cut. But there is at least one legal strategy available to you.

Arizona law requires that you get your traffic citation from a police officer or a process server. Since the tickets that are mailed to violators don't meet that legal standard, you have the option of tossing the citation in the trash.

If you do that, however, police officers or the company that runs the cameras can then send a cop or a process server to deliver the summons--and you're going to have to pay for it. In Scottsdale, it adds $26 to your fine.

Here's the trick: The city has only 120 days to serve you, so if you can dodge the process server for about four months, the ticket is dismissed.

You can also make it harder for authorities to find you by listing a post-office box as your address on your car's registration. That will require police or the company to do a little extra detective work to hunt down your address. You can make it an even more tangled legal trail by registering your car under the name of a corporation.

And here's another article:

http://www.nophotoenforcement.com/fight-a-ticket/

[prh]

If you do that, however, police officers or the company that runs the cameras can then send a cop or a process server to deliver the summons--and you're going to have to pay for it. In Scottsdale, it adds $26 to your fine.

Here's the trick: The city has only 120 days to serve you, so if you can dodge the process server for about four months, the ticket is dismissed.

You can also make it harder for authorities to find you by listing a post-office box as your address on your car's registration. That will require police or the company to do a little extra detective work to hunt down your address. You can make it an even more tangled legal trail by registering your car under the name of a corporation.

I've always heard that if you're an out of stater that you can safely ignore the cameras/tickets. Does this basically confirm that? I have an out of state license and vehicle registration but live in town. I have had a previous ticket (cited by an officer) and he took down my local address, so maybe that makes me out of luck anyways.

[Salty]

Many people ignore the tickets and it works perfectly well for them.

[scumdevils86]

I was turning to go east on Grant at the Swan intersection yesterday on a green light and the stupid flash of the camera went off in my face. I was the only one turning so it kind of confused me. I don't know why it woulda gone off like it was in my face when there was a green light.

[CalStateTempe]

In salty world, ignoring a photo ticket is grounds for death.

[Jefe]

I have heard of licenses getting suspended due to ignoring the tickets so be careful...

I always put my visor down when going through lights or passing the van. Cant cite someone they cant identify

[azgreg]

I once ignored a photo speeding ticket and got a summons hand delivered. Had to pay an additional service fee.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I was turning to go east on Grant at the Swan intersection yesterday on a green light and the stupid flash of the camera went off in my face. I was the only one turning so it kind of confused me. I don't know why it woulda gone off like it was in my face when there was a green light.

I've caught sun reflections that looked like flashes and it scared the heck out of me.

This thread is now into the legal and moral underpinnings of society. Intriguing.

[Alieberman]

My 95 year old gramma even knows not to pay those tickets

[phenom5]

Yes, I am just glad that my wanton disregard for the law...going 40 mph down Broadway...didn't get anyone killed.

But in the end, I'll probably do the traffic school. A few hundred bucks isn't worth potentially getting my license suspended or having a freakin bench warrant or something stupid.

And for the record, yes Jefe, that 30 mph stretch is ridiculous. The fact that TPD constantly parks that freakin photo enforcement van there to nail people is even more ridiculous.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Most drivers in Tucson rarely crack 30 regardless of the speed limit.

[Alieberman]

Just got back to Tucson after working out of town for the last 10 days. I was literally greeted back home by a process server for a photo ticket I received a couple months ago.

Great to be back home.

Ticket was for going 47 in a 35 on Speedway near Wilmot. Can't believe it is only a 35 mph zone there.

[ASUHATER!]

Just got back to Tucson after working out of town for the last 10 days. I was literally greeted back home by a process server for a photo ticket I received a couple months ago.

Great to be back home.

Ticket was for going 47 in a 35 on Speedway near Wilmot. Can't believe it is only a 35 mph zone there.

It's no more than 35-40 anywhere on speedway

[84Cat]

My wife got a ticket for going 41 on Speedway about 10 years ago. She got no mercy at all.

[Daryl Zero]

I've seen the signs all over the place about outlawing the photo tickets.
I have seen behavior significantly change at lights where typical bad Tucson driving (running red lights all of the time) and accidents were the norm. As much as people have complained about the photo enforcement, I think its a good thing and makes certain intersections much safer.

[rgdeuce]

I don't have any issues using them for red lights. I think they dramatically lessen accidents in intersections and save lives. I know they have faults they need to be addressed, but the pros far outweigh the cons. The ones for speeding though are idiotic. You are going to pop the people who aren't from Tucson, but the people who use those roads on their daily commute will just slow down til they pass and then slam on the gas after. The two I passed most frequently, River Road/East of Campbell, and Wetmore as it turns into Ruthrauff west of the Tucson Mall, thats all people did. Lot of accidents and near accidents because people were slamming on their breaks to not get flashed, and lots of people flying after to make sure they still could beat the nearby traffic lights.

