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California's red light camera fines are worst in the U.S.

GasBuddy Blog -- California has the most expensive red-light camera tickets in the world; and the tickets are so steep, according to Kevin Fagan, reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, that one camera in Oakland generates more than $3 million annually.

According to Fagan and the traffic-watch site TheNewspaper.com, anyone in California photographed violating a red light pays a fine of $480 and no other jurisdiction in the U.S. has a tab that high. The second-highest fine in the U.S. is $250, Fagan says.

California's Dept. of Finance estimates that red-light cameras bring in more than $80 million annually to the state and $50 million to cities and counties. Not all $480 from each ticket goes to the cities or counties that authorize...

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Submitted Feb 06, 2012 By: PD

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Road4Runner Sophomore Author Ontario Posts:143 Points:9,630 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 4:33:37 PM Ignore Road4Runner Report Abuse Thankful I live in Canada that $450.00 fine for red light infraction is completely outrageous. What can the American gas buddy forum do to help with getting this fine lowered?
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,170 Points:424,465 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 11:29:59 AM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse wow
farmboyTN Veteran Author Tennessee Posts:388 Points:92,110 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 6, 2012 3:30:35 AM Ignore farmboyTN Report Abuse Red light means stop....this is not just a suggestion to stop either.
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:2,085 Points:415,320 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 5, 2012 10:12:51 PM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse Still no lights in my home town
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:2,085 Points:415,320 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 5, 2012 10:12:27 PM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse I love it! We only have one light in town!
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,170 Points:424,465 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 5, 2012 10:07:34 PM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse very true
Donatelo All-Star Author Dayton Posts:647 Points:144,015 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 4, 2012 11:57:59 AM Ignore Donatelo Report Abuse K
gasokie Champion Author Oklahoma Posts:2,698 Points:1,048,210 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Apr 4, 2012 9:20:07 AM Ignore gasokie Report Abuse Good. Maybe people will stop running them.
gasmask78 All-Star Author Virginia Posts:569 Points:109,145 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Apr 3, 2012 9:34:02 PM Ignore gasmask78 Report Abuse Ahh...California...the Governator State.
Donatelo All-Star Author Dayton Posts:647 Points:144,015 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 2, 2012 9:32:31 AM Ignore Donatelo Report Abuse ok
123cowboy Champion Author Maine Posts:1,724 Points:348,140 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 2, 2012 4:21:20 AM Ignore 123cowboy Report Abuse red light cameras or red light district?..
SavingInNC Champion Author North Carolina Posts:4,134 Points:741,030 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2012 6:41:53 AM Ignore SavingInNC Report Abuse Let the liberals pay. Pelosi is their queen.
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:5,534 Points:1,122,010 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2012 5:53:35 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse old news
Reishman Veteran Author Illinois Posts:364 Points:245,665 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 31, 2012 9:15:48 PM Ignore Reishman Report Abuse i don't trust red lights.
Bill100 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:38,331 Points:807,270 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Mar 31, 2012 9:05:05 PM Ignore Bill100 Report Abuse Good for CA. Not coming to visit.
SovietSunrise Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,436 Points:862,655 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Mar 31, 2012 3:50:03 PM Ignore SovietSunrise Report Abuse Goshforsaken revenue generators!
Edpap Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:1,527 Points:149,000 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Mar 30, 2012 7:05:22 AM Ignore Edpap Report Abuse Ca also has some of the worst drivers in the USA, including NYC. The cameras may help get some of the losers off the road.
lazydoggs3 Sophomore Author Fresno Posts:182 Points:21,230 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 30, 2012 6:42:20 AM Ignore lazydoggs3 Report Abuse Im glad I haven been hit with one of those fines
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:5,534 Points:1,122,010 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 29, 2012 5:39:32 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse just another tax grab
123cowboy Champion Author Maine Posts:1,724 Points:348,140 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Mar 29, 2012 3:08:54 AM Ignore 123cowboy Report Abuse figures..
