RIDGELAND LITIGATION UPDATE:
As you know, the Strom Law Firm, LLC filed a class action lawsuit demanding justice on behalf of all people who were sent a State of South Carolina Uniform Traffic Ticket by the Town of Ridgeland Police Department for speeding based in part upon photographic evidence taken by camera, and whose mailing address is outside of Jasper County, South Carolina.
In response to our Amended Complaint, the Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss our case. Despite our best efforts, the Court dismissed our case, ruling in favor of the Defendants. At this time, we are not accepting any new cases challenging the iTraffic system. We sincerely appreciate the calls, comments, and emails of support that we received in support of our position.
The I-95 Public Safety Program
The town of Ridgeland has been in the news lately regarding a new method for ticketing drivers on I-95. In a purported effort to improve public safety and prevent fatalities on I-95, the town initiated the I-95 Public Safety Program.
To that end, the Town contracted with a company known as iTraffic to catch speeding drivers using a recreational vehicle stationed on the interstate which is armed with a video camera and a radar.
The Island Packet reported that an officer monitors the video camera which will take a picture of the speeding driver and the driver’s license tag if the driver is driving 11mph or more over the posted speed limit of 70mph.
The officer then pulls the driver’s license.
If the officer can match the driver’s picture with his or her license and the car tag, the Town’s Chief of Police will send a letter to the driver via regular mail enclosing a SC Uniform Traffic Ticket.
The letter informs the driver that he or she has violated a town ordinance regarding speeding and that he or she must pay a fine. The letter further states that because the driver has violated a town ordinance, the citation will not affect the driver’s record.
The letter does state, however, that if the driver fails to appear in court, the Town of Ridgeland may issue a bench warrant for the driver’s arrest or take action to suspend the driver’s license. Click here to review a copy of the letter issued by the Town of Ridgeland Chief of Police.
The Town of Ridgeland’s jurisdiction is only related to a seven mile stretch of I-95. Most drivers ticketed for speeding are traveling from out of state and simply pay the fine to avoid the hassle of traveling back to South Carolina to attend traffic court. The amount of the fine ranges from $100.00 to $300.00.
The ticketing process has sparked a lot of controversy surrounding its legality, as well as the issue of whether the state benefits from the funds collected or the Town of Ridgeland solely, especially in light of a new state law, S.C. Code §56-5-70(E), which states:
Citations for violating traffic laws relating to speeding or disregarding traffic control devices based solely on photographic evidence may only be issued for violations that occur while relief from regulations pursuant to 49 CFR 390.23 has been granted due to an emergency. A person who receives a citation for violating traffic laws relating to speeding or disregarding traffic control devices based solely on photographic evidence must be served in person with notice of the violation within one hour of the occurrence of the violation. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to toll collection enforcement.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office has responded to two questions posed to it regarding the legality of the City’s ticketing practices. First, in a June 28, 2010 letter responding to a request from Senator Larry Grooms asking whether it would be legal for a law enforcement agency to send citations by certified mail, the Attorney General stated that pursuant to its interpretation of the new law:
[w]hile R. 312 authorizes the use of “photographic evidence . . . for violations that occur while relief from regulations pursuant to 49 C.F.R. 390.22 has been granted due to an emergency”, there is no further authorization for the use of photographic evidence generally for traffic violators. Therefore in the opinion of this office, photographic evidence may not be used in assisting an officer in observing and reviewing a traffic violation except in those limited circumstances. Moreover as specified in R. 312, “[a] person who receives a citation for violating traffic laws relating to speeding or disregarding traffic control devices based solely on photographic evidence muse be served in person with notice of the violation within one hour of the occurrence of the violation.” There is no provision for use of certified mail in such circumstances.
In another Attorney General Opinion issued on July 9, 2010, in response to Representative Todd Rutherford’s question regarding whether the Town of Ridgeland’s citations are enforceable in light of R. 312, the Attorney General stated that:
While R. 312 authorizes the use of “photographic evidence . . . for violations that occur while relief from regulations pursuant to 49 C.F.R. 390.22 has been granted due to an emergency,” there is no further authorization for the use of photographic or video camera evidence for traffic violators. Therefore, in the opinion of this office, photographic or video camera evidence may not be used in assisting an officer in observing and reviewing a traffic violation except in those limited circumstances set forth by R. 312.
According to the Ridgeland Municipal Court Traffic Court Roster , approximately 1,950 people have been charged with a traffic violation and are scheduled to appear in traffic court on Monday, January 3, 2010. At fines ranging from $100-$300, this is an extremely profitable way to recoup funds for the Town, especially considering the fact that the majority of people stopped are traveling through South Carolina to an out of state destination and will likely pay the fine to avoid traffic court.
