Redflex Traffic Systems

[PHXLavaVibe]

I am currious to know if anyone here has ever received a traffic violation ticket in the mail from Redflex.We have tons of these annoying "fixed" cameras all over Arizona. I was driving on the SR 51 freeway last Thursday and caught a flash in my peripheral vision. I looked down at my speedometer and noticed that I was doing somewhere between 65 and 70mph. A few seconds later I spotted a speed limit sign for 55mph. Stupid me!!! I was driving with the flow of traffic and not paying attention to my speed. I guess I had gotten used to the 65mph speed limit on most of our other freeways in the valley. I wasn't sure if it was me that got flashed or not though. The thought of getting a ticket in the mail has been bugging me all week, so I spent a good portion of this morning researching Redflex Traffic Systems and came accross their contact number. I called the number stating my curiosity and was given yet another number to call. When I called the second number I was asked to provide my License Plate number and after a brief moment I was informed that I was infact being sited for speeding and that the sitation is already in the mail.I am not sure how much this sitation is going to cost me but I was told it would be in the range of $180. This really sucks! I was anticipating the upcomming 3-day weekend and having some fun. Now I have to watch my spending so that I can cover this ticket.If you have had any run-ins with Redflex systems post 'em up and share in my grief.Sincerely,Speed Demon"We're all going to hell, and I'm driving the bus!"

[jake75]

Around here it is in place for red light runners (no sympathy from me on that score) but use to nab "speeders" is news to me. If they ticketed everyone going 60+ in the 55mph downtown sections of our freeways the city could roll back the income tax instead of asking for an increase. You would get rear ended driving less than 60 mph there.I'd bet that they give you 10mph leeway - you were just over that. If our forefathers thought taxation without representation was bad, they ought to see what it is now with representation.One good thing - I think you do not get any points if caught by camera - it is a civil penalty, not a criminal offense. I do not know if it is reported to insurance companies.

[jimincalif]

I was not aware of those cameras on my last trip to the Phx area, I drive much like you, keeping up with traffic. Then saw a TV report on them while staying there. I know I sped past a couple of them, but this was back in January and I was driving a rental car, so if I did get photo'd it never caught up with me.Don't know about the legality of this stuff, but if they ever install those cameras here in Taxifornia, I'm getting some a can of it: http://www.magicphotoblocker.com/index.htm

[PHXLavaVibe]

I am fairly certain that they do have a 10mph leeway. I had to be 1 or 2 over. They have them here for red light runners, illeagle turns at an intersection (both left and right) and speeding. The ones on the freeways for speeding are quite dangerous if you are not paying attention. I don't know how many times some idiot has slammed on their brakes infront of me to avoid getting flashed. The flash is really bad at night too...blinding!Everyone speeds on our freeways too...they just slow down dramatically when approaching the cameras.These tickets do not count against your points or insurance THANK GOD!!! Although, I don't know what is worse...the points and higher premiums or my wife being upset at me and nagging me everytime I get behind the wheel from now on.

[jimincalif]

Quote, originally posted by PHXLavaVibe »Although, I don't know what is worse...the points and higher premiums or my wife being upset at me and nagging me everytime I get behind the wheel from now on.Clearly the latter. Never cross SWMBO.

[djkeev]

Hi,I see no problem with this. Payment of fines for speeding and other moving violations is simply a form of voluntary taxation.You KNOW that you are doing the crime most of the time so pay up.This is not unlike taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. You don't need either of these items so if you choose to partake, you choose to pay the taxes that come with them.Actually our nations highways are basically lawless zones where almost everyone ignores the posted speed limits routinely. The odds of getting caught are slim, often you are simply going with the flow, why should I obey the law??I'll take it a step farther......I am all for horrendously high fines and stepped up enforcement of the traffic laws. I really think that an 18 wheeler should have traffic fines in the multiples of thousands of dollars for each offense. Cars should also be high but the big rigs are much more likely to kill than a car is. Then if the weather is bad such as rain, snow or ice that warrants obedience to or even to travel at less than the speed limit posted, double or triple those fines. For instance, 18 wheelers in a blizzard driving in such a manner that he has no control should he need to stop on turn quickly, should have the vehicle impounded on the spot and not released until all fines are paid in full.Let these knowing violators begin to pay off the States debt load on a "volunteer" basis.So yes, ticket away folks! Let's bring some obedience to the traffic laws and thus a safer highway system to the USA.my 2xSorry about your financially tight weekend but you made a choice.Dave

