Red light cameras in SF - any hope not to pay $380?

Hi,

Last week one morning I was listening to an audio-book to heavily and
I got caught at Sloat / 19th Avenue in San Francisco. Well, the
picture the camera took seems to be too good and in general I can
accept that I made a mistake.
On the other hand I'm not (yet) a millionare so to pay $380 for this
violation is way too much (although I'm aware of the budget crisis
etc.).
So can someone give me an advice how could I at least reduce this nice
amount?

Thank you in advance

Thomas

 

I don't normally confront people on newsgroups, but I will make an
exception. It's people like you that kill motorcyclists like me and then
say, oops, sorry 'bout that--I was driving a 3 ton weapon of steel and
glass, and decided not to pay attention to what I was doing.

Pay the fine, and we can both be thankful you didn't do any other damage.
Hopefully, the dent in your wallet will help you remember that driving is
something that requires constant attention.

 

Yeah and park your car, permanently/

 

I would agree on this...

You blew a red light...

You fucked up.

Deal with it.

If I were in charge I would double, triple, quadruple that fine.

 

Yeah...people like you are the reason for those cameras. Hang up the
phone, turn off the friggin audiobook you geek, unplug the shaver, take
the newspaper off the steering wheel, grab it with both hands and LOOK
OUT THE FUCKING WINDSHIELD!

Surely you didn't expect to get sympathy on a motorcycle ng!

barbz

 

Bull. The reason for those cameras is to generate revenue ...end of story.

If you've paid any attention to the politics of stoplights, you'd know that in
the past, getting a stop light installed at some locations has required, if
not outright death, at least serious neighborhood pressure, often to no
avail. But, now that these things can pull in the bucks, municipalities are
throwing up stop lights left and right. Here in Livermore, the cash strapped
city council has gone stoplight crazy, throwing them up like tree lights at
Christmas. Every new one has cameras.

It's been proven that proper engineering and light timing can be just as
effective in reducing red light incidents. No money in that, though. And
cameras at intersections do not prevent accidents. Besides, I don't leave
my safety up to others. I know better than to quickly accelerate into an
intersection when the light turns green, camaras or no.

nb

 

Yeah, no kidding. Especially if the vehicle next to you is a panel truck
or something else you can't see around! I've seen that happen twice,
bike squirts out into intersection as soon as the light's green, gets
nailed by some nerk running the red. Fortunately, neither incident had
serious injuries incurred by the rider.

barbz

 

Tell the judge you can't pay. He may offer you the choice of a weekend
or two as a guest of the county.

You're welcome. You've earned it.

Al Moore
DoD 734

 

It's a sad day on *.moto when people can no longer feel the hook
setting firmly in their mouths.

~Stef

 

Bottom line. If you run a stop sign, red light, camera or not you
chose to disobey a traffic control device. You could get yourself or
someone else injured or killed. IF YOU GET CAUGHT DOING IT PAY THE
**** UP AND STOP YOUR PUSSY ASS WHINING ABOUT IT.

 

**** off

 

oh, his insurance undoubtably will. stop light violations are generaly
treated as serious offenses on insurance scoring.

 

Now whose fault is that?

Yes, it's dangerous to enter an intersection where you can't see what's
coming. That's why at red lights and I'm turning red, if I can't see
that no one's coming, I don't go even if some asshole behind me is
honking at me for it. (Usually some car comes blasting by and they stop
honking.)

However, the nerk had fair warning that the light was about to turn red
for him. I'd say that for being correct, having a green light trumps
being an idiot. It's the nerk's fault.

Nevertheless, the biker should have pulled enough ahead of the van to be
able to see the intersection.
[/QUOTE]

Well, you seem like you want to argue about something, but it's not an
arguable argue. Both guys were idiots for punching it when the light
changed green. Me, I'da just sloped along at the same speed as the panel
van next to me. Let him absorb the impact. Leave me the hell out of the
equation!

barbz

 

What is a "nerk"?

 

It's the British equivalent of a doofus.

barbz