As a result of our investigation, The Strom Law Firm, LLC has filed a class action lawsuit challenging the use of the iTraffic system. Our lawsuit against the Town of Ridgeland demands justice on behalf of all people who were sent a State of South Carolina Uniform Traffic Ticket by the Town of Ridgeland Police Department for speeding based in part upon photographic evidence taken by camera, and whose mailing address is outside of Jasper County, South Carolina.
Given that we filed our lawsuit as a class action, we are not accepting any new clients at this time. However, it is important to know that in the event that the Court certifies our class, we will be seeking justice on behalf of everyone who falls within the parameters of the class set by the Court.
If you or someone you know has received one of these traffic citations from the Town of Ridgeland, we would like to hear from you. Please post your comments below and describe the details surrounding your traffic citation. Also, please indicate whether your driving was impaired by the flash of the light from the video camera or whether anything else distracted you.
We will keep you updated as information develops.
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Thanks for picking up this issue and running with it. There is now a link on my blog to your site. I am a full-time police officer with decades of service to my city, state and country and I have been irritated by this situation since I passed that setup back in November. I have been blogging about quite frequently.
The last line of S1298 was conveniently left off of their “is it legal” FAQ. You know, the one that states the citation must be delivered within the hour.
My other concern is the fact that iTraffic is paying the salaries of the officers manning the RV. I have already blogged about this arrangement getting Bill Danzell’s Nestor Traffic Systems in some ethical hot water in Texas. That company went bankrupt and ended up in receivership prior to being sold to American Traffic Systems. Danzell is now the Chairman of iTraffic.
If iTraffic is getting half of the proceeds and paying the salaries of the officers involved, who exactly are the officers working for? Another thing that piqued my interest was Officer David Swinehamer leaving a relatively steady, well paying job with the SCHP for a podunk down like Ridgeland. With iTraffic paying his salary I would be willing to bet he didn’t take a pay cut at all. This arrangement also begs the question; are these ‘officers’ agents of the police department or agents of iTraffic? It sounds to me like Nickey Maxey and Bill Danzell just bought a couple of badges and LE1 certifications to facilitate business since civilians can’t issue citations. A definite conflict of interest, at least in light of my extensive police and investigative experience.
I’m not sure how much traffic court work you have done as your resume is quite impressive, but I have always been trained that radar cases are founded on the officer’s visual estimation of speed, verified by the radar. Without that observational testimony, there is no case.
I have other concerns as well, but won’t bother you with them at this point, however I would appreciate any info you are able to gather as a result of the FOIA request. My plan is to recommend victims of this scam request very specific documents under Rule 5, including a copy of that contract.
Due to the continued arrogance of the Mayor, the ‘officer/agents’ and the judge I have declared war on the department and am disseminating as much information as I can dig up. Feel free to use any information from my blog regarding this situation.
I am sorry, but I have to remain anonymous for obvious reasons. Suffice it to say I proudly wear the J.P. Strom Award on my duty uniform each and every day. You may contact me with any questions at the e-mail address above.
Respectfully,
Beat and Release
Eight year military vet
20+ years Class 1 LEO
Respectfully,
Beat and Release
I received one of these scam tickets in the mail last week and have a Court Date on Jan 3rd. This is dishonest Police work and they are tarnishing the badge. They should just shut down that department as a whole and let the Troopers take that area over. They are simply robbing people as they pass through. Since when does a local PD patrol the highway anyway? That red flash caused me to leave my lane of travel! I’m pissed! I had a one year old in the car and my wife in the passenger seat. This garbage said I was going 81mph. Well why the heck are you gonna flash someone at that speed?!?! Might as well just break out the stop sticks and pop my tires! There sure are a lot of people traveling at exactly 81mph! Something smells fishy and I hope the Mayor goes to Prison over it! Shady Politicians have no place taking office! I live in Florida and am debating wether I should pay this or not. The picture is also blurry and you cant even tell who is driving. I hope you guys nail this town! This is an invasion of privacy as well!
P.S.
I posted two videos on youtube with this speed trap visible over the Thansgiving Holiday 2010. It shows their Camera setup, RV and the hidden nonreflective (photo radar sign) that you cant see at night and barely during the day.
The Mayor said “It’s not like we’re hidding in the bushes” thats exactly what it is like! And “we” does not include him because he is not a cop. Jack Wagon!!! Somebody should buy him the SIMS video game so he can play Mayor and then press reset when he screws everything up!
Video #1 Southbound on I-95
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G81K4Pz705s
Video #2 Northbound on I-95
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7AV4gZnIPo
Enjoy!
