Speed Camera Ticket-Any Chance I Can Beat It? (Baltimore: rent, insurance)

[Hudlander]

OK, so within the span of a week I get TWO seperate tickets from the state of Maryland for "speeding" on I-95.
The claim is that I was driving in a work zone at 67 and then 72 MPH on I-95
"NB n/o Kenwood Ave Balt Co"

Basically the area right after I-895 and right before I-695.

Now you couldva fooled me that this area was a work zone. I mean, if we're talking past tense, then yes, I-95 south of I-695 WAS a work zone...but not in the past 6 months.
Heck, from the picture and from my memory, it looks like if an engineering study was done this area would be safe to set the limit at 65 MPH because the road construction (past tense) widened it to have more than enough lanes/shoulder width, and entrances and exits to accommodate full pace highway speed (heck wasn't the POINT of the construction!)

OK...so that's the background.
My questions are

1) IF I decide to fight this in court
A. If I lose could it go on my driving record?
B. If I lose could it effect my insurance?
C. Could the fine be raised (or lowered)?

I understand that pre-payment can't result in point loss or insurance hike, wasn't sure if that still applies if you take it to court.


2) Can you get a continuance after your initial court date?



3) Anyway I can beat this in court?
A. It says on the back the speed monitoring operator isn't required to attend court, but you can request.
I was thinking I might beat it or lower it if I
A. Supenea the service records and by chance find the camera wasn't properly maintened.

4) Also was thinking perhaps if I explain that I was driving at night and that construction hadn't been done here in 6 months and the zone was free of construction for nearly 2 miles this might help explain confusion over how this is considered s "safezone for construction."

5) Any other possible ideas?
-Do I stand a chance?

[macroy]

I think it all depends on how much time/effort you want to spend on this.

This woman (http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Driver-finds-loophole-in-speed-camera-ticket-92551709.html - broken link) spent 5 months of research to get off a $40 ticket - while I applaud her results, I personally would not have found that time worth $40.

As for your questions - I think its more like a parking ticket. It won't affect your driving record/insurance, but it will affect your registration if you don't pay.

[selhars]

Don't know about fighting it, but I think fines in a work zone are doubled so we're talking about way more than a 40.00 ticket -- and 67 in a 55 that's at least one point, no? So I think his insurance WILL go up?

-- Would it help you to go back and take pictures? You say you have aerial pictures of the area at about the time (maybe not at night but even in day might help?

-- How were you caught with a trooper's radar sitting there as men were working? Grill/dash mounted camera?

I don't know about in WORK ZONES specifically because they don't workman to get killed -- but usually if it's a speed camera and not a stop where you're pulled over, that's just the fine, no points.

Definitely find out about that -- IF that's the case then your only consideration is the amount of the fine.

Also getting a lawyer MIGHT help. Lawyers for speeding tickets are only a few hundred bucks. Weight that against the fine and the points, and the increased insurance over three years, and it MIGHT be worth it. Hey, a consult is free.

Again maybe not in work zones but most speed zones with cameras are set a certain amount OVER the limit. So they give some leeway before they 'getcha.' FOR FUTURE REFERENCE find out if that's so in work zones and what that leeway is and just down down to that safe speed. Also if you fight it you could make your case and AFTER it's clear and only if it's clear you wont' get of you could ask if the speed fine be reduced to that amount.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Fight it. Give it a shot.

[Merc63]

Originally Posted by selhars

Don't know about fighting it, but I think fines in a work zone are doubled so we're talking about way more than a 40.00 ticket -- and 67 in a 55 that's at least one point, no? So I think his insurance WILL go up?

There's no points as there's no proof of actual driver. It's just like a red light ticket in that regards. Simple taxation without having to pay for a real officer to see real offenses.

Like red light cameras, this is a boon to criminals as they dont' have to worry about getting pulled over and have wants and warrants pulled up. And if youre drunk, no DWI charges. And if you stole the car, it's on the owner. And hell, if it's your spouse's car, it's on them unless they testify against you (which was supposedly sort of illegal to force that issue).

As for fighting it, the only time I'd fight it was if it was blatantly obvious that someone else triggered the camera. Remember, radar takes it's reading from the largest object in it's view, not the closest.

Local governments have a motive to use the cameras to impose a tax on out-of-town drivers, and they do not meet their revenue goals by conforming to the driving public's opinion of what is "fair". Some towns have set up deliberate traps by lowering speed limits, placing cameras in concealed locations immediately after a drop in the speed limit, and/or by failing to post the legally required signage. Many of the new "school zone" cameras going up in Baltimore and Prince George's are in school zones that were created solely for speed camera use and were never considered or marked as school zones before. And they run whehter a nearby school is in session or not (like, say, 6 AM Sunday morning) The cameras are run by private companies who typically get a cut out of every citation. These companies conduct studies to find locations where the existing limit is FAR below what traffic engineering standards recommend (the 85th percentile speed) and where people are most likely to exceed the speed limit (often unintentionally). Those companies are very good at that. "The U.S. photo enforcement industry is projected to be doing an estimated $150M per year in revenue and total available market could be 35,000 intersections in the near future, which would make it a nearly $1B industry in the U.S. alone."

[Hudlander]

If I go to court though...and lose...the fine can not be increased from $40 nor can points be taken off...so really aside from time I have nothing to lose?

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

That's right. you might also contact Michael Dresser at the Sun and let him know that speed cameras are erroneously generating work zone tickets. That's the sort of thing they like to write about.

[jland]

Something needs to be clarified here.

A camera takes a picture of the vehicle, there is no proof of who was driving, therefore no points can be assessed. The titled owner of the vehicle is responsbile for paying the ticket.

And to answer the original question, to beat it, you would have to demonstrate conclusively that there is a flaw (like the radar on the camera is miscalibrated, or that the license plate is not for your car). Other than that, little chance of getting out of it.

[sherry holcomb]

My son-in law's wife received a"camera" ticket, $89. He has just returned from serving our country in Iraq, and hasn't been able to find work. It took him 6 wks to get his unemployment which was limited??? He has 3 children under the age of 3. They are 3 mnths behind on vehicle pmt and all utilities and rent are behind as well. My question is this: With all of these "needs", is this citation priority? Does he legally have to pay this instead of his electric bill?

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by sherry holcomb

My son-in law's wife received a"camera" ticket, $89. He has just returned from serving our country in Iraq, and hasn't been able to find work. It took him 6 wks to get his unemployment which was limited??? He has 3 children under the age of 3. They are 3 mnths behind on vehicle pmt and all utilities and rent are behind as well. My question is this: With all of these "needs", is this citation priority? Does he legally have to pay this instead of his electric bill?

Easy solution: mail them a check for $89.