speeding camera tickets

[BayouBrave86]

There is one set up on the highway I use to get tp work every morning. I was wondering how these things work. Do they issue a standard fine as in someone going fifteen over is just as guilty 4as someone going over thirty? Does the camera snap a picture once you hit a certain speed? And do you have to appear in court if yoy get one or no since they seem to be contracted out. On phone sorry for poor spelling.

[HighOnHendrix]

There is one set up on the highway I use to get tp work every morning. I was wondering how these things work. Do they issue a standard fine as in someone going fifteen over is just as guilty 4as someone going over thirty? Does the camera snap a picture once you hit a certain speed? And do you have to appear in court if yoy get one or no since they seem to be contracted out. On phone sorry for poor spelling.

I got hit by the one on 295 (BW parkway) and also in DC near a hospital (forget the street). Anyway, they send the ticket in the mail. It's easy to pay, cheaper than one from a real cop, and no points. It still sucks to get one, but I found them less painful than being pulled over. The big-brother aspect of it really bothers me, though. There is a brand-spanking-new redlight camera by my house. It took a picture of my car at night couple weeks ago before I knew it was even there. I was turning right on red (totally legal there), so I'm not expecting anything to come of it but it's kind of freaky to see the camera flashes at night. When they got me on 295 it was 3 or 4 am and I was the only schmoe out there; definitely noticed the flashes lol.

[Thiebear]

i've had 20 letters sent from Montgomery county about a 4am speeding ticket over 2years ago. ( It wasn't me, i'm not paying it).

[Forehead]

I got one heading up into Maryland for Sunshine Burger. It was $40. I paid it. That's the only time I've ever gotten nailed by a camera, but it was worth it for the the Sunshine.

[CoolUsernameHere]

Slightly off-topic: When I was driving through West Virginia once, I saw a few signs that said "Speeding laws enforced by aircraft" or something like that. ...How does that work?

[BayouBrave86]

So even if you are going 100 down the highway and get snapped by one of those all you have to pay is a standardard fine?

[SiCkSoULjA]

NO! theres no standard fine

The fines start at 10 over the limit

Then theres 11-19 over the limit

Theres 20-29 over

and the big one 30 and up

it usuallys start at 50 or 75 bucks

I got a 200 ticket last year driving in D.C. for going 20-29

It said I was going 60 in a 40 but I am pretty sure I wasn't going that fast. A

[Pick6]

Slightly off-topic: When I was driving through West Virginia once, I saw a few signs that said "Speeding laws enforced by aircraft" or something like that. ...How does that work?

I have always heard those signs are BS. Like if you put a security system sign in your front yard to discourage burglars, but don't really own a system.

[BayouBrave86]

Can they charge you with reckless through these or no?

[skinsfan1523]

Can they charge you with reckless through these or no?

That would probably be pretty easy to beat in court, since there is no definite way to tell it's you. And reckless driving is an actual criminal charge.

[grego]

i've had 20 letters sent from Montgomery county about a 4am speeding ticket over 2years ago. ( It wasn't me, i'm not paying it).

you mean it wasnt you driving? or it wasnt even your car?

i saw a truck with a trailer drive through one near quince orchard HS in Gburg and the thing flashed like it took his pic. i swear the guy couldnt have been going more than 25 (in a 35). the truck was clearly going slow and there werent any other cars around. wonder what happened there.....what happens when cameras dont work right??

[pointyfootball]

I have always heard those signs are BS. Like if you put a security system sign in your front yard to discourage burglars, but don't really own a system.

Not BS. I got nabbed by PA State police in college. They were just pointing and waving you over. Helicopter/plane uses radar and they radio ahead make/model/color/other info.

[daveakl]

Slightly off-topic: When I was driving through West Virginia once, I saw a few signs that said "Speeding laws enforced by aircraft" or something like that. ...How does that work?

From what I was told: There are lines on the highway and they time you from line to line thus they can determine your speed and radio it ahead to a cop that will pull you. Helicopter I would guess is the way they view.

[Capt. Kaos]

Slightly off-topic: When I was driving through West Virginia once, I saw a few signs that said "Speeding laws enforced by aircraft" or something like that. ...How does that work?

Most areas leave the signs up as a deterrent. For most places the cost is prohibitive to use this form of enforcement but to answer your question.