I received one of these green letters in the mail today. I too, remember the very distracting red light in my face that day. I was told I was going 82. I am a former police officer, and this seems very shady to me. After reading the law regarding the use of photographic equipment, I firmly believe that what the town of Ridgeland is doing is unlawful. At this time, I don’t plan on paying this fine.
Please keep me updated. On 10/15/10 I wend through the trap. I saw the red flash from the tripod in the emergency lane, the gaudy RV on the other side, and many people hitting their brakes. I told my wife “I’ll probably get a ticket.” I was thought I was traveling at 75 to 78. Anyway, a month later I received a ticket for going 83. It came to my house via regular mail… not certified and definitely not within an hour of the infraction. My court date was December 6th. I ultimately paid the fine to avoid the hassle of a bench warrant, but I called the AG’s office, called an attorney, and did everything else I could think of before ultimately paying. I knew enough people would get fed up and someone would finally go after them. Think of all the drunks and un-licensed drivers that pass through undetected now since they won’t stop you to issue a citation and let you continue on speeding. What if someone has an emergency and crashes into the tripod in the emergency lane???? If that were to happen, would iTraffic be liable for the damages?
Got the red flash in my face Dec 8 at night. It was very distracting and could easily cause an accident. I’m surprised they don’t get UFO reports due to this. I think it is wrong and the little unregistered letter says I was going 83. U-know if I didn’t post on the internet about this I could have just said I never recieved the ticket. Safety, Bull-ogna/revenue, absolutely. All speeding tickets are to some extent revenue intended but this really fits. The crime is, the locality probably only gets half the fine. I traffic is just getting rich. My cruise was set at 75 and my speedometer reads 1 mile fast. So I should have been going 74. How should I now? maybe hit the brake in traffic and was riding the throttle pedal and was just speeding. Hurt anyone? Gonna hurt anyone? NO!
Why couldn’t the letter with the ticket just say “Hey we have a speedtrap in Ridgeland, SC on I95. Your Busted”. And just leave it at that not all this Your safety and others were at risk due to your speeding. That is simply Bull your red light flash was the only risk that night. Funny when the economy is in the tank “The Police” will find a way to get paid and they care not how low they have to go to do it. Might as well pull people over and impound their car. Steal all their belongings and then give the car back. Oh wrong state that was Louisiana. What is this country coming to The Theives wear badges and use postage stamps.
I too received one of these tickets. Thank you for taking part in trying to fix this corrupt system that Ridgeland is running. I was driving at night, when a blinding flash occurred and in my temporary blindness i ran off the road. Thank God i recovered and no one was in the lane beside me, because we would all be dead or still in the hospital.
For those that do not know, they hide the speed camera where you cannot see it at night. In total darkness you drive by, and a flash occurs that is as bright as the sun. Human eyes cannot handle the extremeties of adjusting between the darkness and bright light easily, and causes temporary blindness for the driver. Does this sound like a system that is designed to “save lives” as Ridgeland says it is. Please please, do not let these corrupt officials get away with this. Before the blood of the innocent is spilled. I want to see them off the streets before the dire happens, someone splattered on one of the trees near the camera…it was almost me.
Much to my surprise, I received one of these tickets over a month after being “cited” for my speeding violation. I was sent a picture of myself driving the car, with a letter instructing me to pay the city $133 or risk further punishment, just like when you BLACKMAIL someone. The ticket gave me two weeks notice for a mid-December court date that the City had no intention of anyone attending. As the letter said, you are encouraged to just pay the fine, because that’s really all they want.
That’s when the fun really started though. The letter tells you that if you require any additional information, to feel free to call the city. So that’s what I did. I called and spoke to a city official, and told her I wanted more information on the ticket, and perhaps even an opportunity to speak with my “arresting officer,” since I never got the chance to meet with him when he arrested me. She said he was unavailable, and she would have him call me.
Two days letter, she called back and left me a voicemail that said, “Officer ____ is unable to speak with you, but he did agree to lower your fine to $83.” Seeing how complicated it would be to navigate the system, and not having the time or resources to pursue the ticket in court, I just paid the fine. Just like they knew I would.
The city of Ridgeland is blackmailing I-95 travelers.
I read the article in “The State” and it lead me to this website. Last week my wife received a ticket based on camera evidence. The funny thing is my wife wasn’t driving nor was it our car. It was my sister, her car and her picture. The only reason it was sent to my wife was because my father and I share the same name and I guess they pulled my wife’s driver’s liscence info based on the fact she has the same last name. Doesn’t seem right to me.
