Put up some sausage for me!

Hey Cheese- any chance of rain tomorrow? Growing up it rained EVERY Halloween but one in my 13 years there.

 

BTW in the 80s all week here!

Ruby wrote:

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Hey Cheese- any chance of rain tomorrow? Growing up it rained EVERY Halloween but one in my 13 years there.

 

BTW in the 80s all week here!

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Funny you mention that- someone told me this morning that it will rain tonight and should clear up tomorrow- but be 20 degrees colder. Figures...I bet it will rain, like you said!

while on principle I need to despise the bears and cubs, being from Milwaukee, Chicago is an awesome town! it is layed out sooo brilliantly! its clean, huge and beautiful. I love Chitown!

I did when the brewers were in the american league. right now, they are such a non-factor. I despise the cubs fans who think of milwaukee as wrigley north and will park their bmws on your front lawn and pay the ticket because they think thats just more convenient than parking in the lot....

heck no ruby! just them sports fans! and oh the hustlers outside of union station too. otherwise I love that town!

Gosh- don't go driving too fast Cheese!

Just shut up and pay
Tickets from red light cameras are almost always upheld

October 30, 2006
BY MONIFA THOMAS Transportation Reporter
Chicago Police Officer Clyde Hudson usually advises people to contest tickets for parking violations or other minor offenses if they think they have a valid excuse.

So when he got a ticket in the mail showing pictures of him running a red light when he was off-duty in his Honda, Hudson figured it was worth a shot to challenge it, since he had been trying to avoid being rear-ended by the vehicle behind him, he said.

But like most people who contest red-light camera tickets, Hudson figured wrong.

The vast majority of the 210,000 people who received red-light camera tickets between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 simply paid the $90 fine without protest. But of the ones who tried to beat the rap, 90 percent failed, according to figures from the city's Department of Revenue.

SEEING RED . . .

• • Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, Chicago's red-light cameras produced tickets against 210,964 vehicle owners.
• • Of the 6,052 who requested an in-person hearing to contest a ticket, 9 percent got off.
• • Of the 3,861 who appealed the violation through the mail, 11 percent got off.
• • In all, 90 percent of those who tried to beat the • rap failed.
• • By the way, about 50 red-light cameras are positioned around the city, with more on the way.
• • And so far this year, the city has collected $12.5 million in red light fines.
People who contest parking tickets usually fare better.

Red-light violations are especially difficult to challenge, since vehicle owners can be held responsible even if they weren't driving.

"You can't beat these tickets," Hudson said after he pleaded his case this past week during an administrative hearing at 400 W. Superior. "This is just a way for the city to make money."

More than 6,000 people who were ticketed between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 requested an in-person hearing before an administrative law officer, who weighs vehicle owners' testimony against photos and video footage of the alleged violations. Only 9 percent of those people were found not liable, according to the city's figures.

The odds are slightly better for those who contest their tickets by mail. Of the nearly 3,900 people who went this route, 11 percent got off the hook.

Just a handful of defenses will work, such as proving that a vehicle was stolen or leased to another person at the time of the offense, said city Law Department spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyle.

But red-light tickets can't be challenged on the basis that the vehicle owner wasn't driving, because the courts have upheld the legality of other ordinances that hold people responsible for offenses committed with their property.

Yet, the lack of a gray area when it comes to who is found liable makes Nicole Watson, of Oak Park, see red.

Watson contested her ticket, because she said the photos that were mailed to her home show her going through a light that looks yellow, not red.

"In the picture, my tail light is red, but the light is clearly yellow," Watson said. "It's frustrating because that's their evidence, but the evidence doesn't support the claim."

$12.5 million in fines collected
The law officer who heard Watson's case acknowledged the discrepancy on the printout, but still ruled in the city's favor because the light that was illuminated in the picture was the top traffic light. That light, the law officer said, regardless of color means drivers have to stop.

Sensors under the street send signals to mounted traffic cameras to make digital images of vehicles that go through red lights. Vehicle owners are tracked down through license plates and are mailed the photos along with tickets. If vehicle owners contest a violation in person, they have the option of seeing a video recording.

Chicago's first red-light cameras were installed in 2003. Today, there are about 50 positioned at intersections throughout the city. More cameras are on the way.

So far this year, the city has raked in $12.5 million in red-light fines.

I agree, BUT I also want a police force and if it takes keeping people in line no matter what, then I am okay funding partially that way. Kind of like taxes. I know the government wastes a lot of money, but they also do do some good- roads, fire and police protection, jails, sanitation, etc... Won't get too political, but just say I see your point.

But one of my best friends just became a cop and I know we NEED her. She drives around all day and says if there is no criminal activity, they are to be driving around looking for people doing stupid things, "criminal profiling" or writing tickets. So I guess when crime is up, tickets go down!

ah yes indeed!..............

it was huge here in milwaukee county a few years ago that the county workers got pension plans that were insane. so now, there is like no county golf course maintenance, there is no state funding for the county etc etc the parks look like ****. and the whole of county government upped and retired to get their piece of this racket. one big racket, this whole idea of government....

and I have seen the new county board supervisor, and he is an arrogant prick. all this is not his problem, yada yada...he thought about running for govenor but thought better......because he is a republican and they of course will obviously lose everthing they hold. and you can thank the president for that. unfortunately 8 yrs too late.

 

hehe he!!

welcome to another election year buddy!

I will miss that too. how can I ever tire of winning?