Southlake red light questions (Arlington, Mesquite: insurance, sex offenders, crimes)

[alphadeepsix]

Got my first red light ticket after 20 years of driving...took a right in Southlake on FM 1709 the day before Xmas. Didn't come to a full stop, no oncoming traffic, just your basic right on red. GOt a citation in the mail for $75 with an online link where I can see the incident occur, etc.

Researched this online and there are a lot of complaints about this "money maker of a scam." To wit there's no way out of it; one guy on some forum states that he arranged a court hearing, but there's no trial by jury for this in Southlake. Instead he had to proclaim his side to (biased) officials of the city, including a "rookie" police officer, all of course who found him guilty.

The more I read the angrier I get. The red light cameras have been banned in many cities due to safey reasons -- people become so afraid of them that they slam on their brakes at yellow and cause rear-end collisions. The more you read, the more unjust Southlake's policy sounds.

So here's my question -- the citation states that this will not go on my record or to my insurance agency, nor will it be reported to the police as it is a civil fine only. It states however that if I don't pay by next month, I'll get a $25 fee, and "may" be reported to a collection agency "and/or" reported to the county assessor-collector or the Texas Department of Transportation who "may" refuse to register a motor vehicle alleged to have been involved in the violation.

Sounds like a lot of "mays" in there to me...and all of it verbiage from Southlake's official policies. So does anyone know? Do they actually report you to a collection agency over $25?? Would the assessor-collector really refuse to register my car over a "right on red" violation in Southlake Texas?

[nsumner]

It's not just a Southlake rule, many cities have these rules. I got a ticket in Mesquite last year for speeding on 635 going 64 in a 60. Ticket was $110, when I went to the courthouse, they told me that if I pay the $110 it still goes to my insurance agency but if I took a defensive driving class, it wouldn't. So I opted for that. Then they said, the judge has decided that if you pay $300 today you don't have to take the defensive driving class and it won't get reported to the insurance office.

I ended up taking the class and paying the $110.

[skids929]

All of these cameras are a complete violation of basic civil rights. If they want to use them to check registrations etc fine, but to have people being watched for traffic violations is ridiculous. I hate it when I am down there visiting; I was paranoid I was going to get a ticket in the mail for a light turning yellow. As an out of state driver I agree with the OP said about it making people worried.

They've tried to get these laws passed up here in the Northeast, not going over well in most places. And if they are going to use surveillance use it for actual crimes that matter, not freakin traffic violations-gimme a break. What is this Utopia?! How about putting the cameras outside a registered sex offenders house instead.

These techniques are a complete money-making sham, waste of YOUR tax payer dollars on technology that violates your rights. Why not just put bars up around the city for pete-sake. I mean I am not a criminal, I abide by the law, so in the end it doesn't effect me, but it violates my right to privacy. And mainly becuase I don't trust Cops/Governments to do the right thing with the information those cameras provide. They're all crooks if you ask me.

Or how about this as an idea. Lobby for this..For each camera they install it replaces one Cops job. I mean they shouldn't be needed anymore. I bet that logic would go over well with the City. They want to have their cake and eat it too, on YOUR dime. I will step down from my soap box now..

[towhomitmayconcern]

I got a ticket for the same thing and I had never had a ticket before. I've been driving 10 years now. I was upset about that one, because it ruined my perfect record. I know it doesn't go on your record if you pay it, but my own personal record to myself (silly I know). I was at fault though, and so whatever. I paid it and moved on. I just got my second ticket in 2 months. I thought there had to be a mistake, because I over exaggerate my stops at that specific light now. I viewed the video and a truck in front of me ran the red light after it had just turned red. I clearly couldn't see, since the truck obstructed my view of the light. This is ridiculous. No cop would have given tickets for either of these offenses. It's just some person sitting on their butt watching the video that doesn't have any relation to the police department (it's a private run company that monitors those cameras). They get it signed off by a cop. It's so wrong and gets my blood boiling.

[stanwood]

Got a ticket in, I think, the same intersection. Davis and 1709? Moderator cut: language Come and get me. It's a civil fine with nothing possible against your record. If they want to come after me for $75 then let them come. There is enough precedence on your side as a citizen then they'll never win. Red light cameras aren't about safety, they're about revenue.

[Trance750]

FYI: Southlake Police love to write tickets. They are almost as bad as Pantego and Dalworthington Gardens.

[Trance750]

Originally Posted by stanwood

Got a ticket in, I think, the same intersection. Davis and 1709? Moderator cut: language Come and get me. It's a civil fine with nothing possible against your record. If they want to come after me for $75 then let them come. There is enough precedence on your side as a citizen then they'll never win. Red light cameras aren't about safety, they're about revenue.

And you can fight it in court as you have a Constiutional Right to cross-examine your accuser. Kinda hard to cross-examine and inanimate object.

[Pete53FR]

I think the real trick is to come to a full stop wait and couple of seconds and turn if clear. Do not roll go from stopped dead in tracts to a turn. I believe that red light cameras cause a lot of rear end collisions.

[trc_everything]

While glancing down the list of thread topics, I initially misread this topic as "Southlake red light district" and was immediately amused...

But ayway, I was mailed one of these tickets for a violation in Arlington. I was out of state when the ticket arrived, but apparently they turn to warrants VERY quickly. What a headache - and yes, it was sent to my insurance agency.

[wildbill80]

Originally Posted by trc_everything

While glancing down the list of thread topics, I initially misread this topic as "Southlake red light district" and was immediately aroused...

Fixed.