Stop the DC photo scam commuter tax

[Workin_Hard]

The Non-Resident Violators Compact is an agreement between most states allowing the efficient processing of traffic violation citations across state borders. In practice, the Non-Resident Violator Compact and the Driver’s License Compact allow individual state department of motor vehicles to track citations accrued by a driver in a state that is not their state of residence. In short, any violation in another state, per the Driver’s License Compact and the Non-Resident Violators Compact, will result in administrative action being assessed on a driver’s license in their home state, even if the citation occurs in another state.

Offenses Not Applicable to Non-Resident Violator Compact Procedures:

Certain traffic violation offenses automatically exempt a driver from adhering to the NRVC procedures, including parking violations, registration issues, and vehicle weight limits.

Correction to my earlier post. I recognize that there exists reciprocity between DC and VA on moving violations, specifically those where the violator can be identified. On the speed camera issues, because there is seldom positive identification of the driver (as in my cases) nor acknowledgement by the driver of the ticket by a signature, there exists no concern on the part of VA DMV for these offenses. DC DMV only sent me photos of my car with no image of the driver. I said (truthfully) that I was not driving at that time and they demanded I tell them who was driving. I told them to screw off. End of problem. No issues with VA DMV.

DC's corrupt local government disgusts me. I will not again work within the confines of the city nor spend money there. And if by chance I am there and make use of the roads or services, these are roads and services paid for by my federal tax dollars.

There are myriad problems with the implementation of the speed camera system in DC, all of which show it to be nothing more than the Clown-cil's latest attempt to impose a commuter tax. The 99%-er mentality is alive and well in DC.

There is no reason whatsoever for anyone who does not live with DC cited under the current implementation to ever pay fines associated with the speed cameras. The best solution for DC residents, given that the DC DMV has their greedy hands around your throat, is to move... to Maryland.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by slowlane3

Yes, but assuming that both your figures are correct,

VA's $4 billion goes to maintain 67,867 of state highways State highways in Virginia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

While DC's $100 million goes to maintain only 1,392 miles of public roads Streets and highways of Washington, D.C. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

So, for both jurisdictions, it works out to roughly the same cost per square mile (I haven't done the exact math).

The numbers are correct. What you aren't taking into consideration is the average vehicle trips per mile of road. That is the accurate per capita method of determining road damage created. Virginia road mileage is constituted in majority with subdivision and non-arterial roads which no not act as through routes and have very low average vehicle counts. Conversely DC roads are almost all heavily traveled and average the same vehicle counts daily that many minor arterials carry. So per vehicle mile your numbers are completely thrown out of whack since the average DC road carries 2 or 3 times the traffic as the average Virginia road.

It gets even more complicated when you factor in Truck loads since they constitute a 3900 times great damage ratio for pavement than standard vehicles.

If you want more analysis you'll need to provide me an RFP to analyze :P

Needless to say, DC roads are damaged more so than Virginia because 1) They were built in an era when proper subbase design was not fully understood making it very difficult to actually fix the problem and 2) because they carry more vehicle trips than Virginia roads do on average

[slowlane3]

[quote=spencgr;23155987] I have absolutely no idea where these cameras are placed. (by quote]

Here is an interactive Map (click to enlarge), pinpointing all cameras in DC and nearby MD

http://www.stopbigbrothermd.org/p/speed-camera-location.html (broken link)

[pissedcommuter]

I live work in DC but live in Alexandria outside of the beltway because I simply can't afford to live in the city, or anywhere else. I take 295 North every morning to get to Capitol Hill.

I missed the whole announcement about this speed camera in late november and the 1 month grace period, as my daughter was born in late november and I wasn't commuting in Nov/Dec...and frankly I was completely disconnected from any kind of news.

I returned to work right after Christmas, and apparentlly incurred 4 tickets ranging from $100-$200 within two weeks ranging from Dec. 28 to January 7. Here's the thing--I didn't get the first ticket in the mail until Jan 24--two weeks AFTER the last infraction.

Yes, I was going 57-60 in a 50 mile per hour zone, I fully admit that. As soon as I got my first ticket in the mail almost a month after the actual speeding incident, I slowed way down. Yet I still go more tickets because the notification system is so incredibly slow.

And here's the other thing: I never actually received my last two tickets in the mail. The only way I learned about them was when i got a letter in the mail that saying that I was 30 days late on the payment on the 3rd ticket and it had doubled to $200. I then immediately went on to the DC ticket website and found that I had incurred a 4th ticket, and it had never received it in the mail OR the notification that it had doubled.

At the end of the day, I'll have paid $600 dollars, even though I stopped speeding long ago. If they're going to have this program in place, they should AT LEAST have a system that promptly notifies you of your penalty. If I got pulled over by the cops, I'd know my infraction and penalty on the spot, but in this ridiculous system, I didn't find out I had gotten my first ticket until well after I had incurred my fourth ticket.

[WFW&P]

Originally Posted by dougp

I'm another victim of the DC photo enforced speeding ticket scam for commuters. I received 3 tickets going 61, 59, 63 in a 50mph zone on 295N just north of the Wilson bridge prior to exit 1. The scam is an old story: change the speed limit from 55 to 50 and photo cars speeding as they pass the 50mph sign. The warning of photo enforcement is about 1/2 mile ahead. This was a mobile speed trap and I, along woth thousands like me no doubt, have been commuting on this route for many years. This is nothing but a commuter tax, as has been noted by many people over the years.

OK, the Virginia DMV reciprocates with the DC DMV so you are forced to pay the fine, and legal action seems far fetched - the car was speeding.

But there is something we can do. Boycott DC businesses, all of them. Boycott DC restaurants. Boycott DC events. Perhaps if DC businesses starts losing the money the DC government is stealing from us, there will be a change of heart.

Join me. Stop the DC photo scam commuter tax. Boycott DC!!

You were clocked going 11 mph, 9 mph, & 13 mph over the posted limit. All 3 of those would get you a ticket written by a real police officer.
Though here's a novel idea: slow down, rather than boycotting businesses who have nothing to do with the cameras, boycott the cameras by slowing down. Or does that make too much sense?