DC Speed Camera Fines are BS!!

[Anonymous]

DC just lost my business. In September, I drove into DC for 2 business lunches. Over the weekend, I received 2 speeding tickets, one for $125, one for $150. One of them was for North Capital Street, and the other was in a downtown tunnel. In both cases, I fit a business lunch into a tight schedule, so public transporation is not an option. Yes, I was speeding, but one road's speed limit seems low and, regardless, these fines are incredibly excessive. Today, I scheduled business lunches with 2 DC based people, and neither will take place in DC. Since I expect to pay at least $200 for these 2 lunches, DC has lost at the minimum $20 already (10% restaurant tax), not including lost income to the restaurant itself, restaurant employees, and either parking lot income or street parking income. Next week, I have another 2 other lunches with DC types. Those will not take place in DC either. I will continue this until DC has lost the equivalent sales tax revenues. In fact, I expect it will take not very long.

[Anonymous]

DC says suck it. We would rather have you drive your money elsewhere and stay the eff off of our roads.

[Anonymous]

And the streets of DC just got a little safer.

Shut up and pay. Being unable to schedule your day well is not an excuse for putting lives and property in danger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And the streets of DC just got a little safer.

Shut up and pay. Being unable to schedule your day well is not an excuse for putting lives and property in danger.

B___ S___! The fines are nothing more than money generating mechanisms. No one's life was even remotely at risk.

[Anonymous]

What was the limit and how far over were you?

Without knowing that we can't judge whether these fines were excessive.

[Anonymous]

It's called a commuter tax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's called a commuter tax.

It applies to everyone who drives in D.C. regardless of where you live.

[Anonymous]

DC fines are $75 for 1-10 miles over, $125 for 11-15 miles, $150 for 16-20, $200 for 21-25, and $250 for 26-30. In Maryland, the fine is $40.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's called a commuter tax.

It applies to everyone who drives in D.C. regardless of where you live.

I believe the studies suggest that nonresidents get hit here the most. As with all city govts, DC govt looks for ways to raise money from nonresidents. Hotel taxes, etc. Regardless, the DC fines are excessive, needless to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC fines are $75 for 1-10 miles over, $125 for 11-15 miles, $150 for 16-20, $200 for 21-25, and $250 for 26-30. In Maryland, the fine is $40.

The MD fine is too low.

So OP was going 11-15 over and 16-20 over on streets that probably had a limit of 25 or 30.

The fines do not seem excessive to me.

[Anonymous]

OP, you sound like a peach.

(No offense intended to peaches!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And the streets of DC just got a little safer.

Shut up and pay. Being unable to schedule your day well is not an excuse for putting lives and property in danger.

B___ S___! The fines are nothing more than money generating mechanisms. No one's life was even remotely at risk.

I live in DC and I agree. North Capitol Street is basically a highway and, north of Rhode Island, there is NO REASON to drive as slowly as their posted limit. It's ridiculous. Ditto the stretch on Military between Georgia Ave and St. John's High School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC fines are $75 for 1-10 miles over, $125 for 11-15 miles, $150 for 16-20, $200 for 21-25, and $250 for 26-30. In Maryland, the fine is $40.

The MD fine is too low.

So OP was going 11-15 over and 16-20 over on streets that probably had a limit of 25 or 30.

The fines do not seem excessive to me.

PP here - there is no effing reason why you should crawl along at 30 miles/hour on most stretches of North Cap. I used to drive this stretch often and avoid it like the plague now. MD is being similarly opportunistic, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Speed limit was set too low?

Gee, wouldn't it be lovely if I could ignore any law if I thought it was unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC just lost my business. In September, I drove into DC for 2 business lunches. Over the weekend, I received 2 speeding tickets, one for $125, one for $150. One of them was for North Capital Street, and the other was in a downtown tunnel. In both cases, I fit a business lunch into a tight schedule, so public transporation is not an option. Yes, I was speeding, but one road's speed limit seems low and, regardless, these fines are incredibly excessive. Today, I scheduled business lunches with 2 DC based people, and neither will take place in DC. Since I expect to pay at least $200 for these 2 lunches, DC has lost at the minimum $20 already (10% restaurant tax), not including lost income to the restaurant itself, restaurant employees, and either parking lot income or street parking income. Next week, I have another 2 other lunches with DC types. Those will not take place in DC either. I will continue this until DC has lost the equivalent sales tax revenues. In fact, I expect it will take not very long.

We do not care. Please annoy your clients by making them come to VA, as much as humanly possible. It reminds me of the smokers who supposedly went off in a huff (and a puff) when DC passed its smoking ban.