Viking2MD Sophomore Author Maryland Posts:111 Points:239,500 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Mar 29, 2012 1:26:26 AM Ignore Viking2MD Report Abuse Many of you have commented on how important it is to keep the cameras, & that those who receive tickets deserve them. You don't take into account the mistakes made by errors in the equipment, & simple clerical & processing mistakes that result in tickets that should not have been issued to the recipient in the first place. Then there is the issue of safety! How many drivers will SPEED UP to try to squeeze thru a light when they know there's a camera there? What about a bus full of students or other passengers that does not have seat belts, or a heavily loaded truck. Should the bus driver have to slam on the brakes to avoid a possible violation & thereby put the passengers at risk, or the truck driver that may not be able to suddenly stop his rig without endangering those around him. How about a vehicle being tailgated so that a quick stop ensures that the car behind you will slam into your rear end? Sometimes safety dictates that the best response is to carefully proceed through the intersection. I'm all for SAFETY, and therefore rather encourage safe and defensive driving practices such as watching the road & lights up ahead of you, checking for cross traffic before going thru intersections, driving at or near the speed limit, maintaining proper following distances, and being ready to take evasive action to avoid an accident, etc.
Viking2MD Sophomore Author Maryland Posts:111 Points:239,500 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Mar 28, 2012 12:18:17 PM Ignore Viking2MD Report Abuse Very steep fine. Red light and speed cameras may serve a purpose, but that is mainly for boosting revenues and not improving safety. If there must be red light cameras for safety then there should be national standards for length of yellow, at least daily calibration, checks on companies that install and monitor them, and companion lights counting down the seconds to change from green to red. There also should be consistency in policies, ie: owner or driver responsible for ticket (and ease of getting ticket reassigned to driver- my spouse went through numerous attempts with DC traffic department before giving up and paying the fine), reporting of violation to MVA/DMV, insurance companies, credit agencies, having scofflaws booted or towed. That being said most people cannot afford the time or hassle of going to a hearing or court to argue the charge, and unless you have refuting evidence such as photos or calibration tests, you're not likely to have it thrown out. There are a couple of good Message Links Posted by: greentre GB Feb 6, 2012 11:02:29 PM, one regarding not having to pay the fines in L.A., & the other about standards for the lenght of yellow lights.
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,170 Points:424,465 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Mar 28, 2012 9:33:28 AM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse Yes these fines are ridiculously high.
Ratso Champion Author Ohio Posts:15,885 Points:2,321,720 Joined:Sep 2003	Message Posted: Mar 28, 2012 2:56:31 AM Ignore Ratso Report Abuse WHAH...whiners
gasokie Champion Author Oklahoma Posts:2,698 Points:1,048,210 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Mar 27, 2012 7:03:16 PM Ignore gasokie Report Abuse I prefer red light cameras. The only ones I hear gripping are those who run the darn things. Too many getting killed by light runners not to use cameras. If you don't like it, quit running them.
HedgeCat Rookie Author Virginia Beach Posts:27 Points:19,685 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Mar 27, 2012 7:47:49 AM Ignore HedgeCat Report Abuse They tried this in certain cities in Florida to no avail. The powers to be discovered that the contracting company set the camera to snap faster than its suppose to which gave them HUGE profits. In the meantime, it DID NOT curtail accidents but INCREASED them! Now they are employing them in the Tidewater area of Virginia -- it is nothing more than a money maker - which NEVER seems to go to repairing our highways!
templar615 Rookie Author Michigan Posts:28 Points:7,730 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Mar 27, 2012 7:11:01 AM Ignore templar615 Report Abuse Free and easy money for the city to make on us. some of those lights change faster than u can react!
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:5,534 Points:1,122,010 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 27, 2012 6:04:49 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse greedy government
TomeHills Veteran Author New Mexico Posts:360 Points:106,910 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Mar 27, 2012 4:24:00 AM Ignore TomeHills Report Abuse NM voters chose to remove them in Albuquerque...
tasha88CA All-Star Author California Posts:602 Points:43,165 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2012 7:38:23 PM Ignore tasha88CA Report Abuse easy way to get $$$$$ fast
tasha88CA All-Star Author California Posts:602 Points:43,165 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2012 7:38:21 PM Ignore tasha88CA Report Abuse easy way to get $$$$$ fast