I'd be careful on the avoiding the camera tickets. I still think the timelines of four months apply for them to serve you with the ticket, but theres been multiple incidents of people avoiding it for that time, but whoever was in charge of serving it lied or mistakenly checked the box that it had been served. In those cases, the burden of proof is on you to prove they never gave it to you. May be difficult unless you can prove you were somewhere specific at that certain time, work, vacation, or jury duty, being the only places I can think of being able to come up with clear cut proof.

[Longhorned]

They tried to serve my brother-in-law several times, with him and his family hiding in the house with the blinds closed, shushing when the doorbell rang. Then one day the server just walked up to the door and instead of ringing it, waited. When there was enough noise to indicate people were clearly inside the house, he slipped the document through the door, checked the box, and drove away. Served.

[scumdevils86]

The red light cameras just seem exceedingly dangerous to me. I've never had a ticket in my life and don't plan on getting one but I'm always a much more overly cautious and potentially dangerous driver in those intersections. Everyone hesitates and freaks out about it...which leads to much worse accidents.

[Alieberman]

The red light cameras just seem exceedingly dangerous to me. I've never had a ticket in my life and don't plan on getting one but I'm always a much more overly cautious and potentially dangerous driver in those intersections. Everyone hesitates and freaks out about it...which leads to much worse accidents.

I don't think that's statistically true.

I hate the photo vans but have zero problem with red light cameras.

[scumdevils86]

Wasn't saying it as an absolute...just based on how I feel and how other people feel and react. Most people I talk to feel like it makes them a more dangerous driver. Speed and red light cameras.

[Alieberman]

Wasn't saying it as an absolute...just based on how I feel and how other people feel and react. Most people I talk to feel like it makes them a more dangerous driver. Speed and red light cameras.

Basing your thinking on how you feel and not on facts? Are you sure you're not still a republican?

[catgrad97]

News to me after the UCLA weekend that Tucson still does photo tickets for speeding. Drivers were roaring 50 or better up and down Euclid with impunity.

Probably, like rgdeuce is pointing out, they're trying to hit the lights and they don't care who gets in their way in between.

In retrospect, I didn't see one red light runner, which is an unusual improvement for even a day drive in Tucson. Then again, I stayed off rgdeuce's River and Wetmore "parkways" which, judging from their speeds, drivers have been basically using for years as substitute east-west freeways.

[scumdevils86]

Wasn't saying it as an absolute...just based on how I feel and how other people feel and react. Most people I talk to feel like it makes them a more dangerous driver. Speed and red light cameras.

Basing your thinking on how you feel and not on facts? Are you sure you're not still a republican?

touche

[rgdeuce]

They tried to serve my brother-in-law several times, with him and his family hiding in the house with the blinds closed, shushing when the doorbell rang. Then one day the server just walked up to the door and instead of ringing it, waited. When there was enough noise to indicate people were clearly inside the house, he slipped the document through the door, checked the box, and drove away. Served.

I'm almost 100 percent certain that is an improper serving, but again, burden is on you to prove it. My understanding is, simply slipping it under the door even when you know someone is inside is not valid. They have to hand it directly to the person, either identifying you by name (are you Michael Jackson?) or recognizing your face because they have a picture of you from the photo. Slip it under the door, who is to say my toddler doesn't pick it up and hide it and I never know about it? Hand it to my wife, who is to say she ever gave it to me, I cant be held personally responsible because SHE knew what it was and tossed it out because SHE did not know the law.

Catgrad, to my knowledge, the speeding cameras in Tucson are done, it's only red light cameras now.

[azgreg]

Many years ago I got a photo radar ticket in the mail from Scottsdale. I ignored it. About 2 weeks later I got served at home and had to pay an additional service fee.

[UAEebs86]

They tried to serve my brother-in-law several times, with him and his family hiding in the house with the blinds closed, shushing when the doorbell rang. Then one day the server just walked up to the door and instead of ringing it, waited. When there was enough noise to indicate people were clearly inside the house, he slipped the document through the door, checked the box, and drove away. Served.

I'm almost 100 percent certain that is an improper serving, but again, burden is on you to prove it. My understanding is, simply slipping it under the door even when you know someone is inside is not valid. They have to hand it directly to the person, either identifying you by name (are you Michael Jackson?) or recognizing your face because they have a picture of you from the photo. Slip it under the door, who is to say my toddler doesn't pick it up and hide it and I never know about it? Hand it to my wife, who is to say she ever gave it to me, I cant be held personally responsible because SHE knew what it was and tossed it out because SHE did not know the law.

Catgrad, to my knowledge, the speeding cameras in Tucson are done, it's only red light cameras now.

Permanent cameras gone. Still two photo vans for speeding. Radio and TV announce locations every day.

[scumdevils86]

and one of those vans is seemingly in front of my house on prince and campbell 2 days a week or more.

[rgdeuce]

I havent seen one of those vans in years. Rarely in Tucson though, and do mostly freeway driving.