While driving thru SC on Dec 27, 2010, we were approaching the Ridgeland on 95 N, the traffic suddenly can to a stop. About 10 cars ahead of us there was the photo radar trap. Well one of the motorists ahead of us dealt with the problem on the photo radar and hit it with their car. The unit was destroyed into a thousand pieces. I couldn’t help but laugh as the police man stood there helpless looking at the camera system reduced to a thousand pices of junk.
I expected to see a car pulled over further up the highway as the police was sure to be looking for the car that did this. Never did see anycars pulled over for this, only cars pulled over for accidents.
Maybe Ridgeland will think twice about this.
I was traveling to Jacksonville on Dec 10 at about 10 pm, when I got tagged with this camera. I had my cruise set at 78 and when I received the citation (a week and a half later mind you) for 82 I was shocked and angry. Not only did it scare me and cause me to jerk the wheel, it also temporarily blinded me. Glad no one else was around me.. it would’ve been a serious accident. I am a resident of upstate SC and have never had a traffic citation in the 5 years I’ve been here. Straight to the point – this is obviously just a crappy way for a little town that shares 8 miles of an interstate highway to
make
money. Do your thing Strom..
Sincerely,
Chad J. Nye
On November 22 I was driving on I95 late at night when all of a sudden I was startled and blinded by an intense flash of bright light. The flash made me flinch and caused me veer to into the adjacent lane. I had no idea what the flash came from so I thanked God for protecting me and the nearby travelers because my reaction could have caused a serious accident and then wrote off the event as something coming from another car.
Then, on December 28 I received a letter and summons from the Chief of Police for an alleged traffic violation — over a month ago! According to the letter, I have the choice of paying their blackmail or appearing in (their!) court a thousand miles away.
Thank you for taking on this issue and keeping us informed. This is a ridiculously transparent initiative by the town of Ridgeland to extort passing motorists. You have to stop these racketeers!!!!
Oh, and we should all remember that motorists do spend money on their way through South Carolina. When the word spreads about Ridgeland’s extorionist practices, people will 1) slow to a crawl on I95, which will cause more accidents than everyone traveling 81 mph, as well as dry up Ridgeland’s cash cow; and 2) be sure to by-pass Ridgeland’s exit, which will dry up the businesses along the highway who depend on the very travelers Ridgeland is targeting with their illegal practices.
THANKS for taking this on!
I am going to the court date (January 3, 2010 at 9:00am) before I just pay this ticket. Fortunately, I have Monday off to make this trip of 147 miles at my expense. I live in Blythewood, SC and was on the way to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL. My son has been accepted as a liver transplant recipient at this hospital and it was our second trip in four weeks for tests and doctor appointments.
I was not doing the 83 MPH that I received in the mail. I will be pleading not guilty, but I would like more information on this lawsuit.
The camper on the side of the road was very distracting. I thought there had been a wreck. It is my understanding that this is where the “on-site” police officer operates. Who’s to say there was anyone in that camper, because I never saw anyone?
The red flash of light also scared me. You should see my picture!
One last thing, the notice that I received stated “Be sure you understand from the arresting officer the exact time and before whom you are to appear.” I did not see any officer and I just happen to be going through the mail, when I found the notice and ticket. This is very wrong!
I am a former law enforcement officer and I was shocked to say the least when I received my Uniform Traffic Summons in the mail..
I did notice on my return to SC, I did personally see a medium size Mobile/Van under the over pass between mile marker 21and 23 South bound 95. Night time…
At which time a truck 18 wheeler passed our vehicle and my wife noticed a red flash…We all throught “they got someone…
After reading different post, I wonder if this is legal by the state and I find it Ironic that I was just doing 81 MPH on 95…and my ticket is 133.00 WHommmmm, is something in the milk not clean…Only in Carolina….
I received a traffic ticket as well and will have to appear in court tomorrow, Monday January 3 2011 at 9am. I do not see how this can be legal or how they can prove that I, or anyone, was traveling at the speed they claim approximately a month later. How can they correlate the accuracy of the camera with the radar detector? Do I fight this or plead guilty and pay? This is outrageous.
I was driving at night and the flash momentarily blinded me and I ran onto the shoulder of the road. Im in charlotte NC and happy testify that I felt that it was extremely unsafe to be blinded like that while driving. My passenger agreed. Thanks for filing the lawsuit. Wade Miller
I received a citation for speeding from this speed trap in late November on a trip to Gainesville. I don’t dispute that I was speeding but the letter was extremely condescending and laughable that they were pitching the ticket as some form of public safety. As discussed in several newspaper articles that I have read since the incident, the flashing lights do nothing to slow people down. If the town of Ridgeland is truly concerned with the safety of travelers through the corridor within their city limits, they should actually pull people over or at the very least have a dummy car in the median. As far as details go, I was traveling during the daytime so my vision was not severely affected by the flashing, if definitely was distracting though and could potentially cause problems. On I-95, you can only go 55 in the “slow lane” for so long before you join the cars in the fast lane, I was in a large caravan of cars and was just keeping pace until I could get back into the slow lane and not be behind large 18-wheelers that can’t go fast enough up steeper inclines. Maybe they can use the money they are extorting from passerby’s to widen the interstate which would undoubtedly increase safety and allow people to maintain their speed. I scanned the ticket and the letter when I got it and sent it to all of my friends and family to warn them of this scam going on in Ridgeland. If you would like to get a copy of it or would like further information in regards to my specific incident, feel free to email me, I would love to help in any way I could. Good luck with making things right for the people who have been violated by this scam.
