Rolling Red light stop - camera/Video ticket - CAN I IGNORE THE TICKET

[Sokols]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[Eekamouse]

Sure but you'll likely regret it.

 

[sandyclaus]

Are you seriously thinking about doing that?

If you got the ticket, then you are more than likely EASILY identifiable on the camera/video image. Your car certainly was, because they managed to issue a ticket and you got it.

I just get chills listening to all those folks complaining about how, one day, some tow truck came up to their house/friend's house/place of business/traffic stop and hauled their car away because of all those tickets they decided to toss in the trash and ignore. Or they got arrested on a traffic stop for one/many tickets that were issued years ago, and a warrant was issued for their failure to pay and failure to appear. Bless your heart - it's the little people like them - and apparently YOU - who so richly support the coffers of the cities and counties with those huge fines and penalties that usually are the result of such immature and irresponsible behavior.

 

[FlyingRon]

Do you want to tell us what state?

 

[Sokols]

Do you want to tell us what state?

CA is the state. I read that camera citations in some cases are not legitamate and was questioning what indication would I have on the citation to prove that it isn't a warning and a money fine

 

[davew128]

Are you seriously thinking about doing that?

If you got the ticket, then you are more than likely EASILY identifiable on the camera/video image. Your car certainly was, because they managed to issue a ticket and you got it.

I will agree the car was identified. The driver? Not so much.

 

[sandyclaus]

I will agree the car was identified. The driver? Not so much.

That's very true. There are a lot of red light videos and camera photos that identify a car, but can't make out the driver well enough to definitively identify them. In those instances, the agency that sends out the tickets sends to the registered owner of the vehicle under the assumption that they may be the driver, or at least have some control over whomever they may have authorized to use the vehicle.

And it's important to note here that OP ISN'T denying that they were the driver. They're just asking whether or not they can ignore an otherwise validly issued ticket/citation.

I'm thinking that OP's concern is that this is one of those so-called "snitch" tickets. Read here for more on that:

You may have heard about ‘snitch’ tickets or ‘fake’ tickets issued by the police hoping to get you to ‘turn in’ yourself as the driver of the vehicle in the photographs on the ticket, or to ‘snitch’ on the person who you know was driving. They look like real tickets, but they are not valid tickets administered by the courthouse. You may be asking, “How can they get away with this?” Well, a new law in California, if signed, would require this ‘snitch’ traffic notices to clearly state that you are not required to give any information about the driver, or admit that you were the driver in the photographs, and that you will face no consequences for not responding. This is what currently stands, however snitch tickets do not currently have this disclaimer, therefore scaring people into turning themselves in.

Why do they send these out?

You may have been sent a ‘snitch’ ticket if they couldn’t clearly make out who the driver is in the photos, or if there is a gender mismatch between the person in the photos and the name on the vehicle’s registration, or if they are just not sure it’s you. Congratulations!

How do I know if it’s a ‘snitch’ ticket?

You’ll know if it’s a snitch ticket if the notice appears to have the following:

• No due date
• No courthouse information
• Police department based out-of-state
• If it says, “Do not contact the court” or “do not forward to the court”

If, indeed, this IS a "snitch" ticket, then ignoring it might just be the logical thing to do, or fall into the trap of admitting identity on an otherwise unidentifiable image that could or could not be them.

 

[Sokols]

thank you for that helpful last commet about snitch. That was actually a helpful response. My other concern are the companies online that claim they will fight the ticket for you with a response documentation or letter 100% guaranteed. Is this an actual factual practice that I my pursue, or should I appear and fight the ticket if in fact it's an actual citation? thank you

 

[HighwayMan]

...should I appear and fight the ticket if in fact it's an actual citation?

If you rolled through the red light without stopping what will your defense be? Of course you didn't explain anything in your original post -it's just a subject line.