Is your camera ticket fake? This is how to convey it
Suddenly, a ticket for a red light camera arrived in your mailbox with your name, but you weren’t driving even that day. This frustrating scenario has overrun many drivers by surprise. So, what is the deal here? Let’s break down these tricky fake tickets and how to fight back when you accidentally are at the intersection.
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Example of fake red light camera tickets (highwayroby.net) (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
Tickets may not be tickets
First of all, not all “tickets” are created equally. If it looks like a ticket, but you don’t have a full court address or phone number, or even worse, if it says “Please don’t contact the court”, then you’ll be dealing with something called a “snitch ticket.” There may be. These aren’t real tickets, they try to get the person who’s actually driving them out. A dead prize usually means saying things like, “Corrective Notice: This is not a ticket.”
Example of fake red light camera tickets (Doterists.org) (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
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Why are they playing this game?
Because cities will have to pay a camera vendor for each ticket issued, regardless of whether they collect dimes or not. So when the footage is so blurry that it can’t identify the driver, they hope these “Oops, was this?” tickets, you do their homework for them. It’s basically a shady game of “Who guesses?” except that you never agreed to play, the rules are equipped and the only award is an unwanted fine.
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What now?
If you receive a “snitch ticket” (a fake ticket designed to identify a driver), there are things you can do here.
Ignore it: You are not legally obligated to respond as it is not a real ticket. Many people simply ignore these notifications.
Do not identify the driver: Remember you have no legal obligation to name the person driving your car.
Check the red flag: Make sure it is fake by looking for missing court information or “Do not contact the court regarding this notice.”
Continue to provide information: Keep notifications for your records, but don’t make it stress you out. It is not a legal document.
These fake tickets are just fishing expeditions. You are within your right to throw them in a recycle bin and spend your day.
Example of fake red light camera tickets (Doterists.org) (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
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“But that’s not me!” – what to do
If you have received a real ticket (with all court information), but you weren’t a driver, you have a choice.
1) Contact the police (optional): Call the ticket number and try explaining the situation. But be careful, they may put pressure on you to identify the actual driver.
2) Stand on your ground: Remember that it is not legally required to identify drivers. It’s not your job to play detectives for them.
3) Go to court: If the push sticks out, you can always fight tickets in court. Be prepared for potential pushbacks.
Important takeouts for your cart
Handling tickets for red light cameras can feel like navigating through a legal minefield. The key is to know your rights, stand firmly, and not pressure anyone to admit guilt to you or identify others. Remember, the burden of proof is on them, not on you. Provide information, stay calm and seek legal advice if everything else fails. After all, justice should not be a “gotcha” game.
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