Dear PoPville – What’s the Deal with Warning Tickets for Speeding?

Photo by PoPville flickr user ekelly80

Dear PoPville,

i can’t possibly be the only person to have recently been slammed with several hundred dollars worth of citations from the new speed camera on the 7700 block of 16th street.

from mpdc’s website:
“Will warning tickets be issued?

Warning tickets from the mobile photo radar vehicles were issued in July 2001, as part of an initial 30-day period of public education. Since then, the mobile cameras have issued actual NOIs. As new photo radar applications are implemented – for example, fixed-camera or work zone locations – warning tickets only will be issued for 30 days.”

this implies that a newly installed fixed camera requires a 30 day period during which warnings will be issued for violations, rather than citations. i’ve been in contact with muriel bowser’s office over the past week, attempting to find out the date the camera was installed. mpd seems to be claiming that the warning period took place in 2007, when a temporary, non-fixed camera was at that location. i find it unreasonable that a warning period five years ago be considered a legitimate “warning” that should cover the current camera installation.

i get the sense that the person i’ve been communicating with in muriel bowser’s office does want to help, but she has thus far been unable to find out the precise date the camera was installed. i am perfectly capable of being a nuisance all on my own, but since i personally know
several other people who have been affected, it stands to reason that this is a pretty widespread issue.