Traffic tickets from cameras in Seattle and big brother (Bellevue: sales, high school)

[usernametaken]

I got a $124 ticket in the mail yesterday because it seems like I did not come to a complete stop at a red light. However, the photo from the camera shows that my brake lights are on...so at the least, I did almost come to a complete stop. There are two photos, and the first one shows another car coming from the right and making a left turn and the second photo shows that car is gone when I am making my right turn. So at the very least, I had an "almost" complete stop/pause at the red light!!

How likely is it that I can have this ticket overturned in court?

Are there a lot of traffic cameras in Seattle and Bellevue in comparison to other big cities?

The ticket issuer provides a website with video footage too, but I can't open the video and it doesn't state what kind of plugin I need.

Also, any advice on how I can get back $124 from the government without doing anything illegal? e.g., my friend gets a low-cost bus pass for the disabled because he feels like the government charges too much for license plate fees and renewals. So even though he has a minor disability (slight limp), he gets the bus pass for the disabled in order to make up. Most taxpayers will probably not agree with his method, but I am okay with it even if it means that I end up paying more taxes to support the cheaters.

I do not want to get on this disability scam, but if there are better legal but nefarious ways to get back my money from the government, I would like to hear about them!

Thanks.

[Dthraco]

I got one while in Lynwood. Same story.

Best to pay it, and move on.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by usernametaken

I got a $124 ticket in the mail yesterday because it seems like I did not come to a complete stop at a red light. However, the photo from the camera shows that my brake lights are on...so at the least, I did almost come to a complete stop. There are two photos, and the first one shows another car coming from the right and making a left turn and the second photo shows that car is gone when I am making my right turn. So at the very least, I had an "almost" complete stop/pause at the red light!!

How likely is it that I can have this ticket overturned in court?

Are there a lot of traffic cameras in Seattle and Bellevue in comparison to other big cities?

The ticket issuer provides a website with video footage too, but I can't open the video and it doesn't state what kind of plugin I need.

Also, any advice on how I can get back $124 from the government without doing anything illegal? e.g., my friend gets a low-cost bus pass for the disabled because he feels like the government charges too much for license plate fees and renewals. So even though he has a minor disability (slight limp), he gets the bus pass for the disabled in order to make up. Most taxpayers will probably not agree with his method, but I am okay with it even if it means that I end up paying more taxes to support the cheaters.

I do not want to get on this disability scam, but if there are better legal but nefarious ways to get back my money from the government, I would like to hear about them!

Thanks.

Sorry, "almost"' doesn't mean anything in the eyes of the law.

As for your friend, and your idea of this disability thing...well I won't say what I'd like to say...if I did I'd get kicked off of C-D.

[usernametaken]

Well it could have been "almost" or it could have even been a complete stop. I said at the very least the photo proves that I braked.

I don't agree with my friend, but I hate big government so much these days that I didn't really get mad about his type of abuse of the system. I always enjoy hearing about ways in which people rob the government legally no matter how evil the scheme.

Middle class people pay over 50 percent in direct and indirect taxes based on some accountant's calculations on radio when I was living in Cleveland. Add these types of crazy fines and we pay even more.

Today a lady got into my lane really abruptly because she had to take the next exit. Now even though I didn't like it, I would never wish her to be fined $124 by a camera catching her doing that. And yesterday a lady touched me from behind because she was chatting to her teen. She even got out of her car to apologize and told me that she was debating her teen in the bumper to bumper traffic. I still would not wish a camera giving her a ticket, but that could happen in the future. I should have the right to decide on whether I should file charges about the fender bender and not a camera.

=======

I suspect many people on here (and in society) are anti-scamming the government and pro-camera enforced strict traffic laws, so I hope only those who can answer my question respond instead of those trying to tell me I am wrong! I won't change my opinion about these things.

For people who have an opposing view, the good news for you (and terrible news for me) is that in future, big government might have cameras in all cars or implanted in you too, and they will have access to you facebook account and gmail account too:-)

[Inkpoe]

You hate big gov't and you live in Seattle, WA? How's that working for ya?

