4sharie

My husband ran a yellow light in San Francisco and he said he saw a flash. I think it turned red before we were past it.

What are the chances it photo-ed our rental car and we'll get charged for a ticket through Thrifty? I've checked our credit card statement and nothing yet (happened 2 1/2 weeks ago). Do rental car companies add any fees?

He googled how much a ticket is for running a light in SF and it seems it's in the $300-$400 range! REALLY??

paranoid...
sharie

sf7307

Well, it happened to us in Arizona. The ticket was something like $200 and Hertz charged a $40 administrative fee. My husband is doing the on-line "class" to avoid the ticket.

bluestar

Chances are good you'll be nailed (and the rental car agency has your credit card number on file). In SF, as far as I know, the penalty for a red light camera is about $480 or so. I have only been caught once -- the cop car I was behind abruptly stopped in mid-intersection at 15th & Mission and the officers got out to chase a suspect on foot. I got the fine dropped.

bluestar

I guess the flat fine is more like $446 (+ any fee the rental car agency charges).

http://www.ecriteria.net/eCriteriaSe...eriaAction.asp

bluestar

Well that link didn't work. You can look it up here.

http://www.photoenforced.com/

Michael

It's $100 for blocking the sidewalk even if there are 9 feet of sidewalk left between the back of the car and the street. I would expect a higher fee for running a light.

4sharie

Oh my gosh. We're dead.

I guess the only up side is that we're expecting it, rather than getting the statement in the mail and freaking.

bluestar, Thanks for the photoenforced link! Wow... $446! I think we were on Market when it happened, but not sure.

Here's hoping there's an online course for us too, sf7307!

janisj

If the light was actually yellow when he started through, it was legal (just). So IF that was in fact what happened, the flash probably caught the car behind you. But IF it was red when your tire crossed the plane of the cross walk - then you will get the ticket (assuming your husband can clearly be identified in the picture). If the photo is blurry or not clear - there won't be a citation -- it is on the driver not the car. So they have to be able to see who is driving.

Being in the intersection in any way during a yellow is OK. Even if the light turns red while you are in the intersection. EXCEPT - if you are blocking the intersection because you entered w/o having a clear exit.

janisj

We were posting at the same time -- If the light actually was yellow there won't be a ticket. Very often a driver thinks it was still yellow, when it really was red . . . .

4sharie

You give me hope!!! I am (almost!) sure it was yellow when we entered the intersection. I didn't see the flash, but when he told me about it a few days later, I did remember him going through a yellow that turned red. I think I would have panicked at the time if it had actually been red when he entered the intersection!

He's been wondering all along if it got the car behind him.

Any idea how long it would take to process and show up on our credit card statement?

janisj

It probably won't show up on the credit card. You would receive the ticket and a copy of the photograph from the SFPD (or more likely from the company that administers the program for them)

If there is a violation, they will get your contact info from the rental company through their records re who had the car on that date.

janisj

meant to add - I don't know how long that would take in SF, where I live in N. Calif., a normal red light violation takes 3 - 4 weeks to arrive. W/ a rental car involved -- I'd guess maybe 4-6 weeks.

4sharie

Oh, so we've still got a bit to wait. DH was hoping that since it's been 2 1/2 weeks we might be in the clear since we've not heard anything yet.

I'd like to know how you know so much this?! Experience getting them or working for companies that GIVE them?

janisj

Neither

I went to all the hearings when our city council awarded the contracts for our red light program. Most CA cities operate the programs in similar ways.

A lot of people think the yellow triggers the cameras - but one has to actually enter the intersection on the red. In some cities the cameras also catch right turn violations. In most places right on red is perfectly OK -- IF one comes to a full stop behind the crosswalk first. If one rolls through a right turn on red w/o stopping, yep the cameras can catch that too.

ksucat

OMG..we saw the flash too in SF last year..wife freaked but we had this big ol'truck in front of us and couldn't see the light until we were right past it..maybe they took that into consideration and hope for your sake they do the same..
rat bastard light cameras..I want to get that stuff you put over the plate that can't get the numbers..
Not that I condone running red lights..yellows are different.

NeoPatrick

It's a little known fact that in Florida, a light turning yellow seems to be an indication that you are supposed to speed up.

Pat_in_Mich

Same in Michigan, NeoPatrick!

4sharie

ksucat, no big truck in front of us, so excuses for us. Like NeoPatrick said, dh saw a yellow light and sped up!

Will let you all know when/if we get a ticket!

nytraveler

Taking a course doesn;t mean you don;t have to pay the ticket - you do. Taking the course will take the points off your license - and perhaps prevent your car insurance rate from rising.

And, yes - that's what a moving violation costs. Parking tickets start at $150 and go to $250 and up here if it's egregious (handicapped space or hydrant).

Gardyloo

When I lived in SF back at the dawn of time, red lights were regarded as suggestions by locals, especially those of us who had cars with manual transmissions and lived on steep streets.