pilotmass Sophomore Author Boston Posts:181 Points:164,100 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Mar 20, 2012 12:20:34 PM Ignore pilotmass Report Abuse red light camera. Are those the ones in red light districts.....
Edpap Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:1,527 Points:149,000 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2012 11:18:33 AM Ignore Edpap Report Abuse Serious driver issues in california where a large part of the locals don't speak, read , or write in english.
PuddinPal Champion Author California Posts:1,230 Points:308,615 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Mar 11, 2012 8:28:55 AM Ignore PuddinPal Report Abuse Whats even worse, California regularly sets the speed limits far lower than prudent people drive (the 85th percentile). Then they go out and aggressively enforce those speed limits to collect more taxes. They used to excuse the fines if one would go to traffic school. However, now they require that one pays the fine in addition to a fee to attend the traffic school. Why miss an opportunity to collect a tax?
skeeterx Veteran Author Bakersfield Posts:311 Points:300,270 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Mar 4, 2012 12:56:52 PM Ignore skeeterx Report Abuse California. TAX TAX TAX.
Edpap Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:1,527 Points:149,000 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Feb 23, 2012 11:58:07 AM Ignore Edpap Report Abuse I've driven in San Diego and LA...they need more cameras!
Duke69 Champion Author Raleigh Posts:7,886 Points:1,896,275 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Feb 22, 2012 11:39:21 PM Ignore Duke69 Report Abuse Jeezzzzz, places are having them 86th.
Gas4Gore Champion Author Detroit Posts:1,301 Points:202,980 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 7:37:06 PM Ignore Gas4Gore Report Abuse Well, California finally found a way to make money.
chrisg55 Rookie Author Indiana Posts:46 Points:10,770 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Feb 20, 2012 8:25:06 PM Ignore chrisg55 Report Abuse If you dont want to pay a fine, then slow down...Stop at red lights, not speed up to get through
pilotmass Sophomore Author Boston Posts:181 Points:164,100 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 18, 2012 1:41:16 PM Ignore pilotmass Report Abuse Rather have cuts in Govt than this selective tax
SovietSunrise Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,436 Points:862,655 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2012 7:55:55 PM Ignore SovietSunrise Report Abuse Revenue generation. Pathetic.
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,170 Points:424,465 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2012 7:03:38 PM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse Yes they are
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:15,957 Points:1,245,100 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2012 3:03:09 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse the 6th largest economy in the WORLD is bankrupt due to poor management. Gotta have SOME money coming in somewhere...
123cowboy Champion Author Maine Posts:1,724 Points:348,140 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 8, 2012 1:49:36 PM Ignore 123cowboy Report Abuse California seems to like the extremes...
blupupher Champion Author Houston Posts:1,687 Points:417,315 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 8, 2012 4:46:56 AM Ignore blupupher Report Abuse Nothing to do with safety, everything to do with money
gasokie Champion Author Oklahoma Posts:2,698 Points:1,048,210 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2012 8:24:53 PM Ignore gasokie Report Abuse I don't much like the idea of cameras but by gosh...no one has ever held a gun to my head and made me run a red light. I maintain that if people know they are definitely going to get a ticket, screw up their insurance rates each and every time they run one of these lights then they might quit doing it. And in that event the vast majority of us who quiety go about our work, our business and driving obeying the laws that keep us alive and safe can breath a sigh of relief. Let's all take a deep breath and grow up. [Edited by: gasokie at 2/7/2012 11:25:48 PM EST]
LQQKGAS Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,466 Points:849,020 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2012 7:31:42 PM Ignore LQQKGAS Report Abuse Big brother is watching! " When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." " All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." ~~ Thomas Jefferson There is no fear of the people when some official positions do not have term limits. [Edited by: LQQKGAS at 2/7/2012 10:33:45 PM EST]
N5EXY Champion Author Austin Posts:3,708 Points:1,148,750 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2012 7:25:57 AM Ignore N5EXY Report Abuse Flaky state.
Norm10 Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,833 Points:89,770 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2012 7:04:12 AM Ignore Norm10 Report Abuse If you can afford to live in California then you can afford to pay expensive fines.
MAJB Sophomore Author Indianapolis Posts:126 Points:67,485 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2012 5:47:45 AM Ignore MAJB Report Abuse It's California...what more can you expect!