I just received a ticket in the mail in regards to your blog. My court date is Jan. 24th but it is not requested that I go to court. Do you know if any points are associated with this ticket? I was driving 82mph and my ticket is for $133.00. Also, i was distracted by the flashes. I was paying more attention to the cameras and the bus on the side of the road then what was going on in front of me. It all made it very hard to concentrate. Thank you- Concerned
The issued letter is different as of a mailing I received 1/2/11. There is no mention of this ticket NOT affecting you driving record.
Imagine my surprise when I got back home from a trip to Florida and found out I had received a speeding ticket. I seem to remember that blinding flash now. I remember it because my brother was actually driving at the time and asked me if I saw it.
I plan on going back down there and fighting it. It’s only a five hour drive one way, which means I’ll have to leave either the night before and get a hotel room, or leave in the wee hours of the morning to make the court date and time of nine in the morning. It’s going to cost me twice as much as the fine to fight it, but it’s the principle of the thing.
If I had been pulled over by a state trooper for speeding, I would have paid the ticket.
Mike
On 11/29/10 at night 18:40 PM traveling in the northbound lane I-95, suddenly a bright red flash, so bright and powerful that I almost lost control over my vehicle.
That’s to increase safety and prevent accidents?!? Are they nuts! Got my ticket in the mail, hired me a Lawyer out of Charleston, will keep you posted of the outcome.
If you need my support, just let me know!
Very interesting D, I guess they decided that blatantly misleading cited drivers is not a very good idea anymore in light of the class action suit. I hope you sent the Strom Law Firm a copy of the new version of the letter.
Thank you to everyone who has posted a comment regarding a speeding ticket received from the Town of Ridgeland and/or their experience with the I-95 camera.
We are focusing on the class action case in Federal Court and are not taking any new criminal traffic ticket cases at this time. As previously stated, we have filed a class action in the Federal District Court For the State of South Carolina challenging the issuance of tickets generated by the iTraffic system. Many of you have asked for advice as to what you should do if you receive a traffic ticket from the Town of Ridgeland and what impact the class action case may have upon your pending ticket.
If you have already paid your ticket, or if you are seeking advice on whether you should pay your ticket, in the class action case we are asking the Court to stop the Town of Ridgeland from issuing tickets via the iTraffic system and are seeking a refund of any bonds posted for tickets received from the Town of Ridgeland. Because this class has not yet been certified we cannot make any representation to you regarding whether you may benefit from our lawsuit.
With regard to handling a pending ticket, we suggest that you hire an attorney to defend your case. While the decision of whether to hire an attorney and whom to select are up to you, Attorney Ray Lord is defending traffic tickets issued by the Town of Ridgeland. He may be reached at (803)407-4140. His email address is LordLawFirm@aol.com. You may also contact the South Carolina Bar Referral Service at (803) 799-7100. I invite any other lawyers who are interested in handling these traffic ticket cases to post your name and contact information.
Alternatively, if you choose not to hire an attorney at this time, we suggest that you submit a written request for a jury trial which will delay your court date. We are posting an example of a jury trial request below for your convenience. If you request a jury trial, we suggest that you contact an attorney immediately upon receipt of notice of the date and time of your jury trial. We have given this advice to others and some have chosen to pay the fine and hope that the class action results in a refund.
We do not suggest that you ignore the ticket. Doing so may result in your being tried in your absence and have an effect upon your driver’s license whether you reside in South Carolina or outside of South Carolina. You may also be subject to criminal sanctions. If you wish to receive updates on our case, please complete the contact us form located above in the upper right hand corner of our webpage.
Please keep in mind that our advice is general in nature and does not address the facts of your specific situation and our advice may be very different depending upon individual facts and circumstances. The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We welcome your continued comments. However, contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.