[Wolfman213]

I bet if you still had the Vibe, you would have been perfectly fine haha. Sorry just had to rib ya about that.

[tribalman]

i hate these things. i've seen signs for "automated traffic control" but i haven't seen the actual machines. around my city they just installed the light enforcing ones. i hate these too. i like to trip them without running the light. if you decelerate slightly faster than that are programmed to ignore they'll take a picture. i'm just hoping i'm wasting someone's time who has to sort through them.the whole speeding issue on the highways is freaking stupid. a long time ago i got a speeding ticket on an empty highway late at night. 73mph. but yet during rush hour you'll get passed if you do that speed. i think that's crap. i want to see more cops out during rush hour actually pulling people over for speeding 80+. or constant lane changes to shave that 30 seconds from the commute, or no turn signals. since i got my vibe and i'm the one who pays for it my driving has gone very defensive. no more speeding(other than pacing traffic). never did run red or yellow lights. no rolling stops either.eh, the old, keep the honest people honest argument i guess.

[Kari]

The town where my parents live has the red light cameras...a couple of nearby towns have the speeding camera AND the red light camera. The red light one only bugs me because they changed the timing of the lights when they installed them and the yellows are shorter now, so they are causing rear-end crashes, including one involving a semi that hurt some people pretty badly. (The person in the car in front of the semi slammed on the brakes...semi couldn't stop in time.)The speeding cameras that I know of in Mt. Carmel, TN and Morristown, TN have absolutely NO leeway. If you are going 51 in a 50 you will get a ticket. That to me is unfair, because that is within the manufacturer's tolerance for speedometer accuracy.RedFlex gets most of the $$$ from these tickets anyway. They install the cameras for free in exchange for a percentage of the ticket "profits." The police dept gets the rest. Out of your $180 ticket, RedFlex will probably get at least $100.

[jake75]

Quote, originally posted by Kari »RedFlex gets most of the $$$ from these tickets anyway. They install the cameras for free in exchange for a percentage of the ticket "profits." The police dept gets the rest. Out of your $180 ticket, RedFlex will probably get at least $100.The city has a choice - pay for the cameras and keep all (or most) of the money, or get the cameras free and give half or so to RedFlex. Here City Council decided to not risk any upfront money so RedFlex gets their generous cut. Red light violations have declined significantly since the cameras were installed. No changes were made to the length of time the lights are "yellow", and I do not believe there have been any significant increase in rear enders due to these cameras.I think that the state of Ohio considered authorizing using Redflex for speeding but the legislature would not approve that. Probably too many of them feared getting caught themselves. Effective July 1 the rural interstate speed limit for big trucks increases to 65 from 55. There is now pending legislation to increase Ohio's rural interstate speed limit to 70 (it is now 65). Many bordering states are 70. The standing joke is that the Ohio Funeral Directors Association lobbied for these increased speed limits.

