Speed Tickets in Work Zone When No One Is Working

I couldn't find any thread on this, but there must have been something in the papers because I SENT A LETTER TO THE eDITOR THE OTHER DAY REGARDING OUR INJUSTICE MINISTER CHOMIAK because he wouldn't consider refunding money to the poor speeders who were given tickets even though there were no workers at work. Some signs said speed limit 60KMH when workers are there. Many of the tickets were given on sat and Sundays when no one was working and of course to fight the ticket you'd have to take 1/2 day off after taking time to go down and plead not guilty. Hire a lawyer? cost ??
The stats are amazing! Cash grab? 3,000 tickets previous year , this year 60,000 tickets. Shame on Chomiak, but they will look at it again> 57,000 tickets at what $100= $6 million dollars!
"Chomiak — in a reversal of his stance since yesterday — said about 60,000 photo radar tickets were handed out in Winnipeg in 2008 alone, and that the province and the city will now sit down and review every one of them.
"We're not taking a position yet with respect to the guilty pleas, but we're going to look at it," Chomiak said. "There may be tickets that were given out that may not be technically valid, there may be some that were technically valid, we'll have to determine that."
"It's very difficult to go back," he said of overturning tickets. "In strict law there's probably not a legal leg to stand on, but in terms of perception, maybe there's a way we can accommodate it."
Chomiak said yesterday the province would not refund tickets for people who had paid speeding fines they received in photo radar zones when no workers were present, despite the fact that the Crown is staying more than 850 pending tickets.
He said he changed his mind after receiving statistics today that show 60,000 construction zone tickets were handed out in 2008 — up from 3,000 in 2007.
"It's pretty hard to argue that we got unsafe that fast," Chomiak said. "You can see why the public would be concerned that it's being used as a cash grab."

Photo radar when used properly can greatly enhance the safety of our streets. We need to start using it properly and who cares if it costs us money instead of making money, its supposed to cost us money.

This photo radar in construction zones one. EVEN if there are or are not workers present. Its obviously a significant problem with people speeding even when workers are present. Lets try to find out why and try to implement some measures that will actually slow the people down so that they are not injuring the workers.

Implement some traffic calming devices or set up some big flashing lights.. something ANYTHING that will put the focus back on safety.

yah too bad they did not listen when I wrote my letter to the editor 3 days before they actually started ticketing at Bishop when they had warned everyone in the papers ahead of time. would have saved alot of time and trouble.

Biggest BS tickets ever. I got one on Bishop going 77 in a 80km/h zone with a "50km/h when passing workers" sign on a Sunday evening at 8pm. Like Rosen says, I didn't bother wasting a half-day of missed work or hiring a lawyer for a $200 ticket. I was pissed but payed figuring it was a waste of time to argue it.

Now they rule these tickets were in fact illegal and they refuse to give the money back. Total BS.

Same with me on Lagimodiere had no time to waste at there over burdened ticket place on Broadway . Paid and left it is to inconvenient to argue it . I will now be talking to someone cause Iam getting my money back they broke the law not me .

Unless you want to forget completely and move on for some reason, NEVER PAY A TICKET.

You have an excellent chance it will be dropped.

Got a parking ticket at the airport last Christmastime and plead not-guilty. At the court date the Crown said she couldn't find the person that issued the ticket and was dropping the charge.

I told her to fcuk off and stop being so full of sh1t. Everyone in the room froze when I uttered the word "fcuk", but she said nothing. She knew I knew and most others knew she was lying through her teeth, as she said the same thing to a few others.

They wait to see if you are dumb enough to pay, and if you do, they win. If you don't, they fold and tell you some nonsense and "let you go".

Commie Bastards!!

CHomiak has apparently changed his mind and is considering refunds. Great display of leadership. Wait until someone complains and then just change your minds. Commie bastards.

he was "surprised" when there were 60000 tickets up frome only 3000 the year before.

great justice minister eh? stays right on top all the issues?

Big Dif...3,000 votes vs. 60,000 (the real reason he reconsidered eh)

I agree...They're just commie bastards (that lie).

I hope that when they are looking at the refunds for the 60,000 tickets that they actually look at the time of day and date of the ticket before they actually issue the refund. If it happened during a legit time and date, no refund, sorry, you were caught speeding when workers were present.

yes I believe that is indeed what they are doing holly. BUT the only people who wont be getting a refund are those who were going over the regular speed limit, since the crown has already declared the reduced speed signs were erected incorrectly. but even thouse people will get a discount since its a double fine for being in work zone.

Gonna end up costing WAY WAY more then what was legally brought in and that sucks.

...and, of course, nobody will be held accountable for having set up the traps in the first place.

funny how I read one quote where it was "over zealous" camera guys doing it. But I distinctly remember the city actually issueing a press release saying it would start monitoring the work on the bridge 5 days before they actually did set the cameras up.

yup regular camera operators have the power to issue city press releases it seems.

this sure is not going to have a healthy impact on the city budget having this removed, expect the city and photo cameras to step up enforcement in other areas. Hopefully at least this time they do the job right.

The money went to the province I thought.

nope

The only people in the province who use photo radar is the city of Winnipeg.

when it was first introduced.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2001/11/2001-11-16-01.html

and from the most recent Hansard.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/hansard/3rd-39th/vol_36b/h36b.html


Mr. Chomiak: Mr. Speaker, we put in very strict provisions for the City of Winnipeg to utilize photo radar. Let me quote what the Conservative Member for Lac du Bonnet (Mr. Hawranik) said about that bill: I support this bill and I would support it for obvious reasons, the use of photo radar red light cameras across the province, and not just for limited purposes as proposed in this bill.

Mr. Speaker, we put it in for safety purposes. The City of Winnipeg utilized it for different provisions. We had provisions in the act. The City of Winnipeg appeared to not follow the strict provisions of the regulations. When we found out, we told the City of Winnipeg we would no longer prosecute.

Aren't the cheques for the fines made out to the province? It is Provincial Court that you go to isn't it?

Same as when a cop gives you a speeding ticket....the money goes to the province.

The money goes to the city as the fines are collected within city limits. ( I believe a very small fee is removed for processing and to maintain the court and such ) But the money ends up at the city level.

If that's the case, then I can see why Chomiak was reluctant to give the money back...as he may doubt that the city will refund it to the province. So, in fact it has cost him double perhaps?

read the statement, note he said he is working with the city


Man I dont know how many times and how many places I have to say it before people let it sink in. THIS IS THE CITY"S FAULT.. BLAME THE CORRECT ELECTED OFFICIALS

Call your councillor NOT your MLA.

Two seperate issues Dean
1. initial placement of the radar vans, and
2. the province's reaction to the court decision.

Blame both!!

The province as it is quite evident was being lead by a justice minister who apparently had very few of the actual facts in his head. Time for Mr chomiak to move out of being a main member and sit on the back bench, every portfolio he touches he messes up.

http://www.davechomiak.ca/


LOL oh man that reads like a good joke with a totally excellent punch line
"The old style of politics has been sent to the trash can. We must serve our constituents first and foremost. The key elements of this new-philosophy and approach consist in listening, consulting and co-operating.""

JTF wrote:Two seperate issues Dean
1. initial placement of the radar vans, and
2. the province's reaction to the court decision.

Blame both!!

we could blame both sure... but regardless of the provinces "decision" the city just needs to step up and say.. you know what... we messed up.. instead of having the province force us to give illegal money back here it is.. sorry about that.