SAMPLE JURY TRIAL REQUEST:
Town of Ridgeland
1 Town Square
Ridgeland, South Carolina 29936
RE: The Town of Ridgeland v. Your Name
Ticket No: (Your ticket number)
Charge: (List Charge on Ticket)
JURY TRIAL REQUEST
To Whom it May Concern:
I hereby request a jury trial in the above referenced matter. If you would be so kind as to schedule a jury trial in this case, I would be most appreciative. It is my understanding that this request, if granted, will eliminate the need for me to appear on (insert date of requested appearance) at xx:xx AM/PM
If you have any questions regarding this request, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours Truly,
Your Name
I also recieved a citation by mail. I live in the Florida and rather than go to court I did what every other out of state driver probably does and just paid the fine. The problem I have with it is just the distration more than anything else. Everyone is slamming on the brake and looking to see what it is all about. The RV is a distraction and the red beam definately distracts you from keeping your eyes forward on the road. It will not suprise me if I am looking on the news one day and see that someone has died as a result of an accident at the overpass going through Ridgeland’s speed trap. I have no problem with getting a ticket for speeding but what are the chances that I was going exactly 1 mile an hour over the cut-off speed of 81mph. My ticket was for doing 82mph in a 70mph zone for $133 plus, to add insult to injury, there is a $1 portal fee and a $2.26 merchant fee to add to the fine. If it is legal then why do they not issue any points for the violation……….they are just looking for additional revenue streams to pay for their inflated salaries and I am sure they are getting kick backs from iTraffic.
Also, to add one more comment. I find it very ironic that everyone that has posted so far got the same fine and were told they were going 82-83mph. Odd that so many people are getting ticketed for traveling the same speed. Does the radar really read the speed or just say you were speeding?
I was ticketed for 81/70 at 6:26 PM, I remember the blinding red light. It actually scared me and in fact almost caused me to drive off the road. I would be interested in joining any type of action against the town of Ridgeland, and in fact would be willing to pay an attorney $500 simply to not pay Ridgeland the money.
I have requested a jury trial for a ticket sent to my house for a vehicle registered to me, driven by my son’s girlfriend (coming home to FL from college). However the ticket was issued to my daughter who was in Fl at the time. They ASSUMED the younger person driving was her based upon our insurance records (my wife was insulted!!!). We should all pool money and put a billboard sign up NB and SB prior to getting to the Ridgleand line WARNING of the trap. This was done in Starke FL on Rt 301 years ago with much success. Also everyone should request a jury trial and tie up the system and burn their profits.
I got the Uniform Traffic Ticket indicating 82/70, 12 miles over speed limit. However, I remembered I’ve set my cruise control at 78 MPH. Not sure why they jump the speed.
Well, I went to court today. It was a full house and more streaming in as the “arresting officer” started calling names to come up. This is before the Judge even showed up. He would ask them what they wanted to do, if they wanted a reduction in the ticket, a bench trial or a jury trial. All of them before me just asked for a reduction. When my name was called, He asked me what I wanted to do and I said I wanted a jury trial and that I would ask for a dismissal because I wasn’t driving. The officer looked at me and looked at the picture on the ticket. He asked me if I knew the driver and I said yes, but He didn’t ask for the driver’s name. He handed me back my copy of the ticket and said dismissed. I didn’t even have to see the judge and I won’t have to spend another $100 bucks to travel down there again.
It pays to assert your rights…..Mike
I just got back from court today 2/7/11. I got sent a ticket from Ridgeland for 82 in a 70 on I95 on 12/30/10. I drove down about 4 hours and after reading everything on here and on the web I decided I was going to not plead down but armed with a copy of the SC Law and the AG’s letter fight on the grounds that this was an illeagal ticket. I did not choose a jury trial because I did not want to return so even though I figured a local judge would rule against me I told the officer I wanted a bench trial. I sat in the front row and listen as person after person went up asked for mercy and plead their tickets down to 5mph over and a reduced fine of $80. When I was called I said not guilty because this ticket is illegal and was asked if I wanted a bench or jury trial I requested the bench and sat back down to wait. There was no judge or DA present. As the pretty much clear out the court the officer called me back up and simply stated that my ticket was dismissed. I seriously have my doubts if a judge was ever coming to appear or not.