[PHXLavaVibe]

Well, I checked the mail when I got home yesterday and sure enough I received my ticket. The total cost is just under $182.00. It's amazing how clear the pictures of me and my Highlander are, especially with me being 4 lanes away from the cameras and in heavy traffic.Over the past five years I have drastically improved my driving habits. Having a family that depends on me is a huge help. I didn't mean to come accross as being against the redflex system. Infact I am all for it! I see a ton of crazy speeders all the time and I feel there should be a lot more cameras to catch these guys. It's amazing the drop in accidents since this system has been activated. On the other hand I also feel that there should be more police officers patrolling the speed zones in between the cameras.I have no intentions on skipping out on my responsibility to pay this ticket. It serves as a good reminder to watch my speed and be more carefull. Quote, originally posted by Wolfman213 »I bet if you still had the Vibe, you would have been perfectly fine haha. Sorry just had to rib ya about that.Actually I have noticed a huge reduction in my speeding since I have had the highlander. I don't know what it is, but it feels like I am going much faster than I actually am. Typically when I look at the speedo I am a good 5 to 10mph under the limit. With the Vibe I was constantly flooring the pedal just to keep up with traffic and ended up speeding a lot. The Highlander has such a smooth acceleration that I barely have to put any pressure on the pedal.

[tribalman]

while looking up Illinois traffic laws i found this " (625 ILCS 5/11‑612) Sec. 11‑612. Certain systems to record vehicle speeds prohibited. Except as authorized in the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act, no photographic, video, or other imaging system may be used in this State to record vehicle speeds for the purpose of enforcing any law or ordinance regarding a maximum or minimum speed limit unless a law enforcement officer is present at the scene and witnesses the event. No State or local governmental entity, including a home rule county or municipality, may use such a system in a way that is prohibited by this Section. The regulation of the use of such systems is an exclusive power and function of the State. This Section is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.(Source: P.A. 94‑771, eff. 1‑1‑07; 94‑795, eff. 5‑22‑06; 94‑814, eff. 1‑1‑07.)"sweet. illinois did something right

[keithvibe]

Quote, originally posted by djkeev »Hi,I see no problem with this. Payment of fines for speeding and other moving violations is simply a form of voluntary taxation.You KNOW that you are doing the crime most of the time so pay up.This is not unlike taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. You don't need either of these items so if you choose to partake, you choose to pay the taxes that come with them.Actually our nations highways are basically lawless zones where almost everyone ignores the posted speed limits routinely. The odds of getting caught are slim, often you are simply going with the flow, why should I obey the law??I'll take it a step farther......I am all for horrendously high fines and stepped up enforcement of the traffic laws. I really think that an 18 wheeler should have traffic fines in the multiples of thousands of dollars for each offense. Cars should also be high but the big rigs are much more likely to kill than a car is. Then if the weather is bad such as rain, snow or ice that warrants obedience to or even to travel at less than the speed limit posted, double or triple those fines. For instance, 18 wheelers in a blizzard driving in such a manner that he has no control should he need to stop on turn quickly, should have the vehicle impounded on the spot and not released until all fines are paid in full.Let these knowing violators begin to pay off the States debt load on a "volunteer" basis.So yes, ticket away folks! Let's bring some obedience to the traffic laws and thus a safer highway system to the USA.my 2xSorry about your financially tight weekend but you made a choice.DaveI find your post amusing. Not that I disagree with you on some or all of it. But for the fact how your on a high horse and you live in NJ where people on the interstates there will do 80-100mph and not even blink an eye. When I travel there, I find myself doing 70-75 and people are passing me like I am stopped. I am usually the slowest car on the road, unless I catch up to a big rig on a hill.I say, preach on lol. Heck talk to your Governor Corzine. LOL he's a big offender. Not only did his driver cause an accident so bad that it almost kill the governor doing 91pmh but he was recently just caught again doing 70mphin a 55.Start there and let me know how you make out HAHA

[Tubaryan12]

Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »I find your post amusing. Not that I disagree with you on some or all of it. But for the fact how your on a high horse and you live in NJ where people on the interstates there will do 80-100mph and not even blink an eye. When I travel there, I find myself doing 70-75 and people are passing me like I am stopped. I am usually the slowest car on the road, unless I catch up to a big rig on a hill.I say, preach on lol. Heck talk to your Governor Corzine. LOL he's a big offender. Not only did his driver cause an accident so bad that it almost kill the governor doing 91pmh but he was recently just caught again doing 70mphin a 55.Start there and let me know how you make out HAHA What does the fact that everyone else in his state (including the Governor) speeds have to do with his statement about how speeders should be fined?djkeev is absolutely correct. Our highways are the only place where people routinely break the law and then get mad when they are caught. They also make the lamest excuses for why they are breaking the law (I was just trying to keep up with traffic). I live in an area where everyone speeds and I don't. I have driven on the freeway as slow as 5 mph below the posted limit. I wish I could get everyone to try this experiment: Get on the freeway and then drive the posted speed limit in either the farthest right lane or the one just left of it. Most will be shocked to find that it can be safely done no matter how fast everyone around you drives (and you'll save gas and brakes too).I have only one problem with red light and speeding cameras. My problem with them is the fact that for every one of these cameras installed, the city could have hired a human to do the same job. Then there would be more real police officers on the street and perhaps more crimes would be solved and response time reduced. But hey, nothing can rake in the revenue like a machine that works 24-7 with no breaks, vacation, pension, medical insurance, etc..

[djkeev]

Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »I find your post amusing. Not that I disagree with you on some or all of it. But for the fact how your on a high horse and you live in NJ where people on the interstates there will do 80-100mph and not even blink an eye. When I travel there, I find myself doing 70-75 and people are passing me like I am stopped. I am usually the slowest car on the road, unless I catch up to a big rig on a hill.I say, preach on lol. Heck talk to your Governor Corzine. LOL he's a big offender. Not only did his driver cause an accident so bad that it almost kill the governor doing 91pmh but he was recently just caught again doing 70mphin a 55.Start there and let me know how you make out HAHAYeah, Jersey frequently gets a bum rap. Some of it deserved, much of it stereotypes and short termed "experiences". Most people's impression of NJ is the swath that the NJ Turnpike cuts from Newark NJ to Newark De. Little of that ride is pretty or newsworthy, we call it the armpit of the State. Surprisingly up in the Northwest corner is some delightful acreage with rolling hills, country roads and a laid back life. The same can be said for the ride down the Delaware River and so many other places there isn't time or space to list them.We don't all speed and not all the time. I firmly believe that we need to overhaul the penal system for traffic offenders and make the fine for doing the crime HURT seriously. To many in NJ a $200 fine is chump change, we've got that in our wallets and consider ourselves broke when we run out of $100 Bills and only have 50's and 20's!!Honestly, yes, I do speed but only when I'm out and about at rush hour and for self preservation, these trips are rare for I work only a couple of 100 yards from my job and can/do walk.Get off the highways on your next visit and go explore off the beaten track, you'll be surprised not only at the beauty but with the friendliness of the people you encounter once you are away from the NYC area.Oh, and Corzine, he's no different from any other Governor we've had in recent memory, just another crook serving himself and cronies. Spouting an impressive array of lies to get elected and then the real person comes out.oDave

[keithvibe]

I grew up in Belleville/Nutley/Bloomfield NJ so i know exactly what you are talking about.I'm a NJ transplant from way back when lolEdit:Tubaryan12 did you read my first line of my reply? I didn't say I didn't agree.I was simply stating that even the Gov, is guilty of speeding so, It would be very tough to pass those kind of fines. Read between the lines LOL

[Tubaryan12]

Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »Tubaryan12 did you read my first line of my reply? I didn't say I didn't agree.I was simply stating that even the Gov, is guilty of speeding so, It would be very tough to pass those kind of fines. Read between the lines LOLOh, I understood that you didn't disagree with him, and I did understand you were making light of it. What I didn't understand your point. Now I do. lol Thanks for explaining. I'm a guy. I'm not very good at reading between the lines.

[tribalman]

i agree with the stiffer fines. i really think that the speed on highways should be increased to 65, but with strict enforcement. 67; ticket. 30 in less dense areas(suburbs) and 25 in big cities. but once again, 32, ticket. 27, ticket. it's the same type of enforcement that is in europe. or maybe actually do something about the congestion, make getting a license worth it. more hours in class. more hours behind the wheel.