Busted on speed camera in Tennessee

[Greg]

Anyone else on the Appalachian trip get a letter from the Bluff City Police Photo Safety Program in the mail recently? 
(Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not admit to it in the open forum)

Here's the skinny:
They have video of me doing 57 in 45. I called the number listed and got some odd answers. Apparently this is NOT a moving violation on their statutes (huh? ) but the equivalent to a parking violation. My guess is they might have had these cameras contested in their courts ....   
Anyway, I told the woman I live 800 miles away, so it's next to impossible for me to fight this in court. I asked her if a warrant would be issued if I fail to pay, and she said no. (again ..., huh? )
I'll do more checking and update you guys accordingly.


Greg aka Racer X

[Deplorable, thank you!]

 How much is the fine?

I would probably talk to an attorney who knows tennessee law-or practices there to confirm or deny if this is actually a "moving offense" if it is not I'd just pay it and be done-If so I would find out if in fact it is even legal to ticket via a "speed camera" since there is no way to prove who the operator is (with gear on) how can they ticket the owner-isn't that why the law went bye bye in MN and other states?

[Greg]

isn't that why the law went bye bye in MN and other states?

The fine is $50. I'm not going to pay on principle if there isn't any consequences.

I believe traffic cameras for stop sign enforcement were contested here in Minnesota and the Minnesota Supreme Court said they were unconstitutional ..... but Tennessee isn't Minnesota. 

[pkpk]

Wow, nothing like a bogus way to fund public works. 

My recollection of the MN courts bagging on the cameras were not due to the cameras themselves.  Rather it's the practice our state employed by snapping a shot of the license plate, then putting the proof on the owner of the car that they were not driving it.  It would have been acceptable if the camera took a frontal with the face and the plate.  Which begs the question, even if they shot you from the front, you had your helmet on, right?  That seems ripe to send the "bill" back with a "sorry man, wasn't me on my bike that day."  I'm sure they won't bother trying to spend thousands trying to get that $50 from you.

[Chris]

speed camera's have been proven unconstitutional in every state, I would tell them you plan on fighting it and you want to cross examine  the accuser, per your constitutional right.

[pkpk]

I was researching Chris's statement and realized that it was Red Light Cameras (or how it was applied) that were ruled unconstitutional in MN.  I can't find much information about speed cameras but since there appears no US Supreme Court ruling on the subject, I think it's a stretch to say they are unconstitutional in every state.  According to the iihs, there are 93 municipalities using speed cameras.  http://www.iihs.org/laws/cameramap.aspx

[Chris]

pkpk, you're right I thought that speed cameras were lumped in with the Red Light Cameras. But they do have the same principle in your Guilty until you prove that it was not you driving. You also have the right to examine the person charging you with the crime.

[Greg]

Well, it didn't take much Googling to find this page.

http://www.bluffcitypd.com/

[EdgeRyder]

no unexpected mail as of yet  (keeps fingers crossed)   

Which day was the citation written?  I think we rode through that town on both Wed and Thursday.

Looks like the taxi driver was correct about not paying any photo tickets.   
That link about the guy buying up the city's PD website was pretty funny though.

Ray C

[Greg]

It was June 29th at 8:34AM. It must have been when we were headed out of town on our way through West Virginia and up to Ohio. You were just behind me and your helmet is visible in one of the pictures.

And after further research, I'm not payin'   

On the lam,
Greg

*responding to Vince below*  I believe so.

 

[vince]

Isn't that the  day Allon lead the group and we took the dirt road to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

[carlson_mn]

Wow Greg that is just a crazy thing they have going on there in Bluff City.  By principal I will avoid that city and their local economy when I am in that area.  Makes me kind of want to bend my license plate up a bit if I'm down there like a lot of the Squids do with their half-ass tailkits. Perhaps make it harder to see on camera. 

But yea - don't pay.