I was driving from Florida to North Carolina through Ridgeland, SC on January 28, 11 a.m. and was in a group of four escorted (Tracy’s Flag Service out of FL) oversize trailers hauling very long concrete highway supports. These escorted trucks going 75 to 80 mph – THAT”S RIGHT!!! The rear escort would pull into the fast lane to allow the truck to pass cars in the fast lane. After getting around two of these, I had passed a third one and was moving back into the slow lane and I saw red lights flash. I made myself some notes later that day and did not think any more about until until Wednesday, February 9, when in the mail I receive this barely sealed envelope with a ticket for going 81 in a 70. The picture clearly shows my car straddling the lane markers as I moved into the slower lane. Never mind that there were four escorted oversize trailers hauling HUGE concrete beams going 75-80 mph creating more of a hazard at that speed – I think a person with a set of eyes and a brain would have seen the situation differently but a camera has no brain and the set of eyes in the trailer making a determination also has no brain. As of 2-11-11 at 7:00 p.m. there are 1, 264 persons on the court docket for March 7 at 9:00 a.m. court date. I am going to either request a continuance, a jury trial or as Don Dollar posted on 2-7-11, a bench trial. I called the SC AG and all they would do is refer me to their opinions – no help. I emailed the FL Dept. of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles and explained this illegal scam in SC and asked who I could contact to find out if a non-payment of the ticket would result in any action against my license. I also said that other states should not support this illegal action against drivers in their state. This is what I got back –
CUSTOMER SERVICE RESPONSE: You will need to contact South Carolina about your ticket. If you do not pay the fine on time they will send information to us to suspend your license. We will then give you 20 days notice to pay the traffic fine and present a receipt showing the ticket was paid prior to the 20 days being up or your license in Florida will be suspend. If you go under suspension you will need the clearance from South Carolina showing that the traffic fine was paid and a 60.00 reinstatement fee.
A lot of help there – politicians helping their buddies. So I will probably make the journey and fight it.
Why are there not any more posts from people who have appeared in this circus court????????
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT I WAS TRAVELING FASTER THAN THE POSTED SIGN. (83 IN A 70) BUT THE RED LIGHT REALLY SCARED ME AND I PRETTY MUCH SLAMMED ON BREAKS AND GOT OVER AS SOON AS I COULD. I STOPPED AT THE NEXT EXIT AND WAITED UNTIL I DID NOT SEE THE RED LIGHT AFTER I BLINKED ANYMORE.
This is definitely highway robbery. To get a ticket in the mail with a picture on it proves nothing except that you were on I-95. Mine said I was doing 82 in a 70 on 12-11-10 but I set my cruise control per my Garmin GPS so I highly doubt the ticket is correct. I also can not understand how a bright red light going off in my vision is not more dangerous than keeping up with traffic. My court date was pushed back from 1-24 to 3-7 because they say they automatically give an extension to mailed tickets. I can’t believe that something like this, which is nothing but a revenue gathering tactic, is allowed. Especially since everyone seems to get the same ticket.
I forgot to mention that although the ticket is made out to me and I am driving, the car is not registered to me. It is a family members car so someone must have done some searching to find out it was me driving which goes against what Ridgeland states the procedure is.
well im not sure i got a ticket yet but when i was goin threw the speed trap, i saw a bright red light flash, so i guess that means i will be getting a ticket in the mail. i just want to know if there is any points or its just a fine. i know i was speeding and dont mine paying the fine but dont want no points. does anyone know?
I nearly crashed into the car in front of me when the flash of the cameras went off. It looked like someone was stainding just beside the road which drew my attention and then the flash blinded me in the shade of the bridge. I saw the van and the tripod of the camera and though some idiot is trying to cross the interstate on foot. By the time I realized what was going on the car in front of me that was in the right lane had cut in front of me and I nearly rear ended them. I can only guess that they though the camper on the right side was broken down and were trying to “be safe”. The letter they send justifying that it is the safety of individuals on the interstate is crap. They are going to kill someone right there with the traffic cameras flasing in their face. I pray that your class of victims doesn’t grow to include a trafic fatality caused by the cameras before something changes.
I’m not sure how this fits in but wanted to pass along what happened to my ticket. I sent a MO to pay my ticket but after numerous phone calls every Friday for 2 months, I sent it on 1-07, they never received it. I was suppose to call 3-4-11 to see if they finally received my MO and if not pay with a CC because my court date was 3-7-11. Well my wife ended up having to have surgery and I completely forgot to call. When I did call on the 9th I feared the worse, that since the ticket wasn’t paid they issued some type of paper. However when I called the 9th I found out my ticket was dismissed, due to it being too old the lady said.I’m not sure if that helps or hurts the class action but wanted to pass along the info.
By the way the reason I kept calling instead of just paying with a CC is the woman that answered the phone each time, Debbie, stated they were about a month behind in receiving and processing payments. In Feb she told me she was still getting payments mailed in December.
My daughter received one of the infamous tickets last week. We had no idea we were being stalked by a hiding police office and watched by cameras. the ticket clearly states and arrest date and arresting officers name….but hmmm….I sure dont remember either one of us being stopped and physically arrested. Rest assure….I WILL NEVER stop, shop or eat in this little town of Ridgeland SC EVER. What a sneaky, low way to collect money for this apparently needy town.
