Photo enforced stop sign ticket in topanga canyon
12-01-2009, 05:15 PM
#1
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Newhall, CA
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Photo enforced stop sign ticket in topanga canyon I got a ticket in the mail stating that my vehicle did not stop at a stop sign in topanga canyon. The ticket was issued by a park ranger/peace officer through the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. The ticket is $125 and on the back of the ticket it states that no points will go on my record and that this will not be sent to the insurance company or DMV.
There is a video online that I watched of my vehicle running the stop sign, nevermind the fact that the location of the stop sign is a TOTAL and COMPLETE trap. It's really ridiculous if you could see the video and how the intersection is setup. The limit line is easily 20-30 feet behind the edge of the roadway.
My question is, what authority do they have to do this? CVC says that photo enforced stop sign tickets are illegal, so what gives the MRCA the right to issue tickets like this? I called and they said if I didn't pay the ticket, it would go to collections and ding my credit.
There are many articles in the newspaper about people furious about this, and how it wont stand up in state court if I were to fight it, but there's nothing that tells me how to fight it. Anyone ever deal with this bullshit before?
There is a video online that I watched of my vehicle running the stop sign, nevermind the fact that the location of the stop sign is a TOTAL and COMPLETE trap. It's really ridiculous if you could see the video and how the intersection is setup. The limit line is easily 20-30 feet behind the edge of the roadway.
My question is, what authority do they have to do this? CVC says that photo enforced stop sign tickets are illegal, so what gives the MRCA the right to issue tickets like this? I called and they said if I didn't pay the ticket, it would go to collections and ding my credit.
There are many articles in the newspaper about people furious about this, and how it wont stand up in state court if I were to fight it, but there's nothing that tells me how to fight it. Anyone ever deal with this bullshit before?
12-01-2009, 05:30 PM
#2
11 Second Club
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: So Cal
Posts: 772
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did it show a picture of your face. A stop light ticket is a driving violation . Therefore it needs a picture of you driving. Is there anyway you can say it wasnt you? I have friends that deny that it was them in there red light tickets and they were getting away with it.
12-01-2009, 06:41 PM
#5
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Newhall, CA
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did it show a picture of your face. A stop light ticket is a driving violation . Therefore it needs a picture of you driving. Is there anyway you can say it wasnt you? I have friends that deny that it was them in there red light tickets and they were getting away with it.
12-01-2009, 06:42 PM
#6
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Newhall, CA
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Like I said, its a violation written by a park ranger, not really a ticket written by a police officer. They apparently dont need a picture of my face because they couldn't give a **** who is driving the car.
Trending Topics
12-01-2009, 08:08 PM
#12
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Newhall, CA
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I really would love to tell them to F off, but I dont want this on my credit.... Mountain Conservation, maybe I'll go plant a big oak tree right in front of the camera
12-01-2009, 08:27 PM
#13
Here is another line of thought: if they can't legally ticket you (like you say), pay the ticket then take them to small claims.
You pay to prevent them from dinging your credit, then sue because what they did was "illegal".
That sounds like fun.
OR, pick up the obituary section and blame it on someone in there.
At that time, the DA could get you for perjury, since I'm sure you would have to sign a sworn affidavit to the fact someone else was driving, but think of the time and effort involved to prove that.
You pay to prevent them from dinging your credit, then sue because what they did was "illegal".
That sounds like fun.
OR, pick up the obituary section and blame it on someone in there.
At that time, the DA could get you for perjury, since I'm sure you would have to sign a sworn affidavit to the fact someone else was driving, but think of the time and effort involved to prove that.
12-03-2009, 02:55 AM
#14
Teching In
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: phoenix, az
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Says right on the ticket that it does not matter if I was the one driving, I am responsible because it is my car. If I want, I can identify the driver and make him pay it instead of me, otherwise I have to pay it. It is not a "moving violation" technically because it is written by a park ranger in a park. It's total BS
also, i PRETTY sure that every state law requires that all photo enforced intersections have a sign within 300 feet stating that the intersection is photo enforced. They don't have this, it's not legal.
BUT
In accordance with the State of California Penal Code, Section 830.31(b), “Persons designated by a local agency as park rangers, and regularly employed and paid as such, are peace officers; provided that the primary duty of any such peace officer shall be the protection of park property and preservation of the peace therein.” In addition Section 5782.26 of the California Public Resource Code provides that the police appointed or employed by the Board shall have, within the Park District for which they are employed, all the powers of police officers of municipal corporations.
12-03-2009, 07:50 AM
#15
Such BS. Id take it to court... but i dont know how the rangers would handle it.
Stop sign tickets are such BS... if the intersection is WIDE open and you can see 1/4 mile in every direction, WTF does it matter if you dont come to a complete stop?
Stop sign tickets are such BS... if the intersection is WIDE open and you can see 1/4 mile in every direction, WTF does it matter if you dont come to a complete stop?
12-09-2009, 07:22 PM
#17
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Newhall, CA
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does anyone know what the required sight distance is for a stop sign? I was up there last night and you can't see the stop sign until you are pretty close to it as it is blocked by trees and bushes.
12-10-2009, 03:11 AM
#18
Banned
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 491
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fight it in person. Talk to the watch commander or whoever is the higher up in that office. But take lots of legal literature that shows them that what they are doing is not permissible. Explain to them that you ARE willing to pay the fine if they can show you a law, on the books, that gives them the authority to fine you in this manner. If they cannot produce evidence to further their cause, ask that the charges be dropped and everyone goes their separate ways.
The state is getting very desperate for money right now. Some places worse than others. This state is bankrupt and funding is slim at best. A lot of agencies will start trying to do this kind of stuff where they may not be correct in the way they are fining you, but they will try to make it too much of a hassle for you to deal with it and expect you to just pay the fine to make the headache go away.
Fight it.. Don't pay the state for their illegal actions.
The state is getting very desperate for money right now. Some places worse than others. This state is bankrupt and funding is slim at best. A lot of agencies will start trying to do this kind of stuff where they may not be correct in the way they are fining you, but they will try to make it too much of a hassle for you to deal with it and expect you to just pay the fine to make the headache go away.
Fight it.. Don't pay the state for their illegal actions.
