Class action suit filed against Knoxville for redlight cameras

[Guest 1817ak47]

A class action lawsuit filed against the city of Knoxville and the city's former redlight camera provider claims the cameras were illegal and asks for refunds.

Four Knoxville residents filed suit claiming the city code on redlight cameras was beyond the powers allocated to the city by state law and the state constitution. Specifically, the suit said state law was not amended to allow redlight cameras until July 1, 2008.

Jason Patrick Davis, Lisa B. Cox, Mitchell Stooksbury, and Melissa Sue Hill are seeking refunds for everyone who paid a redlight ticket fine in Knoxville between February 1, 2005, and June 30, 2008.

The suit calls for an estimated $6.5 million to be repaid. The plaintiffs' suit refers to the cameras as a "prosecution for profit scheme."

WBIR.com | Knoxville, TN | Class action suit filed against Knoxville for redlight cameras

[Guest 1817ak47]

I want to first mention neither my nor my wife have ever gotten cited from these yet, (unless she has hidden it from me). I have a strong repect for safety, but this I don't fell does much to benefit safety in the long run when people slam on brakes and drive slower to avoid red light running.

wounder how this will end up being resolved:popcorn:

[Il Duce]

if i remember correctly cameras actually dont generate that much revenue and besides you know where they are, its not like they move around

[Guest SUNTZU]

if i remember correctly cameras actually dont generate that much revenue and besides you know where they are, its not like they move around

http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/09/09/knoxville-dumps-redflex/

In May 2006 the Melbourne-based company first installed the red light camera network that now covers fifteen Knoxville intersections. The devices last year generated $2,599,732 in revenue, with Redflex pocketing over sixty percent of the annual take. Because the original contract will expire on November 8, the city gave Redflex until July 31 to submit a proposal for a three-year extension that included a few revisions that the city wanted to make.

Oak Ridge mulls options for spending revenue from traffic cameras

OAK RIDGE - In a tight budget year, Oak Ridge will be receiving nearly $1 million in new revenue from traffic safety camera citation payments, and City Council members are brainstorming how to spend it......

.....The city installed the cameras - dubbed "revenue cameras" by foes - at four locations late last summer. Red-light and speed cameras are at the intersections of Robertsville Road and Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike and LaFayette Drive.

Motorists nabbed for red-light infractions or speeding are mailed $50 citations. The city and RedFlex Traffic Systems Inc. divvy up revenue, with the city's share increasing as more citations are issued. The city nets $29 for each citation over 150 issued in a month.

Through February, the city's share from paid citations is $661,602, according to Deputy City Manager Steve Jenkins. He projects that based on current collections, the city should get an additional $250,000 to $300,000 by June 30, or the end of the fiscal year.

Pocket change.

[Il Duce]

nevermind i heard wrong lol

[Guest SUNTZU]

nevermind i heard wrong lol

No problem.

[Guest m&pc9]

Between my wife and daughter there has been $150 paid in my name.

[Guest Old goat]

I got one for failure to stop (right on red) in Jackson. The clip showed that I moved probably 12 ft in a 4 second span but didn't completly stop, nothing in the intersection, no speeding thru the light to try to beat it, I'm not sure the light was even red, couldn't tell, paid it. But I can tell you that Jackson has lost much more than that $50 from me in taxes since then. I use to shop a lot in Jackson but I think the only money I've spent there since January is dinner twice and will stay that way. I don't live there though I pass thru a few times a week so it's easy not to leave my money there.

[billkill]

I got one for failure to stop (right on red) in Jackson. The clip showed that I moved probably 12 ft in a 4 second span but didn't completly stop, nothing in the intersection, no speeding thru the light to try to beat it, I'm not sure the light was even red, couldn't tell, paid it. But I can tell you that Jackson has lost much more than that $50 from me in taxes since then. I use to shop a lot in Jackson but I think the only money I've spent there since January is dinner twice and will stay that way. I don't live there though I pass thru a few times a week so it's easy not to leave my money there.

Same here...I refuse to go to or through Oak Ridge because of the speed cameras.

[aquaman67]

CPD’s new Red-light camera enforcement program which started on May 1st, 2009 has captured 1,786 red-light violations. At that rate the program would be on track to issue 46,436 tickets, and bring in an estimated $2,321,800 in combined revenue for the City of Clarksville and their partner Redflex over the course of a year.

If this really was about safety I would get points on my license. If you want and you have the money you can run every red light in Clarksville every day. Just pay the fine and no problem. And this is about safety? NOT!

[Westwindmike]

I hope the city loses and they have to take them down all over TN.

