Wednesday, July 16, 2008

When Is It Okay to Break the Law?



When I lived in Virginia, I first became familiar with the cameras that record if a person has run a red light. These cameras are positioned throughout Washington, D.C. and Maryland.

The principle on how they work is simple: the camera activates if you run the red light, takes a picture of your front tag and the driver, and sends a ticket directly to your home.

Well, a 44-year-old Arizona man has allegedly tried to fool the photo radars in his state that record a car’s speed. And, it actually worked for a while—until the police caught up with him.

Timothy Welsh allegedly used a permanent marker to change both the 3 and the 9 on his license plate to an 8. So, when his vehicle was nabbed for speeding, the ticket that was intended for him was actually sent to someone else.

Fox News reported that at first, Scottsdale Sgt. Jim Butera thought it was a mistake when a Phoenix man called him complaining he had gotten two speeding tickets mailed to him, but he wasn’t the one speeding.

However, when Butera looked at the photo and saw the man making an obscene gesture at the camera he thought, “[we] need to do some more investigating.” “He didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” Butera told the station. “But he admitted to everything that we accused him of.”

Welsh allegedly was going 14 mph over the speed limit and would have had to pay a $175 fine, but now, he’s facing a $1,500 fine and up to a year in jail.

These cameras and the ones I am familiar with in the Virginia area, seem to do a good job of reducing speed or people running stop signs or red lights. I guess it was only a matter of time before someone figured out a way to buck the system, or at least buck the system for a little while.

Do you think Mr. Welsh’s sentence is too harsh? Or, it is not harsh enough? If you lived in an area that had these cameras, would you be tempted to find a way around the system?

Before you think that question to be wrong in and of itself, think for a moment. Don’t people have radar detectors in their car for the same purpose—to break the law by speeding without getting caught? What’s the difference in a radar detector and changing the numbers on your license plate? Is there really a difference?

Isn’t breaking the law breaking the law, no matter how it is done? Or, if we speed down the interstate, with or without a radar detector, aren’t we just as guilty as Mr. Welsh?

Tell me what you think.

11 comments:

  1. Let's see...how do I answer this? If I say I don't speed then I am a liar. If I say go faster then I am a lawbreaker. So can I plead the 5th? The man should get punished. How strictly I am not sure (I think it was the obscene gesture that was his downfall). I wonder if using the radar detector is a tip off to say, "I plan on breaking the law. NO, I intend on breaking it." Guilty? Me guilty?

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  2. Plus, I know this story happened in DC, but did you know, in the commonwealth of Virginia, it is illegal to use radar detectors?

    Maybe they are one of the few states that really understand radar detectors! Why wouldn't they be illegal? After all, what's the purpose of a radar detector? To speed! To detect police radar! To break the law! So shouldn't they therefore be illegal?

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  3. I don't use one. Never have and never will. First, I am cheap. Second, I see them as a blatant effort to cheat. (If I cheat I don't want anyone to know!) :) Plus I heard that if you have a detector and the police see it..it goes really bad for you. I don't need to add fodder to an already stupid blunder.

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  4. The Radar Detector package PLAINLY states that it is to 'remind you to drive the speed limit' not to allow you to break the law.

    Any use besides the intended one would be a violation of the purchase agreement. ;-)

    Now, in regards to those stupid cameras, I say let's all go get some shaving cream and have ourselves a party!

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  5. Oh Rick...you sound like a man who has firsthand knowledge about what the package says and the purchase agreement includes. Been reading up on those things for a friend?

    Shaving cream? Rick, come on now. Got issues with authority, do we? :)

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  6. Am I crazy? or psychic?

    Did you post this the other day, then swap it out for another one. I swear, this was in my "reader" but when I got here, I couldn't find it.

    In my bafflement, I forgot what I was going to say about it. :)

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  7. I think I'll follow Bill's lead and plead the 5th.

    OK, here's my real answer, just for the record books. (and the Google archives)

    I think it is ridiculous for the authorities to use cameras to control traffic. It is too "1984" for me. Other than that, it isn't a big deal as my wife will quickly tell you that I drive the speed limit or below.

    Now, as far as the guy trying to get away with speeding by changing his license plate numbers, I say "throw the book at him". If you can't do the time, don't do the crime! (or something like that). If I was the guy that actually received the speeders tickets, I'd be throwing a wall-eyed fit, both at the police AND for sure at the goober who changed his tag.

    I don't own a radar detector and probably never will. For me, it would simply be a license to speed. And, since I am a pastor living in a small town where they publish speeding tickets in the paper, I have to always watch my witness!

    (The shaving cream idea came from an actual case in Hong Kong where they use the cameras to catch speeders and red light runners. They guy went around covering up all the lenses with shaving cream after he got a $1200 ticket for "sqeezing the lemon". )

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  8. Karma...as far as the crazy part goes...I don't know what to say. Not sure I know enough about you to comment on that one. Maybe hubby or Tony would like to comment!

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  9. Rick...I'm with you. I'll leave the radar detector alone. I do tend to have a "lead foot", if you know what I mean, so I don't need an excuse for driving faster!

    Small towns are great, aren't they? I used to live in the pastorium (as they called it) which, of course, was right next door to the church. My neighbor across the street watched me like a hawk, hence everyone in my neighbhor and church knew EXACTLY what my daily routine was! I'll have to post about that sometime!

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  10. Steve,

    Your last comment sounds FAR MORE interesting than any comment I could have made. I'll look forward to that post sometime!

    Hope you're having a great night!

    Camey

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  11. Thanks Camey...great night so far...

    And, as far as that post goes, I think just about everyone (but me) has died...so, the time may be getting close to putting those words on paper...or screen! :)

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I can't wait to read what you have written.