There is typically some sort of marking on the road on the stretch of road that is/was used for this practice. The aircraft could then time how long it took your car to travel the marked road and use that to calculate your speed. Once your speed has been determined to exceed the limit the aircraft calls to cars and gives them your information.

Atleast that's how it was explained to me a LONG time ago.

edit: Daveakl beat me to the answer, I type slow.

[zCommander]

I have always heard those signs are BS. Like if you put a security system sign in your front yard to discourage burglars, but don't really own a system.

One Apple Ridge Rd in Gaithersburg there is a sign that says Speed Camera but there really isn't one. Way to tell is that there should be lines on the street and if no lines no camera.

The other thing could be some cop sitting in an unmarked car with the camera on their roof. This happened to me in DC where the speed went from 50 to 35 and the cop was sitting right after the sign. I was lost didn't know where I was going but did see a flash - made a u-turn and sure enough the cop was there and other were getting nabbed as well.

[HighOnHendrix]

Slightly off-topic: When I was driving through West Virginia once, I saw a few signs that said "Speeding laws enforced by aircraft" or something like that. ...How does that work?

From what I was told: There are lines on the highway and they time you from line to line thus they can determine your speed and radio it ahead to a cop that will pull you. Helicopter I would guess is the way they view.

I read an article about it in an auto mag a few years ago about it and that's exactly how they do it. The article was about the Ohio Highway Patrol, which uses small airplanes to time you between the two lines. They just call over the radio the color and type of car (sedan, wagon, truck, etc.) to the officers waiting at the end of the lines. I've heard that they can time you in a tunnel using the same method. The signs are usually window-dressing, but not always.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Whenever you see those signs about the aircraft monitoring speed, look for a line on the road. You'll see it and then you'll see another one about a mile up. They just time you. I'm actually pretty surprised that more people don't know that. I thought it was common knowledge.

Not BS. I got nabbed by PA State police in college. They were just pointing and waving you over. Helicopter/plane uses radar and they radio ahead make/model/color/other info.

That's happened to me twice on Fairfax County Parkway. Except those ****ers were hiding in the trees with their radar guns. Right before a blind turn in the road. You hit that turn and bam, there they are waving you over.

Back in the day on 66 you used to see them set up on the overpasses. I haven't seen that in years though.

Honestly, thinking about it, I seriously doubt anyone actually uses aircraft to monitor speed. You imagine how costly that would be? Why spend money on that when you can just stick some fat guy in the bushes with a radar gun? Especially these days with so many local governments strapped for cash. I mean they're killing their return from the tickets with the fuel and pilot wages and whatever.

[HighOnHendrix]

Honestly, thinking about it, I seriously doubt anyone actually uses aircraft to monitor speed. You imagine how costly that would be? Why spend money on that when you can just stick some fat guy in the bushes with a radar gun? Especially these days with so many local governments strapped for cash. I mean they're killing their return from the tickets with the fuel and pilot wages and whatever.

Radar detectors can't warn you about being timed from the air. You're right about it being expensive. I am assuming that it's mostly used in locations that are inaccessible to normal speed traps: up in the mountains, concrete barriers on both sides, stuff like that.

[PiLfan]

Slightly off-topic: When I was driving through West Virginia once, I saw a few signs that said "Speeding laws enforced by aircraft" or something like that. ...How does that work?

[drums and skins]

I read an article about it in an auto mag a few years ago about it and that's exactly how they do it. The article was about the Ohio Highway Patrol, which uses small airplanes to time you between the two lines. They just call over the radio the color and type of car (sedan, wagon, truck, etc.) to the officers waiting at the end of the lines. I've heard that they can time you in a tunnel using the same method. The signs are usually window-dressing, but not always.

I was pretty much going to post the same thing. I don't recall what magazine it was (car and driver I THINK), but I definitely read this article too. They have white lines that cross the highway that mark off a quarter mile of highway. The helicopter has a stopwatch, starts it when you cross the first white line and stops it when you cross the second. Then, with some fairly simple math, he is able to determine your speed by how fast you traveled in that quarter mile. They then radio in to a cop on the ground to pull over that vehicle if they were speeding.

I don't think Maryland does this at all though, with all the air traffic and I'm sure budget concerns.