🚀 go-pugleaf

It wouldn't be necessary to "blind" the driver to get a pic of
the face.  For one thing, the flash would have to be positioned
in a different spot than the camera or the camera would only
capture the return of the flash from the windshield.  The flash
would be located well away from any spot that the driver would
be likely to focus on at the time.  Also, the frequency of the
light the flash emits could be chosen to minimize the
after-image.

That being said, the response just before yours does confirm
that it is the rear of the car that is photographed, leaving it
up the the owner of the car to either identify the driver or
accept the ticket.

This brings up a problem with the camera:  moving citations
have always been issued to the offending driver, not the car's
owner.  The burden of proof lies with the prosecution, and
while the camera provides evidence that a light was run by a
specific car, it does not identify the driver.  What happens if
someone is driving the car without the knowledge or permission
of the owner?  Does the burder shift or does the Commonwealth
still have to prove that the owner was at the wheel?

In va.general Paul R <prouda@asqnet.gro> wrote:
> I would hope that the people who set up these cameras would have
> the good sense not to set off a flash right in the eyes of a driver.

> Cameras are being placed at busy intersections.  Running a red
> light at a busy intersection is a pretty lame-brained thing to do.
> But running it blind has got to be worse.  You'd hope that the
> cameras weren't positioned to blind the lame-brain that's
> running the red light.

> Paul R

> "NightSerf" <acs6j@Virginia.EDU> wrote in message
> news:9fpd7u$b8j$1@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU...
> > You may be right.  My thinking was that a night camera, in order
> > to photograph the car along with the front plate and the
> > driver's face, would have to flash at the front of the car.  If
> > that's true, then flashes in the rear view mirror would be
> > catching someone moving through the intersection from the
> > opposite direction.  But if the camera is photographing the
> > rear of the car, then a flash in the rear view mirror would be
> > doing just as you said.
> >
> > A year or so ago, someone posted that his daughter had been
> > nabbed while cutting classes, which is what made me believe
> > that the cameras were positioned so as to photograph the driver
> > as well as the license plate.  Not so?
> >
> > In va.general John R Cambron <*cambronj@chesapeake.net*> wrote:
> >
> > > NightSerf wrote:
> > > >
> > > > In va.general Ken M. <poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > > > > natejax wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Hi,
> > > > > > I was just driving it was dark and rainy out, I was one of a few
> cars
> > > > > > going through on a yellow, in my rearview mirror i saw 2 bright
> > > > > > flashes and was thinking i may be at risk for getting a ticket for
> the
> > > > > > red light camera, i had heard that these tickets do not carry
> points
> > > > > > in the state of VA, is that correct?  ive searched google and the
> web
> > > > > > and could not get a straight answer though it seems that this is
> the
> > > > > > case. please advise.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > thanks in advance.
> > > >
> > > > > Get ready to pay a fine!
> > > >
> > > > > (ken)
> > > >
> > > > Not necesarily.  What Nate saw may have been flashes from a
> > > > camera catching some one going through from the opposite
> > > > direction.  If he was most of the way through before the light
> > > > turned red--he didn't mention seeing the red light--he was
> > > > probably not captured.
> >
> > > If he saw flashes in his "rearview" mirror it is likely either he
> > > or some one behind him was caught. I have seen the same flashes
> > > after clearing the intersection when I entered intersection after
> > > the light turned yellow and other car entered the intersection
> > > during yellow and red.
> > > --
> > > ======================================================================
> > > NT Geek, MCP
> > > Transit Geek
> > > http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/wmata/
> > > Model Railroader HO N                                   John R Cambron
> > > http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/sunbelt/        North Beach MD USA
> > > Railroad Geek                                  cambronj@chesapeake.net
> > > ======================================================================
> >
> > --
> > Serf tomb nor stone nor grave for me
> > (andy sims) just a bier up in a tree
> > acs6j@virginia.edu to let the cold wind take me in



-- 
Serf			tomb nor stone nor grave for me
(andy sims)		just a bier up in a tree
acs6j@virginia.edu	to let the cold wind take me in