(no subject)

[coldblossom.livejournal.com]

This is really ridiculous.

If you live in Arizona, you know that photo-radar for speed enforcement is part of daily life. You also know that those "tickets" you get in the mail with your mug and your license plate demanding that you fork over $200 or more aren't "real" tickets because they haven't been served to you. So, most of us ignore them until a proxy catches us.

Americans have the right to contest any charges made against them in a court of law, and this includes photo radar tickets. Arizonans don't waive that right and now they are fined for exercising it. The courts are now charging people who wish to contest their photo-radar ticket before a judge $20 additional dollars on top of the original ticket. The justification? 50% of the court's cases are now photo-radar related and they simply cannot afford the cost of seeing everyone. They say the number of photo-radar cases continues to increase and the fee is to pay for the current load as well as the projected increases.

Ironically, the photo-radar systems when installed were touted by the state (then under Janet Napolitano) as being a big revenue-generator. Now we see that they're actually costing the state money and, naturally, the burden falls on the people to foot the bill. You'd think if they can't afford it they'd take the system down (one sheriff did abolish them in his county, and no, it wasn't Sheriff Joe), but nope. They'd rather break our backs over it instead.

How messed up is that?

Comments

[autumnjoy.livejournal.com]

Wow. I hope Arizona is letting their state legislature hear about this!!

[izuko.livejournal.com]

The problem is that traffic courts aren't criminal courts, so they don't follow the same rules.

That said, even a .223 could take one of those things out.

[coldblossom.livejournal.com]

That made me LOL, actually.

But on a serious note, people here really despise these things. There has been vandalism and all sorts of things (just look it up on YouTube). A man operating a photo radar van was killed when someone fired a shot into what I'm guessing they thought/hoped was an unoccupied vehicle.

This additional fine is just another insult on top of everything else we're dealing with caused directly by the state's incompetence.

[izuko.livejournal.com]

I think most people have, at least a small voice in the back of their minds that tell them the purpose of government is not to take their money and use it to harass them.

After all, even the most rabid liberal is libertarian when it comes to their own behaviour. Just ask one about abortion.

[regalpewter.livejournal.com]

Actually, there is one way to protest the damn things, and it is legal. It is legal to travel a highway at up to 15 mph SLOWER than the posted speed limit. Imagine about 5 to 10 cars travelling across all lanes with a sign stating that they are travelling Legally slower than the speed limit to avoid fines, along with a legislator's phone number. They would only have to travel 5 to 10 miles slower than the speed limit, to egender a response.

YIS,
WRI

[izuko.livejournal.com]

Might not be the response you want, though. I know I wouldn't take too kindly to it, if I were behind that procession.

[lazypadawan.livejournal.com]

Somewhere, Barry Goldwater is spinning his grave over what has become of his state.

Virginia got into the camera thing a couple of years before I moved away and my mom got busted by one of them.

[shellebelle84.livejournal.com]

Sorry but I have to say, I am SO glad I don't live in Arizona.

Being fair to Arizonans

[carbonelle.livejournal.com]

The state is slowly turning purple thanks to lefties fleeing the financial wreckage they created in their home states. (I know, whatever happened to respecting the indigenous culture? NIMBY!) but it's still head and shoulders above most other states when it comes to respecting its citizens constitutional freedoms.

No, if Arizon sucks, it's because of it's gorram-awful climate. But I'm a Washingtonian, so what do I know :-)?

Re: Being fair to Arizonans

[shellebelle84.livejournal.com]

Well that too. Southern Colorado is as hot and dry as I can stand it.

As for the political side - I'd suppose all states have their pros and cons - I just had a friend who moved from AZ, and her family still lives there and she would just bring stuff up that'd make me go "well, I'm glad I don't have to live with that." (Of course I suppose there could be things I'm used to here that people elsewhere feel relief they don't have to deal with.)