Big Brother is watching and not doing a good job

[Richie]

You'll dig this.
I get home from work today and there is a letter waiting for me from New York City. I n the address window it says:

City Of New York
vs.
Richard Barstis

So...I'm thinking "uhhhh....." (which come to think of it, is ALWAYS what I am thinking)
I'm tearing into the envelope as I'm making my way up the stairs to find out, according to the New York Traffic Enforcement CAMERA (keyword there) Division, on June 6, 2004 at 1:40 a.m. I ran a red light.
In the envelope is a ticket, a piece of paper explaining my "rights" and three computer generated photos of what appears to be a Mercury Topaz of Ford Tempo running a red light. Two are the car and one is a close up of the license plate.
Sure enough, that's my plate!
So, I'm looking in disbelief at the paper with all kinds of thoughts in my head.
"Uhhh....."
"I haven't been to New York since 1997"
"I have both my plates"
"Ray is REALLY good with a paintbrush"
"I'd NEVER trade my 92 Caprice for THAT piece of shit"
"What the,,,,,,?
Then a few things hit. The car info section does have MY plate number with ME as an abbreviation for the state.
"I'm no Mainiac! I'm a Masshole" I think I said it out loud.
Another look at the close up picture of the plate does in fact confirm, its a Maine plate.
Now, being Friday afternoon at 6 pm I know there was no one there to call....so I have to wait until Monday to straighten this out.
I'd like to think it will be as easy as a phone call....but I'm sure the bureaucracy will take a full swing.
My point is, sure, maybe this was human error. Imagine how much worse it could be. The potential is there.
Suppose its a letter saying "Here's pictures of you talking to a hooker"
"Heres you outside of a crime scene"
Its creepy.....and I really don't like it.

[Unkl Ian]

Much better than Photo Radar.Trust me.

[Muttley]

Traffic cameras suck! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif At a few intersections around Fresno they were put up along with some signs that say "Photo Enforced", some creative people changed "Photo" to "Profit" and also added some swastickas while they were at it.

[noboD]

This happened to a friend here in Pa. Ticket said he parked illegally in Phila. It was his licence no. but a regular plate on a '67 Chevelle, not a Classic plate on a '67 Corvette. He had to take a day off work to prove it wasn't him, but that's Pa.

[Deyomatic]

If I had alot of money, I'd pay a lawyer 10x the cost of such bullshit every time it happend just to keep these scam artists from getting my money. Everyone's got their hand in your pocket now.
Give them hell, Richie!

[JohnnyB327]

shit man out here them things arent even pointed at the streets! makes me think about what theyre "really" for...... *twilight zone theme starts playing*

[moondisc]

My dad, and all his buds that drove Caddys in upstate NY use to get parking tickets from the big rotten apple.
My dad went to NYC twice a year, but his buds had never been there.

[choprods]

Im banned from Canada! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gifhe he!couldnt care less...

[nekroman]

Who ISN'T banned from canada? I sure as hell can't go.

[Neppy]

<font color="green"> I've been watching this camera in Eureka, MT for the last ten minutes. About five-seven miles south of the Canada border. A good number of classic cars cruisin around. You can even control the camera. Mainly I've been picking the presets for downtown and Hwy 93 North. Kinda neat. Eureka Webcam (http://www.eurekawebcam.com/) </font>

[slowpoke]

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="green"> I've been watching this camera in Eureka, MT for the last ten minutes. About five-seven miles south of the Canada border. A good number of classic cars cruisin around. You can even control the camera. Mainly I've been picking the presets for downtown and Hwy 93 North. Kinda neat. Eureka Webcam (http://www.eurekawebcam.com/) </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

Now that's just messed up...pan around an zoom right in to peoples windows.

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green">My wifes dad and I were sent to Melbourne on business years ago, before she became my wife.

We were unaware of all the traffic cams.

Apparently Avis received a better photo album of our trip than we did! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif </font>

[Peter Pan of Chicago]

There are 57 survelience cameras operated by the Chicago Police Dept. in Chicago right now. In high crime areas and busy intersections.

Now, a co-worker of mine was just telling a bunch of us the other day that a friend of his got a DUI in the mail. Allegdely he was photographed stopped at a traffic light with a 40 in his hand. No shit. I had a hard time believing that one.

I talked to my guy again about it and he swears up and down it's true. He's gonna get me more info on it. This stuff opens all sorts of "Pandora's Box" issues to me.

Heaven help us all.

Joel http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[cornfieldrodder]

Jyst another reason I will end up in S. dakota, the high deserts of Idaho or some such place with some acers, big-ass no tresspassing signs and a reputation for defending them! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[Tuff Tin]

Apparently Avis received a better photo album of our trip than we did! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

RASHY! You have a way with words. Kinda like an artist as I can see the picture you painted here when I ain't laughin'!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Flat Ernie]

Welcome to safety as legislation. All of this is done under the guise of public safety - "if it saves one life, it will be worth it" - but what they're really doing is taking away rights to privacy.

The DUI for example - can't be proven w/o physical evidence. Who's to say that 40 wasn't full of cream soda? (speaking of that, I got stopped by a cop for drinking IBC root beer once - their bottles look a little suspicious).

This is a violation of 4th amendment rights to be "...secure in our persons, papers, &amp; effects...", it violates several due-process laws, and it violates the unreasonable search &amp; seizeure clause of the 9th amendment, but no one seems to notice! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

These are nothing more than revenue generating devices - don't let anyone say differently - and they're slowly eroding our rights!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[NoSurf]

Well, at least I found out Eureka MT is a really nice town.

And I saw a '65 Burb drive by!

[SnoDawg]

There used to be photo radar here in Anchorage a few years back it got cancelled tho. I figured if they sent me a picture of me speeding I would spread out the cash on the table take a picture and send it to the city.

[CURIOUS RASH]

[ QUOTE ]



Apparently Avis received a better photo album of our trip than we did! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

RASHY! You have a way with words. Kinda like an artist as I can see the picture you painted here when I ain't laughin'!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Neppy]

[ QUOTE ]
Jyst another reason I will end up in S. dakota, the high deserts of Idaho or some such place with some acers, big-ass no tresspassing signs and a reputation for defending them! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="green"> Ummmm....I think SoDak may be out too. Well the West anyway. South Dakota Public Broadcasting (http://www.sdpb.org/) On the left, click on webcams and check out the Deadwood cam. Really cool around bikeweek. you'll see a hundred or so bikes parked along the street. </font>