Hi, I am a rookie and I have a question about something that happened to me while I was driving a while back. I was driving on the left lane and I was passing a car that was going a bit slower. In the process of doing that, I saw a motorcycle cop stopped on the side of the highway and he was shooting a laser-gun type thing at cars checking their speed. I was probably doing 5-10 mph over the limit. Now my question is, he didn't follow me, but is it still possible he might give me a ticket (maybe by taking a pic of my plate and tracking me down?) .. Or does it mean that if he didn't follow me, he probably won't give me a ticket? Thanks (I know probably a stupid question, but alas a rooki..).

 

.......and the sky might fall tomorrow.

Possible. Yes. Likely. No. Drive on Driver!

 

you seem very concerned about receiving a ticket..........maybe you should stop speeding...ya think...no worries then right :lol:

 

Dont you have to sign the ticket???

 

How do those red light cameras work? Don't they send the ticket to whoever the vehicle is registered to? I always wanted to know that.

 

in arizona, the camera flashes and in order to get the ticket, two things must be present in the picture: 1) a clear shot of your face, and 2) a clear shot of your license plate. if both are present, the county will have a couple of people go to your house and give the ticket to you. that's when you have to pay for it. if nobody shows up at your residence and you never receive a notice for the ticket, don't worry about it.

 

When VA was doing a pilot program for red light camera's they would mail the ticket to the vehicle owner. Very easy to get around, just sign at the bottom that it was not you driving and that was it. VA doesn't have the camera's operable anymore.

 

It is highly unlikely that you will receive a ticket at this point in time. The purpose of the officer actively using a speed detection device is to stop a speeder, identify that person, and possibly find other violations.

A automatic photographic unit, which is generally radar operated, is a park and forget system. They are usually set up in a minivan and parked on the side of the road. When a speed violation exceeds a preset speed numerous high res. photos are taken. The photos show license plates, vehicle, and driver. A ticket is then mailed after the information on the system is examined. The ticket is usually sent within several days.

Some states use automatic systems some states do not. It depends on the states specific laws on whether an automatic speed system is allowed in court. This may be very different than the law regarding automatic red light violations.

You probably do not have anything to worry about from this event, since you were not stopped. It should be a wake up call however. More departments are using laser devices, which are almost instant. By the time you see the officer he can have your speed. And the units are good to probably half a mile away. The laser also picks out a specific vehicle from a large group which radar does not do as well.

 

yes, he called me last night and asked for your address, you are in big trouble

 

Nope, this is a common misconception. For years I wrote "Possession of a valid DL" on the signature part of a citation. Never had one thrown out.

And for the OP, don't worry about it. If he was gonna write you he would have done it right there. The camera tickets as far as I know are almost always fixed mounted equipment, either a pole or the back of a van.