DC speeding camera ticket

[Anonymous]

I got a camera ticket on the road from National Harbor back to 495 (is that 295?) in Jan 2013. It was a $100 fine for like 11 over the limit. Crazy-town.

I went on their site and disputed it. Claimed there were other cars in the picture. I didn't hear from them.

Until last week. They said my appeal was denied and now my $100 fine was now doubled (to $200!).

I am a VA resident. I don't know what to do. a) I don't have a spare $200 to send them, and b) I don't know why I got it doubled. They said I can appeal it again, but only if I send in full payment ($200) plus a fee ($35) and if I win they will refund it to me. (HAHAHA!!!)

What happens if I don't pay it? Will it go to collections? Will they take a 'payment plan'?

Please don't flame me for speeding. In the 25 years I have been driving I might have gotten 2-3 tickets total. The speed limit on that 'highway' was like 25 or something...on a highway.

Anyone know?

[Anonymous]

National Harbor is in Maryland. So is 495. You must have gotten this some other time.

Everybody I know pays these as soon as possible because the costs go up so fast if you don't pay. I would pay it ASAP with credit if you have to.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they will send it to collections.

[Anonymous]

The fee increases if you don't pay it within a certain time period. And yes, they can take it to collections. If you can't afford to pay in full, contact them ASAP and ask if you can pay installments.

I did have one that I won on appeal--because I could prove it wasn't my car (same license plate number, but different state). The fact that there were other cars in the photo seems irrelevant to the question of whether or not you were speeding.

[Anonymous]

It doubled even if you submitted a request in before the 30 days were up? If so that's crazy. They should allow you to pay the face value. Coming from 495 from the Harbor turns into 295 which is DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fee increases if you don't pay it within a certain time period. And yes, they can take it to collections. If you can't afford to pay in full, contact them ASAP and ask if you can pay installments.

I did have one that I won on appeal--because I could prove it wasn't my car (same license plate number, but different state). The fact that there were other cars in the photo seems irrelevant to the question of whether or not you were speeding.

Actually, it is relevant, because they can't be sure that it was her car that triggered the camera if there are other cars in the picture. It could have been one of the other cars that was actually doing the speeding that triggered the camera. It's a shot in a moment of time. So one person could be doing 65, whereas the guy beside her could have just gotten there because he was doing 75.

It's always been my understanding that the camera speeding tickets are invalid if there are other cars in the image.

[Anonymous]

I got that ticket too. It's on 295, and it is VERY EASY to go there over the posted limit. My fine was also doubled as we got the ticket to the old address before we re-registered the car to DC and my DC cop husband couldn't find a way to contest it, or even negotiate to pay the face value. It terrible. I feel your pain. Speeding is bad, but those traffic cams are real bitches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got that ticket too. It's on 295, and it is VERY EASY to go there over the posted limit. My fine was also doubled as we got the ticket to the old address before we re-registered the car to DC and my DC cop husband couldn't find a way to contest it, or even negotiate to pay the face value. It terrible. I feel your pain. Speeding is bad, but those traffic cams are real bitches.

They are definitely not there to improve public safety.

[Anonymous]

I think they can put a boot on your car if you don't pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doubled even if you submitted a request in before the 30 days were up? If so that's crazy. They should allow you to pay the face value. Coming from 495 from the Harbor turns into 295 which is DC.

No, it's not DC. On 295 DC starts at the tributary just a south of Blue Plains. 495 is all Maryland. Maybe OP went north on 295 to get to 395. The camera on that stretch is the most profitable speeding camera in all of DC. The road from National harbor to 495 never enters the District and never gets close.

DC kindly accepts Visa and MasterCard. I think DC lower their speeding fines last spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fee increases if you don't pay it within a certain time period. And yes, they can take it to collections. If you can't afford to pay in full, contact them ASAP and ask if you can pay installments.

I did have one that I won on appeal--because I could prove it wasn't my car (same license plate number, but different state). The fact that there were other cars in the photo seems irrelevant to the question of whether or not you were speeding.

Actually, it is relevant, because they can't be sure that it was her car that triggered the camera if there are other cars in the picture. It could have been one of the other cars that was actually doing the speeding that triggered the camera. It's a shot in a moment of time. So one person could be doing 65, whereas the guy beside her could have just gotten there because he was doing 75.

It's always been my understanding that the camera speeding tickets are invalid if there are other cars in the image.

That used to be the case. Lying, thieving DC Metro Police Department said that was not good enough.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the scam of photo radar tickets, which serve mostly to line the pockets of the contractors who run the systems and the jurisdictions who extract hidden taxes via the high fees and one-sided rules requiring you to "pay to play" if you even want to contest a citation in a meaningful way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got a camera ticket on the road from National Harbor back to 495 (is that 295?) in Jan 2013. It was a $100 fine for like 11 over the limit. Crazy-town.

I went on their site and disputed it. Claimed there were other cars in the picture. I didn't hear from them.

Until last week. They said my appeal was denied and now my $100 fine was now doubled (to $200!).

I am a VA resident. I don't know what to do. a) I don't have a spare $200 to send them, and b) I don't know why I got it doubled. They said I can appeal it again, but only if I send in full payment ($200) plus a fee ($35) and if I win they will refund it to me. (HAHAHA!!!)

What happens if I don't pay it? Will it go to collections? Will they take a 'payment plan'?

Please don't flame me for speeding. In the 25 years I have been driving I might have gotten 2-3 tickets total. The speed limit on that 'highway' was like 25 or something...on a highway.

Anyone know?

LOL - now you know its best to shut up and pay the damn fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doubled even if you submitted a request in before the 30 days were up? If so that's crazy. They should allow you to pay the face value. Coming from 495 from the Harbor turns into 295 which is DC.

No, it's not DC. On 295 DC starts at the tributary just a south of Blue Plains. 495 is all Maryland. Maybe OP went north on 295 to get to 395. The camera on that stretch is the most profitable speeding camera in all of DC. The road from National harbor to 495 never enters the District and never gets close.

DC kindly accepts Visa and MasterCard. I think DC lower their speeding fines last spring.

OP here. Checked the map and you are right. I do think I was going into DC from there, and must have been right across the border (I remember we were going into town for dinner...

Thanks for the feedback....what highway robbery...

[Anonymous]

The speeding fines in Maryland are only like $45 so you must have been going more than over 11 or in DC. DH got a speeding ticket in DC and disputed it and it was also $200. I've been told that disputing DC camera tickets is pointless so yes you may as well pay.

DC is making so much money on these cameras they aren't going anywhere. Some senator even tried to put out a bill to make them illegal in DC and I don't think it went anywhere.