Stop light took my picture today--Question?

So, today, while delivering flowers in Pasadena, a stop light took my picture. I was coming to a stop, or may have just come to a stop, when I was startled by the flash of the camera. I figured there must be a "no turn on red" sign around, so I looked, and sure enough, there it was right in front of me. Anyway, I never made the turn, I never crossed the second white line, and I never entered into the intersection. Are these pictures automatically snapped and they are then reviewed to see if you made the turn, or am I a gonner and going to get a ticket in the mail for $371 (or 3 hundred-something) just because I crossed the first white crosswalk line? (I don't remember now, but I may have even back up a couple of feet)

There's always court.

Hopefully, that won't happen! Really, though. The sign says, "No Turn On Red". If I never turned, I shouldn't get a ticket. I just wonder why that think snapped my picture. Hopefully, it saved me from getting a ticket. The flash actually alerted me to stop and look for the "NTOR" sign. I don't know if I would have noticed the sign, otherwise. (I think I might have noticed it...just not sure)

Sounds like you broke the plane of the intersection, which triggered the camera.

Since you didn't go through the intersection during your turning movement, while the light was red, you're probably o.k.

--dan

The thing is, to break the plane of the intersection would require me to completely cross over the crosswalk line nearest to the intersection, which I did not. My turning movement was very slight, as the 2-way street was very narrow. I'd say, when the camera snapped the picture, my van was only turned about 10 or 15 degrees from straight ahead.

Hopefully, some of our resident officers can give a little more insight.

Thanks Dan, you're post is making feel a little more positive.

It may have not even taken a picture. It might have only triggered the flash, in order to get you to sit up and notice the sign.

That was one of my first thoughts after it happened. I hope that is indeed the case.

Well, if we see a bunch of your lights for sale on BST, I guess we'll know what happened?

It would seem kind of stupid for it to take pictures unless there was a violation of some sort. At any rate, most of these automated cameras can be beaten in court if you take the time and trouble to challenge them. It has been shown that cities have set them up wrong and reduced timings of yellow lights, etc., in order to catch more 'violators'. It's just a revenue generating scam. The company that makes the systems gets a cut of the fines, so do you think they're going to set them up to catch more or less people? The tipoff that they are scams is that violations usually do not count against your driving record, like they would if a cop ticketted you for the same offense. That's because they really won't hold up in court. But most people will just send in their fines, which is just what the city wants.

The picture will be reviewed by a cop before the ticket is issued.

I got one in Beverly Hills years ago and when I went to pay for it, it was like going to a branch of BofA. There were 5 cashier lines and dozens of people.

Fighting it is nearly impossible. Make an appearance and ask to go to traffic school and your ticket will be taken care of.

Are you sure it wasn't just a strobe? I have been several places where the traffic lights have a slow strobe that looks like a flash to let you know the light is there.

Chris

If you have no front license plate you're cool. I got "flashed" in Newport Beach/Costa Mesa last year......no plate, no ticket.

JackBlades said:

If you have no front license plate you're cool. I got "flashed" in Newport Beach/Costa Mesa last year......no plate, no ticket.

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And he was wearing a black ski mask.

Don't they snap the rear of the car too? Most of the intersections I've seen have multiple cam setups.

These cameras work off a timing scheme between the first (front) flash/picture and the second (rear of veh.) flash/picture.

There was no second flash, so I wouldn't worry about it, unless you get the notice in the mail....

--dan

there's also a imprint on the picture with the date/time, and speed you were travelling at. since you say you were pretty much at a stop, you should be okay.

but if the notice comes in the mail, you should be able to call up your local PD and have it reviewed.. without needing to go to court

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks everyone. It may have indeed either been only a first shot, getting my face, or it may have just been a warning strobe, which would really be quite sensible. I honestly didn't see the sign until I saw the flash/strobe. I don't live in Pasadena where they have a lot of one-way streets. Where I live I can't really think of any, off hand. And so, not being used to or expecting them, I actually began to make a right hand turn down the wrong way of a one-way street just a little while earlier! After that, I was pretty much focusing on the cars and which way they were going and not on the road signs! (which, I know, is what I should probably be doing)

I don't know if the cameras in Pasadena are included in this, but someone within the past few weeks let the cat out of the bag that the cameras in LA city haven't been recording pics since June (Flash still works). The company contracted to maintain the camera system isn't for some reason...

Arkayne said:

And he was wearing a black ski mask.

Don't they snap the rear of the car too? Most of the intersections I've seen have multiple cam setups.

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Right. But if you didn't actually run the red light. Then the camera setup wouldn't have been able to get your back plate because it's timed to get the front plate.

Maybe this is just a mississippi response but.....

it sure would be bad if something happened to that sign and camera!

turbodog said:

Maybe this is just a mississippi response but.....

it sure would be bad if something happened to that sign and camera!

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Well, as the thought of having to pay a hefty fine when I didn't break any laws passed repeatedly through my head, I couldn't help but feel angry at the thought and day dreams of taking out all those cameras with a paintball gun did fill my head....

I don't own a paintball gun, though, and I wouldn't take any such actions, but it was fun thinking about it. (those were actually the more sane day dreams I was having about getting a possible ticket)