Speed Trap Town Must Pay Back Millions: There should also be a penalty to pay for their actions. My new GPS gives me a beep and a visual warning when the speed limit is about to...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There should also be a penalty to pay for their actions. My new GPS gives me a beep and a visual warning when the speed limit is about to change.

http://jalopnik.com/an-ohio-town-made-millions-from-speed-cameras-but-now-i-1792482681

alby Loc: very eastern pa.

....GOOD.....

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Not a speed trap - they have sign posted that they are using cameras. I disagree with the judge and hope it gets overturned in appellate court. I happen to agree with the town - if you're going to speed, be ready to pay the fines. They can challenge the photo if they want to challenge their "accuser".
I also believe that the fines for traffic violations are not strict enough - you are knowingly breaking the law and should be held accountable.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

Imagine how the city clerk will feel addressing and stamping all the envelopes, and writing out all of those checks and a letter explaining the refund. And I guess the city will have a new tax to cover their losses.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

There are two towns in FL along rt 301(Waldo and Lawety) that for years had speed traps for the sole purpose of making 75% of the towns income. The police depts have since been shut down! I have to say though, they did have plenty of signs warning that the speed limit goes from 65 to 45( on a four lane hwy) and there is rarely any traffic!

Tom G Loc: Atlanta, GA

nimbushopper wrote:

There are two towns in FL along rt 301(Waldo and Lawety) that for years had speed traps for the sole purpose of making 75% of the towns income. The police depts have since been shut down! I have to say though, they did have plenty of signs warning that the speed limit goes from 65 to 45( on a four lane hwy) and there is rarely any traffic!

"Rarely any traffic"??? On 301???

The City of Lawtey is located along US 301 in Bradford County, Florida and is located about 7 miles north of Starke, Florida. Lawtey was founded in 1877 by several families from Chicago, Illinois and was incorporated in 1905. The city is about 1.4 square miles with a population under 1,000. Around 17,000 vehicles pass through Lawtey every day.

jkoar Loc: The Gunks, NY

Shellback wrote:

Not a speed trap - they have sign posted that they are using cameras. I disagree with the judge and hope it gets overturned in appellate court. I happen to agree with the town - if you're going to speed, be ready to pay the fines. They can challenge the photo if they want to challenge their "accuser".
I also believe that the fines for traffic violations are not strict enough - you are knowingly breaking the law and should be held accountable.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

What exactly will you ask the photo? A witness is a human. There is a whole body of law on this. Try Delaware vs Prouse. Guard your rights jealously sir. They are more important than some local law. And by the way drive safely.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

nimbushopper wrote:

There are two towns in FL along rt 301(Waldo and Lawety) that for years had speed traps for the sole purpose of making 75% of the towns income. The police depts have since been shut down! I have to say though, they did have plenty of signs warning that the speed limit goes from 65 to 45( on a four lane hwy) and there is rarely any traffic!

I was going to mention Waldo and Lawety too! There is a large billboard sign on RT 301 right before the speed limit drop (that people against the enforcement paid for) that says "WARNING, SPEED TRAP NEXT 5 MILES". I also notice that the last time I was traveling through there, the local police chief was running for re-election.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Tom G wrote:

"Rarely any traffic"??? On 301???

The City of Lawtey is located along US 301 in Bradford County, Florida and is located about 7 miles north of Starke, Florida. Lawtey was founded in 1877 by several families from Chicago, Illinois and was incorporated in 1905. The city is about 1.4 square miles with a population under 1,000. Around 17,000 vehicles pass through Lawtey every day.

Interesting info, thanks. Ive been driving through there since 1989 and have never experienced any traffic, just lucky I guess.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

I'd heard of this several years ago and back then, it had been declared illegal in court. Although I think it's outrageous, I'm not sure it's totally unreasonable. If the Constitutional objection is the right to face your accuser, what about a radar gun? We humans don't like submitting to a piece of technology but as another reader noted, if you're going to speed, be prepared to pay for it. On the other hand, we all know "speeding" is a grey area and I've even been told by a State trooper that if I'm within 10 mph of the speed limit, I'm okay. If this town is handing out tickets for going 42 mph on a street posted at 35 mph, that's unreasonable. I also find it highly objectionable that the company providing the town this source of "revenue" is taking 40% of it. No less appalling than a professional collection outfit representing a bona fide charity, and keeping most of the money as their overhead.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

Shellback wrote:

Not a speed trap - they have sign posted that they are using cameras. I disagree with the judge and hope it gets overturned in appellate court. I happen to agree with the town - if you're going to speed, be ready to pay the fines. They can challenge the photo if they want to challenge their "accuser".
I also believe that the fines for traffic violations are not strict enough - you are knowingly breaking the law and should be held accountable.

The problem isn't the cameras; many cities and towns have found that the firms renting and servicing the cameras have set them to 'shoot' at speeds lower that the actual posted limits and when challenged have had to return fines. I think both Baltimore and Washington DC, among many others, have been caught up in that scandal.

Wenonah Loc: Winona, MN

dcampbell52 wrote:

I was going to mention Waldo and Lawety too! There is a large billboard sign on RT 301 right before the speed limit drop (that people against the enforcement paid for) that says "WARNING, SPEED TRAP NEXT 5 MILES". I also notice that the last time I was traveling through there, the local police chief was running for re-election.

Why does a department that has been shut down need a police chief?

Wenonah Loc: Winona, MN

fourlocks wrote:

I'd heard of this several years ago and back then,... (show quote)

A radar gun is operated by a human that makes observations about the speed of the vehicle, the surrounding traffic, as well as the tone the gun is making when taking a reading. Some sort of technology always has to be involved to catch speeders.

One trooper may tell you that if you are within 10 mph you are okay. Is the next one going to feel that way? Is the same one going to feel that way if he is feeling differently that day or if you pass him going the same direction at 5 mph over the limit.

The company taking the 40% is probably supplying and maintaining the cameras. They are also probably saving the town a lot of money by not having to have a cop, in a cop car, running radar 24 hours a day.

As has been suggested, if you aren't doing anything wrong you don't have anything to worry about. If you are taking chances you sometimes get caught.

jkoar Loc: The Gunks, NY

fourlocks wrote:

I'd heard of this several years ago and back then,... (show quote)

In Delaware vs Prouse an officer must have reasonable suspicion that you are speeding by visual observation. After that he may use radar as a search, 4th amendment, to determine the actual speed that is evidence. The officers is the accuser. The radar gun is a tool to obtain this evidence. In the case of a speed cam there is no human interaction so there is no accuser to face. I hope I'm being clear and thanks for asking. I suggest you all look this up yourself as I am just the messenger.

2Dragons Loc: The Back of Beyond

Shellback wrote:

Not a speed trap - they have sign posted that they are using cameras. I disagree with the judge and hope it gets overturned in appellate court. I happen to agree with the town - if you're going to speed, be ready to pay the fines. They can challenge the photo if they want to challenge their "accuser".
I also believe that the fines for traffic violations are not strict enough - you are knowingly breaking the law and should be held accountable.

As much as I'd hate to be caught by a speed camera, I can understand why a small town would want them. There are many small towns all over the country that do not have enough taxpayers to support a large enough police department to take care of local problems as well as speeders in their town. Some towns have NO police presence other than maybe state police on occasion. So, for those citizens who take advantage of the fact that there's no police force, and far exceed the speed limit within town limits, those cameras solve a problem. If there are signs posted warning drivers of the cameras and they blatantly ignore them, oh well. Pay the fine.