In a snowstorm a few weeks ago, I started to slide while braking as I approached a yellow light. I was turning left, and rather than slide to a stop in the middle of the intersection, I decided to complete my turn safely... though JUST BARELY running the redlight to do so.
Well, given the conditions, any cop that witnessed the event would clearly have let me go. However, a redlight camera only snaps a picture... me at the line with the yellow light, me in the intersection with a red light, and my license plate... clear as day. I can't argue with a camera. I can't go to court and plead my case, because nobody there witnessed the event. I COULD argue, but chances are I'd end up paying the $85 ticked PLUS court fees.
SO, I paid my ticket. $87 after the $2 "convenience fee". It's just such crap. No way to fight it without a major inconvenience, and the camera doesn't care about road conditions.
What's worse, they forced me to use my debit card, because my credit card (that I use for EVERYTHING, as I get 1% of my total money spent back, applied directly to my mortgage) was declined. Why it was declined, I don't know! I pay that sucker off every month, and I only a quarter of what my limit is set at... and I used it about 5 times already today with no problem! They're lucky I had another card to use.
Well, given the conditions, any cop that witnessed the event would clearly have let me go. However, a redlight camera only snaps a picture... me at the line with the yellow light, me in the intersection with a red light, and my license plate... clear as day. I can't argue with a camera. I can't go to court and plead my case, because nobody there witnessed the event. I COULD argue, but chances are I'd end up paying the $85 ticked PLUS court fees.
SO, I paid my ticket. $87 after the $2 "convenience fee". It's just such crap. No way to fight it without a major inconvenience, and the camera doesn't care about road conditions.
What's worse, they forced me to use my debit card, because my credit card (that I use for EVERYTHING, as I get 1% of my total money spent back, applied directly to my mortgage) was declined. Why it was declined, I don't know! I pay that sucker off every month, and I only a quarter of what my limit is set at... and I used it about 5 times already today with no problem! They're lucky I had another card to use.
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