Nah, seriously... I knew one person who fought it and got it removed. But she was a crazy B, so I'm sure anyone would do what she wanted them to do.

For viewing the video, it says you can check it at any Seattle Public Library branch. It does say what program you need to view the video. Municipal Court of Seattle - Ticket Payment (Note: it does say that each citation is viewed by a Police officer who makes a judgement call... apparently they expect it to be "complete" stop.)

[usernametaken]

Love Seattle. Seattle type big government is the norm these days though so you can't escape it unless you move to China or Russia (joke).

Ok just saw the video and it seems like I stopped for 2.1 seconds per the data on the online pictures (which I missed in the paper photos). My friend tells me that you have to stop for 3 seconds, and since its the end of the year, they didn't let me get away with it most likely due to budget related reasons.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by usernametaken

Well it could have been "almost" or it could have even been a complete stop. I said at the very least the photo proves that I braked.

I don't agree with my friend, but I hate big government so much these days that I didn't really get mad about his type of abuse of the system. I always enjoy hearing about ways in which people rob the government legally no matter how evil the scheme.

Middle class people pay over 50 percent in direct and indirect taxes based on some accountant's calculations on radio when I was living in Cleveland. Add these types of crazy fines and we pay even more.

Today a lady got into my lane really abruptly because she had to take the next exit. Now even though I didn't like it, I would never wish her to be fined $124 by a camera catching her doing that. And yesterday a lady touched me from behind because she was chatting to her teen. She even got out of her car to apologize and told me that she was debating her teen in the bumper to bumper traffic. I still would not wish a camera giving her a ticket, but that could happen in the future. I should have the right to decide on whether I should file charges about the fender bender and not a camera.

=======

I suspect many people on here (and in society) are anti-scamming the government and pro-camera enforced strict traffic laws, so I hope only those who can answer my question respond instead of those trying to tell me I am wrong! I won't change my opinion about these things.

For people who have an opposing view, the good news for you (and terrible news for me) is that in future, big government might have cameras in all cars or implanted in you too, and they will have access to you facebook account and gmail account too:-)

Braking is not the same thing as stopping...again in the eyes of the law that does not matter.

Do you realize that you talk about scamming the government you are stealing from me and all the other tax paying citzens of this country...and by doing you are only adding to big government?

[usernametaken]

Of course I realize that (re-read third last row of my first post). But if enough people scam, it would all come to an end. They already have overcapacity in jails.

They are at 50 percent taxation. I doubt they can raise taxes much more without an open revolt.

Ideally, sales taxes should be a lot higher and everything else much lower. Would help the environment too.

Even more ideally, government should be much smaller.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by usernametaken

Love Seattle. Seattle type big government is the norm these days though so you can't escape it unless you move to China or Russia (joke).

Ok just saw the video and it seems like I stopped for 2.1 seconds per the data on the online pictures (which I missed in the paper photos). My friend tells me that you have to stop for 3 seconds, and since its the end of the year, they didn't let me get away with it most likely due to budget related reasons.

I'd fight it if I were you, if you have the time. I got a 124 dollar ticket from a camera for speeding in a school zone in front of Renton High School. I was going 26 MPH in a 20 MPH zone. I paid it, since I guess I was actually speeding, though I wasn't endangering some dumb teenager. A teenager should be smart enough to know how to cross a street, and not jaywalk in front of someone who has a green light.
But in your case, you made a complete stop, even if only for 2.1 seconds.

[usernametaken]

And here I have to make a confession...

I got a driving license in Ohio fairly recently, and I have not converted it to a Washington license even though I have lived here for 4 months. I hated the idea of giving more money to the government again after getting a new driving license, even if its a different state we are talking about here.

My one concern is that if I go to court, they will find that out. It seems like they can't charge me for another offense at the court, but I am still feeling a bit guilty and foolish for not changing my license sooner. If they notice that, they might not waive this ticket thinking that I am a serial law violater.