Eye In the sky

College Daughter's 5 1/2 year perfect driving record became tarnished by a little envelope in the mail last week.  She was caught speeding by a traffic camera.  The envelope came while she was out of town on her college service learning project and the incident had occurred mid-May.  If you've never received one, there is a photo of your car 'in action' along with a website and code to watch your offense, and the bill, of course.  I opened it since it was addressed to Husband, the owner of the vehicle.

The best part of this story?  She was going 27 freaking miles per hour!!!!  It said she was speeding in a school zone (20 MPH).  The block given was near a high school and it occurred around 9:30 a.m.   I was confused why lights would be blinking at that time of day.  Our high school starts at 7:25 a.m.  I called the number on the bill and asked during what times the lights are blinking in that area.  The woman said 7:15 to 9:45 a.m. in the morning, plus two hour time slots for both lunch and after school.  Why not just leave the lights blinking all day??

When College Daughter arrived home from her trip, I showed her the bill.  She was initially outraged by the $100 fee (about 1.5 days of work for her, after taxes).  After a few minutes, she actually got a big kick out of the irony of getting a ticket for going 27 MPH.  She goes that way all the time to get to work, but since she works different shifts, she didn't know when the lights blink and when they are off.  For extra kicks, we watched the video of her speeding online.  And two cars pass her in the 10 seconds of tape!  Apparently, she was holding up traffic that morning too.

Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 14, 2011 at 12:49 PM

    big brother is watching....

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  2. CraigJune 14, 2011 at 12:49 PM

    I know that all of us with driver's licenses are accountable to obey all the traffic laws. . .

    But there is something just a tad 'Big-Brother-ish' about those citation-issuing cameras. . .

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  3. AnonymousJune 14, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    Ya know, I know some of the folks who those cameras are really intended to catch. Unfortunately our legal system will let them off if the 'minor' offenders are let off so what're ya gonna do?

    BTW- I have informed those few wild ones that if they gets caught and if at all humanly possible I'll be at their hearing to vouch for their lack of character ....

    .... though that ain't happenin' 'cause we don't do cameras around here and, apparently, tears are your get-out-of-ticket free card. I respect law enforcement 'cept for that one detail. Cry and you can fly.

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  4. RussJune 15, 2011 at 9:16 AM

    Ah, the scameras! Those were deemed to be unconstitutional here in NC. They tried! (For the kids, of course.)

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  5. Rhonda SloanJune 15, 2011 at 1:35 PM

    We got an envelope like that from Germany a few years back. It was definitely my husband in the car in the photo, but because the whole thing was written in German, I couldn't tell what the violation or the fine was -- so I filed it under "come get him". LOL

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  6. secret agent womanJune 15, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    I got one for not quite stopping at a redlight (I came to an almost stop and was making a right turn and it was perfectly clear - sheesh!). But only $50 and no points.

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  7. limeJune 16, 2011 at 10:11 PM

    good grief, the camera aspect of this is just galling.

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  8. BijouxJune 17, 2011 at 2:53 PM

    Coop - Scary, isn't it?

    Craig - I generally don't have a problem with it. I mean, if you're obeying the laws, you're fine, right?

    Leslie - Yup.

    X - I've never gotten out of a ticket (well, the two or three times I've been pulled over). However, Husband has gotten out of MANY. I think it's more 'the good ole boys club' than any crying lass winning around here.

    Russ - Interesting! I didn't think big brother would declare himself unconstitutional!

    Rhonda - Does this mean he will never be visiting Germany again?

    Agent - Yes, fortunately my daughter isn't getting points for it either.

    Lime - 'That's life in the big city' as my dad used to say.

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  9. Kevin McKeeverJune 18, 2011 at 9:52 PM

    I got busted in a school zone once because school has been let out in our county for the summer ... but not the county next to ours. 35 in a 20. While I had Thing 1 in the car en route to a doctor's appointment. Online traffic school was SUCH a blast, though.

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  10. for a different kind of girlJune 19, 2011 at 4:19 PM

    Today, on an unexpected errand while on my way to church, I slid through an intersection as the light was changing from yellow to red. Suffice to say, I've spent the bulk of my morning, mostly at church, praying I didn't get caught and won't be opening my mailbox to one of these types of letters/bills in the next few weeks. The primary stretch of highway we travel is littered with these red light cameras, and having been the victim (I swear!) of one a few years ago, I know how hard they can knock you in the wallet!

    p.s. - I LOATH these camera!

    ReplyDelete
  11. RonJune 20, 2011 at 8:20 PM

    OMG...I never knew these camera thingies even existed?!?!

    Figures, since I haven't had a car in 10 years.

    However, when I did, I ended up getting two tickets for speeding in a 25 MPH zone. I think I was going like 40 one time, and maybe 35 another.

    Yes, I had quite the lead foot!

    Hope you had super Monday, my friend!

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  12. BijouxJune 21, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    Uncool - I thought traffic school was only for drunks?? Sounds painful.

    FADKOG - Wow - you must post about it if you get the dreaded envelope.

    Ron - I'm with you, but I've often worried about jaywalking while walking in the city. A friend of mine got ticketed for it when we were in DC in high school!

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  13. automationJuly 12, 2011 at 1:11 PM

    Oohh.., obeying traffic rules is a must...

    ReplyDelete

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