California - photo tickets - anyone ever fight one?

[blankslate]

I just got a ticket in the mail for not paying for a toll road. The picture is really fuzzy but it does indeed look like my license plate with one letter that is really blurry. Thing is, it's not my car. It kinda looks like it might be a pickup or a hatchback and it was taken in San Francisco. I live in LA.

I plan on writing back explaining that is not my car and taking a picture of my own car with full license plate view. But really, with the original picture they sent me being so blurry and only the license plate being even somewhat clear, what are the chances they'll tell me to screw off and pay the fine?

[dingdong]

Do you have anything date stamped , like a receipt from an ATM that proves you were in LA on that date?

You could probably get your employer to vouch for you.

I bet that happens a lot, kind of like fishing for fines.

Is there somewhere on the ticket that you can answer the complaint.

I would probably call the city of SF and let them know right away that it isn't you.

You don't want it to go to Failure to pay, they can suspend your license.

Make sure you get something in writing excusing you from the ticket, since it isn't you. It might come back to bite you in the butt someday if you don't.

[dingdong]

I just googled the SF toll photo dealy bob and it looks like it is a fine like a traffic ticket, but they can just attach it to your registration if you don't pay it.

Seems like if the picture is blurry and they can't get the # correct, they should just avoid sending it out.

For a 1.25-2.50 toll, if you told them you were an LA resident and not in the area, than they should just wipe it clean.

Too bad it wasn't issued the day you were at your 341, then you would be on official record for being in SD.

Just tell them to call the Trustee! He'll vouch for ya!

[blankslate]

Oh believe me, I'm going to contest it and not just let it sit. After what happened last January with my car being impounded by the city for a contested parking violation that I didn't follow up on. I think my explanation that I live in LA and a picture of my car with the license plate firmly attached should do it. While it really does look like my license plate number, the car in the picture is clearly not my crapmobile. Looks like either a truck with a canopy or a mini van (the roof is chopped out of the pic.) Their picture is just too blurry. I can't believe it's legal for them to issue tickets based on that picture.

I've never had any kind of moving violation so it will really tick me off if this goes on my record. My liability insurance already double for moving to LA.

[dingdong]

From what I read , it is more like a parking ticket, not a moving violation. Even if it was yours , I don't think it applies to your license as they have no way to prove who was driving.

They will probably just wipe it out of the system when you send them your info and pic of the crapmobile.

(That was funny, crapmobile!)

Did you see the cash for clunkers legislation that may pass? You might be able to turn the crapmobile into a cashmobile!

[blankslate]

Yea I looked it up... fine print - Vehicle must get 18 mile or less per gallon.

My crapmobile averages 30. That's been the nice thing about it

I did a search on these Fastrack violations... holy carp they rip toll customers off! There are people who go to get their registration renewed and find out there's a hold for FT violations some of them over $20k!!!

[blankslate]

Oh and if I ask pretty please, I can probably get the garage valet at my work to write something up since they take my car nearly every day.

[JRScott]

I hope you are able to beat it. Just look through your receipts and talk to work/garage and see if they have some way of vouching you were there that day (in LA not SF).

[Flamingo]

Most states have that system in place. In our area we have EZPass which runs through several eastern states on the major road systems. It takes your picture if you go through the toll without paying and do not have the EZPass sensor in your car to just glide on through. You will also get a fine if you use an EZPass sensor in a vehicle that does not match the car license plate assigned to that account. So you can't remove your windshield sensor to hop in your mom's non-EZPass car and use the toll road in her vehicle using your pass. Anyway, we got a photo by mistake one time where the camera went off even though they deducted the toll and it was our car/license plate. There should be an instruction section in the fine/bill you received as to what to do if that is not your vehicle. Reread the information that came with it; if not included, call them so you can provide the correct information otherwise that fine (and toll) will increase quickly.