The red-light cameras at northbound 59 and eastbound North Aurora Road have proven to be a cash cow for the city. Naperville City Desk reported on the installation of the cameras back in early February. After a testing period in the month of January the cameras went live starting February 1. The Naperville Sun reports a total of 1,906 citations have been issued to drivers through March 31, an average of 32 per day. The fine for a red-light violation is $100 a pop. If all pay up that's a cool $190K.
Citations are sent to the registered owner of the vehicle, who may or may not have been the driver when the alleged violation occurred. The citations are administrative and do not go on a motorist's driving record.
The only time red light violations would impact a driving record is if a motorist accumulates five or more unpaid citations. The city can then petition the secretary of state's office to suspend their driver's license.
Drivers do have the right to contest the citations but so far most have found their arguments falling on deaf ears.
Nour Ayoub was traveling northbound on 59 Feb 17 and he found himself behind a very tall commercial truck. He said the truck blocked his view and he couldn't see the light. Ayoub's car went through the intersection 0.63 seconds after the light changed, "not even a second" after, he said. Ayoub said he tried to break to a stop but there wasn't sufficient time.
Trixie understands this problem - as the driver of a 4-door sedan I encounter this all the time.
But Ayoub's claim was not upheld. The administrative judge and Ayoub watched the video of the incident, and the ruling was made in the city's favor.
"If there's a vehicle in front of you that's blocking your view, you can't guess," the judge said.
Ayoub was not happy with the decision.
"I thought I was coming here to see a judge, not some guy in a suit that's going to deliberate in the city's favor all the time," Ayoub said afterwards. "... The whole thing's B.S."
None of the 18 motorists who contested their citations received any satisfaction. The administrative judge sided with the city in every case.
A city administrator countered claims that the citations were meant to be a revenue generator for the city saying they'd prefer to write no tickets as that would mean there no violations and no accidents.
Gotta think they aren't hating the big windfall for the city general fund, despite all the claims to the contrary.
Lesson to all - YELLOW MEANS STOP. NO RIGHT ON RED FROM NORTH AURORA ROAD TO SOUTHBOUND 59. Just imagine the city wringing their greedy hands anticipating making your pocketbook lighter and STOP. If jackasses behind you blow their horns in protest, let 'em. They won't know it but you just saved them some scratch.
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Sounds like binding arbitration in anything you buy. Consumers win arbitration cases less than 3% of the time. The companies are actually allowed to hire the 'impartial' deciders
ReplyDeleteBefore you make a decision about whether you like or dislike these cameras, consider that their overwhelming success as revenue generators has led to the idea of speed cameras, and other such surveillance techniques meant to seperate you from your money, and all in the name of safety.
ReplyDeleteFrequently, it is assumed that law enforcement agencies are behind these cameras. While law enforcement generally administers the camera enforcement programs, remember it is the governmental bodies that decide whether to implement them or not.
Attached is an article, written by a police officer and found on a law enforcement website (www.lawofficer.com) that offers an interesting perspective from the point of view of a cop.
http://www.lawofficer.com/news-and-articles/columns/Wasilewski/red_light_cameras.html