Red Light Traffic Camera's

Have you noticied those big camera's posted at major intersections around town that say RedFlex on the side? Want to know more about them and how to handle a ticket if you get one sent to you in the mail? There is a website called highwayrobbery.net that you can visit to get more info. Apparently in some cities in California, the local police are sending people "fake" tickets to pull in extra revenue. Modesto isn't on the list of cities that are doing that, but even so, you should learn about the differences between a real and a fake ticket.

If you want to see the brochure for the RedFlex Camera system's, here is a link to the pdf.

What to do if you get sent a ticket for running a Red Light Camera.

The City's contract with RedFlex was signed on June 8, 2004, and includes a "cost neutrality" clause, whereby the city will not have to pay RedFlex the full rent if there aren't enough fines to cover the cost. (Other cities with similar clauses are Capitola, Davis, Gardena, Laguna Woods, Loma Linda, Los Alamitos, Murrieta, Paramount, Rocklin, San Leandro, San Mateo, and Union City. See Defect # 10.)

Many RedFlex towns send out "Snitch Tickets," which you can ignore. A Snitch Ticket will not have the Superior Court's name and address on it. For more details, see the Snitch Ticket section on the Your Ticket page.

Tentative turn-on of system was Dec. 1, 2004. A MPD staff report to the city council is at: Staff Report.

Here is some information from a MPD press release of Feb. 23, 2005:

"Red light cameras are scheduled to be turned on at the intersection of Sisk Road and Standiford Avenue on March 1st. Installation and planning at other key intersections in the City of Modesto is underway. The contract with Redflex allows the installation of up to 10 systems, some of which are underway. The program will be self-funded by the revenue generated by fines. The fine for each violation is $340, of that, $149.75 returns to the City of Modesto. This revenue will be used to pay the $6,030 monthly fee charged by RedFlex to maintain each intersection. “This project is intended to be cost neutral to the taxpayers of Modesto,�? said Lieutenant Dan Inderbitzen, Traffic Unit Commander.
Signs will be posted at each intersection equipped with the cameras, notifying motorists of the enforcement."

Map of Locations

This map was provided by a Modesto resident, and was current as of June 27, 2005.

All information is from http://www.highwayrobbery.net/redlightcamsdocsModestoMain.html

Submitted by askquestions on Wed, 2006-05-24 00:37.

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interesting

I like your local focus Askquestions!... and this is a great topic. I used to live in San Diego wher Red Light Camera's where turned off due to lawsuits. They were found out to be total scam. I belive that lockheed martin (not sure on this) supplied the city with the contract and the tickets were challenged in court. This lead to an independent investigation that proved not only the cameras and sensors where calibrated wrong (in the Camera's favor) but that the Company that ran the cameras had way too much in stake for giving as many tickets as possible.

I have a problem with government trying to find revenue sources that are clearly a gray area and then bringing in a thrid party that has a stake in catching people to make MONEY. You run a red light then you break the law.. simple. Here in Modesto; you run a red light you not only break the law you make a corporation a few bucks. Why does Modesto only get $150 bucks out of $340 if the monthly service charge is $6,000.. what happens after they make there $6,000... they make money from us citzens. I want to know what person in the city owns stock in this company? I would buy stock in a sure fire deal like that...

Who has oversight of the cameras?

Submitted by angryf on Thu, 2006-05-25 17:45.

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Photoblocker

Get Photoblocker and the your plate will come out blurred and unreadable when these red-light, robo-cops try and take a picture of your ride.

Submitted by gregwords on Thu, 2006-05-25 18:03.

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Photoblocker! Greg's a genius!

I say that we go in together on a can of this! Let me know. This could save me a fortune if I just happen to accidentally run a light. Also, I have seen more accidents at these lights than usual lately. Are people rushing to beat them or is this just purely coincidence? I'd love to find out.

Ruben/Motown Mojo
Editor

Submitted by Motown Mojo on Thu, 2006-05-25 18:20.

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amazing math

This site is pretty intersting...http://www.highwayrobbery.net/redlightcamsdocsModestoMain.html

They've collated the data and put it into a readable format.

Personaly I think it shouldn't take a freedom of information act request to get the information. Why doesn't the city put this up on there website.

Basicaly it says $770,100 (est) worth of citations have been issued from March 1 2005 till November 1st 2005.

That's $85K a month that those things may have raked in (man you can pay me half that much and I'll have people sitting at stop lights with digital cameras!!!).

The funny thing is only $340,000 would have gone to the city....

Redflex Ltd of Australia pocketd $430,000 ( http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=RDF.AX), at least we could loose money to a corporation in the US, huh?

The Modesto Bee says the city hasn't made a dime.. yet traffic accidents are up at the site of the cameras.. the Citys soultion according to the Bee is to put up more cameras.

I hate to sound like one of the old fuddy duddys that post in the bee editorials but man it sounds like the City got snookered.

(bee info: http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/10/1082.asp)

Submitted by angryf on Thu, 2006-05-25 21:34.

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