San Bernardino: Red light camera nation?
The city of San Bernardino is set to consider a massive expansion of their red light camera surveillance program that would make them the county's biggest user of this controversial technology.
Adding $2 million for camera technology at seven new intersections - the city currently has four camera outfitted intersections - was on Monday's council agenda, but held over for further discussion in two weeks.
Two recent Sun stories have taken strong looks at this growing phenomenon of snapping photos of alleged violators of left, right and straightaway red light signals and sending them $391 tickets in the mail. California is one of fewer than half the states in the country permitting this technology, and San Bernardino County is becoming a leader in using it.
click here for a comprehensive look "Caught on Camera" and here "Traffic Camera Alert" for an ethical and legal discussion that includes the story of one woman's family who contend they were falsely accused and strung along for more than one year of hassle and $700 in fines.
We'll see how this plays out. Some San Bernardino city leaders have been long proponents of red light cameras, but others have signaled that a tight budget and civic backlash have convinced them that expansion of the surveillance system is the wrong approach.
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
I for one do NOT turn right on red where there is a camera anymore, having seen folks stop and get flashed anyway. It is bad at Highland & Arden as well as Hospitality & Waterman. It just means ..I wait and traffic gets jammed.
Does anyone know if the Waterman/Hospitality yellow light was too short and if we are able to get our money refunded that we paid for that awful ticket? Thanks, Diane
WATERMAN/HOSPITALITY, TWO RIGHT HAND TURN ONLY LANES. GOT TICKET FOR 484.00!!!! AND I STOPPED (BARELY ALBEIT..APPROX 2-5MPH) BECAUSE I WAS ON THE INSIDE LANE OF THESE TWO LANES AND NO ONE WAS AROUND ME!!
ONE CAR GOING STRAIGHT (BUT STOPPED, IN FRONT OF THE STOP LINE NO LESS) DON"T KNOW IF THEY GOT A TICKET FOR THAT ONE BECAUSE IT WAS WORSE THAN MY RIGHT TURN TO AN EMPTY STREET AND CROSSWALK.
POLICE ARE GETTING AN AWFUL REPUTATION ON THIS 'GOTCHA' GAME. THEY MUST NEED TO UPDATE THE GYM EQUIPMENT.
I too got ticketed taking a right on red at waterman and Hospitaliy and so have over half the people in my office,, I am furious I am a good driver,,I had my signal on I put on the brakes you can see that on he vedio and did not come to a complete stop but the light was short.. I am fighting it,,anybody else good luck,,maybe we can beat this,,The ticket was mailed from some Hollywood California address is this legal?
Hi T. Weber,
I work near that intersection and stay clear of it! I just got a red light ticket for turning right at a red light at the corner of University and Kendall. The light went from yellow to red as my front tires hit the limit line. You can see my head turned toward the crossing traffic, and obviously I had to slow down to make the turn so I was unable to complete the turn. Was I supposed to stop at a yellow? There was also one of those sign twirlers on the corner that may have distracted me. I plan on fighting as well. My appearance date is 6/2/09. Let me know how yours turns out!
I got an automated red light ticket also at Waterman & Hospitality. Slowed down to about 2mph with no other car or people in sight. Let me know if you guys beat it and how.
I have one question based solely on technicality. The "Notice to Appear" in the mail has only the declarant's (officer's) name and ID number, but not his signature. I have heard that this is a material defect and the ticket can be thrown out. Is that true? Does your automated red light ticket have officer's signature?
Thanks!