[Guest Fuel]

I have a strong repect for safety, but this I don't fell does much to benefit safety in the long run when people slam on brakes

Exactly. I got caught by one of the revenue cameras in Mount Juliet a couple of months ago. Several times lately I've caught myself slamming on my brakes at the last minute when a light turns yellow because I don't know if I'll have time to make it thru the light before it turns red or not. I only drive thru MJ when I have too. Always had way to many cops for a town this size and now with the revenue cameras.

[Guest drv2fst]

Murfreesboro put in red light cameras (6 I think). I have not been tagged by them yet. I remember reading articles at the time that showed that red light cameras caused more wrecks than they prevented. Rear-end collisions increase sharply at red light camera intersections. T-Bone collisions were diminished, but not by much.

My opinion is that this is a pure and simple revenue collection scheme that local government hides in a promise of safety. The big winner is the private contractor. They get most of the money.

Plus, red light cameras are the gateway drug to easy money. Next look for speed cameras, and anything else that is easy money. No effort, no value, just regular positive cash flow. When did our local government become Enron?

Edited April 28, 2010 by drv2fst
added

[Guest Caveman]

This issue has never been about safety, that is why some of the cities had the timing of the yellow light sped up so it would turn red faster and catch more people. I hope these people win and they shut down the whole program.

[Guest charlie8584]

It's the PRIVATE interests in the matter I object to. It's all about $ not safety. We have them in Mt. Juliet and everyone slams on their breaks at the fiurst hint of yellow regardless of where they are. I'm waiting 6 months and then ask for records pre and post cameras to see if the accident rate has gone down. I'm betting not but I know that $ are WAYYYYYYY up.

[Guest uofmeet]

I agree it is all about moeny.....that is all they care about. not our safety. But there are def some a$$holes out there that do go through the light even after it turned red.......But it is def about the money.....can't wait til i am good enough to move out into the middle of nowhere and not in a city....

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

In my hometown, they built a new courthouse building and expanded the jail.... One month later, 3 Red Light Cameras on 3 of the 4 Lights in the city limits. The only light that doesn't have one, as far as I know because I haven't been back, is the one that was put in after the cameras were installed.

[leroy]

I like it!!! It is, in fact, a "proscecution for profit" scheme.

Leroy

[molonlabetn]

I never paid mine... it's not legally enforceable. Hasn't shown up in the 3 years since, no problems renewing my license or when pulled over (even in the same city). They don't even stick as well as a parking ticket.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I never paid mine... it's not legally enforceable. Hasn't shown up in the 3 years since, no problems renewing my license or when pulled over (even in the same city). They don't even stick as well as a parking ticket.

Please share with us all about it not being enforceable. Not trying to be a smartass. It would be helpful to know. I paid one for my son in Knoxville,

maybe I shouldn't have paid.

[molonlabetn]

Please share with us all about it not being enforceable. Not trying to be a smartass. It would be helpful to know. I paid one for my son in Knoxville,

maybe I shouldn't have paid.

I'm not pretending to be a lawyer, or advise anyone to do what I did... but reading the fine print on the ticket basically said that all they could do was increase the fee and/or ding my credit if I didn't pay. The alternative was to go to court or sign and mail a statement that I wasn't the one driving... as far as I am concerned I never confirmed or denied the allegation of the ticket, and I have no legal duty to respond to it. If they had dinged my credit or put a mark against my record I would/will report that... but so far my 'experiment' has resulted in zero backlash in the 3 years since receiving the notice in the mail. So, as far as I can see is that it's a revenue stream in the guise of official capacity, which has no teeth, and depends on its prey to voluntarily give up their money. It's almost like fraudulent e-mail spam from someone who has some of your personal info and is trying to bait you.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I think it is too. I probably should have read the fine print on that ticket my son got.

Appreciate it.

[bubbiesdad]

Same here...I refuse to go to or through Oak Ridge because of the speed cameras.

So when are you leaving Knoxnille, they still have cameras, don't they?

[bubbiesdad]

I got one for failure to stop (right on red) in Jackson. The clip showed that I moved probably 12 ft in a 4 second span but didn't completly stop, nothing in the intersection, no speeding thru the light to try to beat it, I'm not sure the light was even red, couldn't tell, paid it. But I can tell you that Jackson has lost much more than that $50 from me in taxes since then. I use to shop a lot in Jackson but I think the only money I've spent there since January is dinner twice and will stay that way. I don't live there though I pass thru a few times a week so it's easy not to leave my money there.

So you don't pay attention to traffic signals?

[billkill]

So when are you leaving Knoxnille, they still have cameras, don't they?

Yes but we only have the red light cameras (they are easy enough to avoid)

The speed cameras are where I draw the line.