I just saw this on a local DC website.

Red Flag for Red Light Cameras


A setback for red-light cameras like those used in the Washington area.

The decision comes from California, where a judge has ruled the cameras are so unreliable that the pictures they take can't be used as evidence.

While the San Diego judge upheld the constitutionality of the camera system, he was sharply critical of it.

The San Diego system is similar to the one in the District and is operated by Lockheed Martin.

The judge said paying Lockheed Martin a fee for every motorist convicted of running a red light "undermines the trustworthiness" of evidence used to prosecute motorists. The judge has given San Diego two weeks to convince him that he should not dismiss the charges against several hundred motorists who had challenged the system.


Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

 

EXACTLY my point!!!

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!

i knew giving money to LM was fishy.

 

Lockheed is one of my clients, I can't wait to ask them WHY THA FUCK they are helping to make our lives more miserable with all this photo red light shit...

INVASION OF PRIVACY!

 

if anything, they will get pictures of me getting my groove on with a lady while running the red

 

TypeSKid what you mean their one of your clients?

 

Meaning I manage their account for 2way messaging, and setting up wireless email infrastructures in Fortune 500 offices in the Northern VA area.

web page

 

Damn. I got a ticket in the mail yesterday for a blasted red light camera violation. Funny thing is, I never run red lights. I'm one of those people who actually gets pissed at others when they run reds. I'm pretty sure I didn't run the red, but I dunno how I can argue against the stupid camera. So what does this "so unreliable that the pictures can't be used as evidence" mean?

Can I simply contest it and get it automatically thrown out?

 

According to the earlier posts in this thread, the DC judge was basing his opinion on California law. I'll do a lexis search and see if I can find the precedent so you can cite it if you decide to fight the ticket.

 

I heard that in Baltimore City (i dont know if its same way in county) they are illegal now. That they are invading our privacy! But for some reason stuff like that doesn’t get huge publicity so people wont know and still send them money! phacking po pos!

 

Right now the leading California case is out of a San Diego Superior Court. The case is entitled:

In re: Red Light Camera Cases The People of the State of California, Plaintiff, v. John Allen, et al., Defendants.

This case appears to have reached a final ruling in the San Diego Superior Court in September 2001. I suspect it is only a matter of time before it is heard on appeal.

Simpleman, you are in Los Angeles and you can cite this case to the judge as an indication of the judicial trend. You can also ask that your proceeding be stayed until such time as this case is resolved on appeal, however it is unlikely that a traffic court judge or commissioner will agree to this. Note that this case has not yet been decided on appeal and so it is not binding authority yet.