Houston Coalition Against Red Light Cameras

Arguments You Can Use in Your RLC Ticket Defense

in Sugar Land’s ticket hearing

• I request that this ticket be dismissed because the photographic evidence does not identify me as being the driver of the vehicle cited.  Under the fifth amendment of the U.S. Constitution I cannot be compelled to provide evidence against myself and I am presumed to be innocent.  As the innocent owner of the offending vehicle I offer to accept nothing more than an official warning.

• Because the evidence shows that this violation was only a rolling-stop violation on a permitted right turn I request that the fine be reduced to $7.50.  Note: according to the 2009 data provided by TxDOT this violation is listed as only one tenth as serious as a straight through red light violation and the fine should be adjusted accordingly.

• Because the evidence shows that this violation occurred less than one second into the red I request that this ticket be dismissed.  Note: the Texas Transportation Institute indicates that the most effective method of reducing red light violations is to increase the minimum required yellow time by one second.  Because of the desire for revenue this fact is being ignored by the City of Sugar Land.

If the hearing officer refuses to grant your request which he or she will do, refuse to pay the fine.  You will have no better luck by appealing to the judge at the municipal court.  The city will only add $25 and flag your vehicle registration with the State for failure to pay the ticket, but this is a meaningless gesture because the county tax office will not hold up your registration renewal. See the following pages for why this is true.

Helwig F. Van Der Grinten
Founder, Houston Coalition Against Red Light Cameras (as they are presently utilized)
Email: CaptainVan@aol.com
Web page: www.houstoncoalition.net
Home page: www.captain-van.com