One D.C. stop-sign camera brought in $1.3 million in tickets in 2 years

[Anonymous]

I was just complaining about this! I got one this month from 44th St NW and Fessenden - $100! Similar to below I had stopped though likely not 100% regulation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/05/31/stop-sign-camera-northwest-washington/

She got a $100 photo ticket for going a few inches over the line, she says, at a stop sign at 37th Street and Whitehaven Parkway NW.

Images of her vehicle at the intersection show her brakes lights were on, said Goldfield, a retired documentary filmmaker. The fine for what she deemed a non-offense was unreasonable, but contesting the ticket seemed pointless.

Goldfield said she “resented it heartily.”

“I think it’s just a way for the city to cash in on people not in 1,000-percent compliance and don’t even know that they’re not,” she said. “I’m all for safe driving ... but the rules have got to be clear.”


Locations: https://ddot.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddot/publication/attachments/ATE%20Active%20Locations%2005.02.2022.pdf

[Anonymous]

Good. You don't like it? Walk.

[Anonymous]

As someone who lives on a corner where people constantly blow through the stop sign, I think the argument "images show the brake lights were on" is idiotic. Plenty of people slow down at stop signs (brake lights!) without stopping. It's not a slow down sign.

Make a complete stop, behind the line. If that seems outrageously onerous to you, you're a bad driver. These stop signs are in residential neighborhoods and I don't care that you're in a hurry.

[Anonymous]

Obviously it was needed!!

[Anonymous]

Reposting my comment from WaPo, everything I say here is true:

"We live a few blocks away. I was ticketed by this camera for the first time a few months ago; for the 1.5 years prior I had no issues with the camera. For reference, this camera only tickets you as you drive south down 37th St and stop at the T-intersection of 37th & Whitehaven. This is only a three-way stop and people from the other two directions (north on 37th or west on Whitehaven) are not subject to monitoring by the camera.

The city changed the settings on the camera earlier this year to be insanely over-sensitive. The camera is at a sizable distance and an odd angle that you need to stop at least 3-4 feet before the line otherwise the camera will think you have impeded onto the line. You also need to do a full stop for at least 4 seconds - count it out to be sure you’re in compliance.

If you don’t take both of these measures, you will get a $100 ticket. I’d love for the WaPo to update this story to let us know how much of the $1.3M is paid by DC, VA, and MD residents. As you know, DC cannot compel VA or MD residents to pay their camera fines."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just complaining about this! I got one this month from 44th St NW and Fessenden - $100! Similar to below I had stopped though likely not 100% regulation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/05/31/stop-sign-camera-northwest-washington/

She got a $100 photo ticket for going a few inches over the line, she says, at a stop sign at 37th Street and Whitehaven Parkway NW.

Images of her vehicle at the intersection show her brakes lights were on, said Goldfield, a retired documentary filmmaker. The fine for what she deemed a non-offense was unreasonable, but contesting the ticket seemed pointless.

Goldfield said she “resented it heartily.”

“I think it’s just a way for the city to cash in on people not in 1,000-percent compliance and don’t even know that they’re not,” she said. “I’m all for safe driving ... but the rules have got to be clear.”


Locations: https://ddot.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddot/publication/attachments/ATE%20Active%20Locations%2005.02.2022.pdf

I always contest every single ticket. I've gotten a small number canceled, but the others at least were put on hold until an adjudicator could review them giving me time to pay the ticket when I could fit it into my budget. Also, I would suggest requesting maintenance records from the cameras because they are usually out of date and prone to errors.

Just like with a salary, always, always, always negotiate.

[Anonymous]

Nextdoor had a whole thing on the Fessenden traffic light. People who have made complete stops and counted to three (or higher) have still received tickets. Contest it. There were multiple complaints about that one on Nextdoor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nextdoor had a whole thing on the Fessenden traffic light. People who have made complete stops and counted to three (or higher) have still received tickets. Contest it. There were multiple complaints about that one on Nextdoor.

