In a previous blog I wrote about red light cameras and told you that there is controversy surrounding them. Here’s the story. Say you lend a friend your car and they run a red light or make a turn after the light changed, the cam snaps a pic of the plate and the person in the car, the ticket is sent to you because that is where the plate is registered, but you weren’t driving but alas the ticket is in your name! No FAIR! Most pf the time the photos are sent to an outside company to match the photo in the car to the photo on a license but that is usually done after the ticket is issued if it is taken to court.

In 2009, a Phoenix resident was very creative in protesting the traffic light cameras stationed throughout Arizona. “Monkey Man,” as he has come to be known, challenged and exposed this fault by repeatedly driving through intersections and triggering the cameras while wearing a monkey or giraffe mask. The latest report showed at least 90 citations in 2009, none of which were able to identify the driver due to the mask. Though the driver has admitted to owning the white Subaru in the photos, he has pointed out that his driver’s license photo does not match up to the photo of the monkey, and therefore it cannot be proven that he was behind the wheel.

The controversy has highlighted the fact that without an actual police officer present to assess the situation, there is no legal proof that the owner of the car is at fault or that the driver was even being unsafe. So stay tuned to this blog spot for more info on red light cam controversy and info and as always DRIVE SAFE!!!