Things to do when you are fined by a speeding camera

[Naks]

Photo assessment checklist
1. Obtain a photo of your traffic offence from payfine.co.za or viewfines.co.za (use your traffic fine file number and vehicle registration number or your id number.)
2. Your photo is available free of charge. Do not be fooled by the authorities
into paying for it.
3 Check that the photo image of your car has the following

Checklist
1. First, of course ensure that it is your car in the photo.
(There are numerous cases of false license plates being applied to
cars and this can happen to you as well, if so, call up the authorities
immediately on the number that should be on the fine to inform
them of the situation.)

2. Check that the photo only has your car in it.
(There should not be any other cars in the photo, this introduces
doubt as to whether it is your car that was speeding)

3. Check that you were not changing lanes on the photo
(The guidelines state that such a photo is not valid)

4. Check that the range which should be written on the photo is not more than 400m

5. Image has the way photo was captured, time, speed of vehicle and date of transgression embedded in the photo and not separately written elsewhere

6. There are no obstructions such as road barriers, trees or signs between the camera and your vehicle

7. Aiming cross on the image is on vehicle registration plate or between rear lights, also if there is no aiming cross it is not admissible in court. In the case of red light offences there must be two images, one of you entering the red light and one leaving, if not there is no case against you

 

[Peon]

Thanks for the info.

 

[xrapidx]

I wait for the printed photo and put it on my fridge

 

[Ou grote]

You guys have plenty of camera's in GBay and Somereset west.
Along with all the roadworks, it's really kuk driving there these days.

 

[Naks]

Once you have spotted the mistakes in your speeding fine, use the attached template to write to the Prosecutor to have the fine removed.

Also note the following: Check that the date the fine was posted is within 30 days of the offence, if not write to the department stating that there is was unreasonable delay in informing you of this allegation and therefore you are requesting the fine be withdrawn


To (Prosecuting Authority where the fine was issue)
Dear Sir/Madam

Re: Infringement notice number(replace this with the notice number)

In respect of the above infringement notice I would like to request that the fine be withdrawn since I believe that I am not guilty of this alleged offence and have identified certain irregularities in the issuing of this notice that cast doubt on the validity of it. The irregularities I have found are as follows:-

(delete whichever is not applicable below)
• The vehicle details do not match that of my car (elaborate further)
• The vehicle in the image is not mine and I believe that someone may be using my number plate falsely (elaborate further as to your actual vehicle make, model and color)
• The details of the alleged infringement are not imprinted on the image and as such I am not certain that they relate to my vehicle at the time the photo was taken, As I understand it this photo is not admissible as evidence since the details are not imprinted at the same time as the photo is taken and hence there could have been some “mixup”
• The crosshair in the image is not aiming at my car/ in the correct place and as such I do not believe that it is my car that was speeding
• There are other cars in the image and I believe that my car may have been incorrectly identified as the one that is speeding
• There is no crosshair in the image identifying my vehicle as the one that is speeding
• My vehicle is changing lanes in the image and I believe that procedure states that such an image is not admissible
• There is an obstruction between the camera and my vehicle as seen in the image and I believe that this may have influenced the readings on the speed measuring device to erroneously state that I was speeding, To my knowledge I believe that for the readings to be accurate there should be no obstruction close to the camera
• The zone in the details is incorrect as the correct zone for this particular road is:
• My vehicle was more than 400 meters from the camera when this image was taken which is against your guidelines for use of the speed measuring device
• To my knowledge the speed camera was placed on an unstable surface at the time and I therefore doubt the readings are accurate
• The officer could not provide the calibration certificates/operators certificate at the time this fine was issued.

In respect of the above I request that the notice be withdrawn

Regards

(Your name here)

 

[Pitbull]

I have 1 fine since 2008 on my Bakkie.

There is a Light pole on the side of the photo clearly in the picture but not between my Bakkie and the Camera would that effect the outcome if I dispute it?

 

[PallBearer]

I have 1 fine since 2008 on my Bakkie.

There is a Light pole on the side of the photo clearly in the picture but not between my Bakkie and the Camera would that effect the outcome if I dispute it?

there will be no light at the end for the tunnel for you, ia'm afraid.
the laser has a very narrow beam and any object on the extreme sides of the picture will not have an effect on the laser.....but try your luck anyways, you never know.

 

[Good Life]

Thanks to Naks for the info. Will come in handy lots.

 

[Pitbull]

there will be no light at the end for the tunnel for you, ia'm afraid.
the laser has a very narrow beam and any object on the extreme sides of the picture will not have an effect on the laser.....but try your luck anyways, you never know.

Bleh,

Just R 100. I'll leave it there till I'm pulled over one day and they say I must pay or go to court

 

[Naks]

the laser has a very narrow beam and any object on the extreme sides of the picture will not have an effect on the laser.....but try your luck anyways, you never know.

It doesn't matter that the laser is wide- or narrow-beam. If the law says there cannot be any obstructions, there cannot be any.

I mean, the law says the traffic officer has to have his cap on otherwise the fine is illegal. How much sense does that make?

 

[Ram1985]

Traffic fine but no crosshair in picture

7. Aiming cross on the image is on vehicle registration plate or between rear lights, also if there is no aiming cross it is not admissible in court. In the case of red light offences there must be two images, one of you entering the red light and one leaving, if not there is no case against you

My fine is R1800 for driving 121 in a 70 zone. But its in front of somerset mall as u come into somerset west on the N2. Its a double lane... I think a 70 zone there is unreasonable.

Do I have a chance of getting the fine withdrawn?

 

[Ou grote]

My fine is R1800 for driving 121 in a 70 zone. But its in front of somerset mall as u come into somerset west on the N2. Its a double lane... I think a 70 zone there is unreasonable.

Do I have a chance of getting the fine withdrawn?

Hopefully not.

Don't drive like a twat.

 

[1Allan]

What do these cross hairs look like in the photos? Is it a X, + or [ ]. Does it make a difference?

 

[SinghDude]

Interesting thread.


Thanks for the useful info.

 

[shakes1]

Whoa, raised from the dead... Anyone know if the info is still valid? Was originally posted in 2009

 

[ID_10_T]

2. Check that the photo only has your car in it.
(There should not be any other cars in the photo, this introduces
doubt as to whether it is your car that was speeding)
[/B]

Point 2 is not 100% correct, there can be other cars in the photo but there must be a clear separation between your car and the other cars. No "overlapping"

 

[ID_10_T]

What do these cross hairs look like in the photos? Is it a X, + or [ ]. Does it make a difference?

The ones I have seen got a + on. But most of them get photoshopped too put the + right on your number plate.

Also the photo on the fine is zoomed in and centered.

So ask for the original and see where the center of the photo are.

 

[Hemi300c]

ALSO:

Check that the date of processing is less than 30 days form the offence date otherwise it is also invalid.

 

[Devill]

ALSO:

Check that the date of processing is less than 30 days form the offence date otherwise it is also invalid.

How long till the speeding fine can not be "enforced" any more? Or do they never "expire".

 

[froot]

How long till the speeding fine can not be "enforced" any more? Or do they never "expire".

The fine has to be presented to you within 30 days of it being taken, as Hemi said