Good to know! Unfortunately, I already paid it. I don't drive in that neighborhood very often - will likely just avoid that intersection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reposting my comment from WaPo, everything I say here is true:

"We live a few blocks away. I was ticketed by this camera for the first time a few months ago; for the 1.5 years prior I had no issues with the camera. For reference, this camera only tickets you as you drive south down 37th St and stop at the T-intersection of 37th & Whitehaven. This is only a three-way stop and people from the other two directions (north on 37th or west on Whitehaven) are not subject to monitoring by the camera.

The city changed the settings on the camera earlier this year to be insanely over-sensitive. The camera is at a sizable distance and an odd angle that you need to stop at least 3-4 feet before the line otherwise the camera will think you have impeded onto the line. You also need to do a full stop for at least 4 seconds - count it out to be sure you’re in compliance.

If you don’t take both of these measures, you will get a $100 ticket. I’d love for the WaPo to update this story to let us know how much of the $1.3M is paid by DC, VA, and MD residents. As you know, DC cannot compel VA or MD residents to pay their camera fines."

Hold on a minute here. If the camera catches me in DC and I live in MD I don’t have to pay the fine?? Will I ever be towed?

[Anonymous]

That Fessenden one has gotten me twice! I wish I had seen the next door post or contested them. Now I just stop for a ridiculously long time there.

[Anonymous]

I got a ticket from the one at Kansas and Buchanan that was apparently super sensitive as well (https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/neighbors-question-district-stop-sign-camera-that-raised-nearly-1m-in-two-months/2575779/), but when I watched the video I'd definitely not come to a complete stop so I paid it. There's a video, so it's easy enough to watch and see if you broke the law; if you did, pay the fine, if not contest it so they can see that the machine is sending out unwarranted tickets.

[Anonymous]

I recently learned that although they use still photos to ID the car and include the images in the mailed ticket, the actual evidence on which the infraction is based is video. By all means contest the ticket if you think you stopped, but keep in mind that the still photos are not the basis for the ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reposting my comment from WaPo, everything I say here is true:

"We live a few blocks away. I was ticketed by this camera for the first time a few months ago; for the 1.5 years prior I had no issues with the camera. For reference, this camera only tickets you as you drive south down 37th St and stop at the T-intersection of 37th & Whitehaven. This is only a three-way stop and people from the other two directions (north on 37th or west on Whitehaven) are not subject to monitoring by the camera.

The city changed the settings on the camera earlier this year to be insanely over-sensitive. The camera is at a sizable distance and an odd angle that you need to stop at least 3-4 feet before the line otherwise the camera will think you have impeded onto the line. You also need to do a full stop for at least 4 seconds - count it out to be sure you’re in compliance.

If you don’t take both of these measures, you will get a $100 ticket. I’d love for the WaPo to update this story to let us know how much of the $1.3M is paid by DC, VA, and MD residents. As you know, DC cannot compel VA or MD residents to pay their camera fines."

Hold on a minute here. If the camera catches me in DC and I live in MD I don’t have to pay the fine?? Will I ever be towed?

DC can boot your car if they catch you parked in DC. Then they force you to pay the back fines + a booting fee to get your wheel unlocked.

But that's really the only recourse because camera tickets don't count toward license points and thus are not reported to insurers. MD and VA have refused to enter into a reciprocity agreement with DC on camera tickets.

Here's recent stories on the issue:

Maryland, Virginia drivers speeding through D.C. are ignoring the city’s tickets
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/12/28/dc-virginia-maryland-ticket-reciprocity/

Virginia And Maryland Rebuff D.C.’s Request To Force Drivers To Pay Traffic Camera Tickets
https://dcist.com/story/21/10/08/virginia-and-maryland-rebuff-dc-request-to-force-drivers-to-pay-traffic-camera-tickets/

[Anonymous]

I live in Bethesda but I'm often parked in DC for work, so I suppose I'd better pay DC tickets, if/when I get any!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got a ticket from the one at Kansas and Buchanan that was apparently super sensitive as well (https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/neighbors-question-district-stop-sign-camera-that-raised-nearly-1m-in-two-months/2575779/), but when I watched the video I'd definitely not come to a complete stop so I paid it. There's a video, so it's easy enough to watch and see if you broke the law; if you did, pay the fine, if not contest it so they can see that the machine is sending out unwarranted tickets.

How do you watch the video?