I was forced to pay one of those tickets after being photographed by the Ridgeland police (allegedly) in January 2011 while traveling north on I-95 to attend my uncle’s funeral. I have no idea if they were in fact present, but there was a vehicle in the median that was a distraction and a police car further down the road with their lights on. I do not know if they were writing tickets there but I got my only notice in the mail. The letter threatened to contact the Florida DMV to suspend my license if I did not pay up. Please let me know how I can join in if you get certification.
My son had the misfortune of receiving a citation,in the mail,despite not being the driver. I spoke with Penny Daley,town clerk,on 4/11, in attempt to resolve this matter. I was instructed to forward a copy of his license to verify that the photo on the citation was indeed not my son. On 4/13,after conversing with Penny, I was able to confirm receipt of my son’s license. I am hopeful that this unfortunate situation can come to a resolution, through my contact with the Town of Ridgeland. If this practice is illegal, pursuant to legislation R 312, then why is it being allowed to continue??
I am yet another out-of-state driver who has received one of these supposedly illegal tickets in the mail. I am curious about the status of the ban on this practice that was going to be enacted by the SC legislature in January, especially since I got nabbed by Ridgeland on March 17. Also, what about the class action lawsuit? Has it been certified? Is it still moving forward? Do I have any hope of getting some return of the almost $200 I had to pay to prevent Ridgeland from blackmailing me with the threat of losing my license? There is a great deal of updated information from people who have been forced to respond to these tickets, but I don’t see any recent updates regarding the SC legislature ban or the class action suit.
Please post new information on where things stand for those of us from out of state (MA in my case) who know their rights have been violated. Since I live over 1000 miles away, I have had no recourse but to pay the ticket, so I’d like to know whether the town of Ridgeland is going to be forced to pay for their crimes.
Thank You,
Ben Rudnick
I too received one of these photo-speeding tickets from Ridgeland. The blinding flash of light from the camera so startled me that I swerved into the other lane–thank goodness no one was there or I would have had more to worry about than an illegal ticket.
I, too, am an out of state driver and was nabbed for 11mph over the limit and had to pay. I would like to see updated info RE the legality of these photo-speeding tickets.
Thanks.
I received one of these “tickets” by mail in March. First of all, I was not driving at a rate of 82mph as the ticket advises. Yes, the red flash of the light distracted me. I have contacted my local Senator and the Attorney General’s office regarding this matter also.
I received one of these surprises in the mail … the new twist seems to be that my ticket is for $185.00 for 81 in a 70. Other posts indicate a usual fine of $133.00. Guess they are going for the gusto before the courts come down on them.
I just received my ticket for doing 82 in a 70 on Friday April 15th heading southbound on i95. I remember being distracted by a red laser beam while driving and my friend’s daughter also commented on seeing it.
On April 16, driving north on I-95, I saw a bright red flash in my rear view mirror near an RV parked in the shadows under an overpass. At first, I thought something had happened to the RV. The mailing date for my ticket was April 24 from Zip code 29936. And, yes, the “new normal” for Ridgeland SC “speeding” tickets appears to be $185.00.
I got my ticket 9/24/2010. I still have the ticket. When I was going through Ridgeland at that time I didnt see any signs that stating photo-radar or photo anything all I saw was cameras flashing and wonder what the heck that was. I didnt think anything about it until 2 weeks later when I received a $133.00 ticket in the mail. I thought it was ajoke so I called. The lady said as long as I pay it now I wouldn’t be getting 4 points added to my license but if I go fight it I would have to pay the ticket and get 4 points. No police officer stopped me no nothing but flashes. I thought maybe it was the car ahead of or something.
I drive a semi-truck and got flashed in the face on the way through there. My truck is governed at 73mph so there’s no physical way I could’a been going over 80mph even with the “hammer down.” These guys are gonna kill someone! When the flash hit me I couldn’t see for about three seconds in the broad daylight cause the laser was so bright. I live close enough in GA to hear the news that Ridgeland is hurting for tax money really bad. That whole county has a bad rap for being crooked. Extortion is a crime people!!! I’m waiting for my ticket to arrive…God bless our country and get rid of these criminals in our government offices!
I received a traffic violation exactly as you described. However, the camera was not hidden in a vehicle, but out in the open, under and over pass. The camera was on a tripod and flashed a red light. The light broke my driving concentration, and startled me. There was a lot of traffic on the road and I could not figure out where the red light came from. Typically red lights are from police or emergency vehicle. When I received the ticket in the mail I was shocked at the violation of my privacy. I had my 7 year old daughter in the back seat. Do they have a picture of her too? This is a violation of my civil rights. I wish you all great success.
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