Driver in S.A beats Red Light Camera Fine.

[EBSXR6]

Thousands of fines for red light offences issued to drivers in South Australia have been called into question after one man successfully had his fine overturned by the Supreme Court.

The finding means South Australian police will have to change how it tests the red light detection cameras or the regulations will have to change so that they don’t have to test them properly.

Adelaide motorist David Woolmer’s white Holden was pictured in an intersection at Beulah Park on March 14, 2018 while a red arrow was being displayed by the traffic lights.
But Mr Woolmer’s lawyer Karen Stanley successfully argued that didn’t prove he’d entered the intersection while the red arrow was being displayed, and the South Australian police had failed to adequately test the cameras in accordance with the regulations that dictate they be tested while a red light is actually displayed.

“The regulations set out exactly what is required by way of testing, and includes a requirement that the test needs to ensure that not only does the camera activate when a vehicle passes over the induction loops (a few metres before the intersection), but also that the camera takes exposures following a programmed delay after the induction loops are activated,” a statement from her firm Stanley Law said.

“While photographs showed Mr Woolmer’s vehicle in an intersection while the lights were red, there was no evidence that the vehicle entered the intersection on a red light.”

Stanley Law said the decision has the potential to affect all unfinalised red light camera offences issued in South Australia because police misunderstood the testing requirements.

“There will inevitably be questions asked about the impact of this judgment on all red light camera fines and charges.”

South Australian police are supposed to test the cameras while the light is red, but the court heard it only tested them while the lights were green.

South Australia’s police minister Vincent Tarzia told The Advertiser police are considering the decision.

“SAPOL has advised me that they are considering the decision of the Supreme Court. I await their further advice on this matter,” Mr Tarzia said.

Testing in accordance with the regulations would likely require police to conduct tests at night, shut intersections to do so, and have dummy drivers run red lights to test the cameras.

[EDManual]

haha! Stick it to the govt. (I do not run red lights and do not think it is a good idea to do so)

I tried once to fight a speeding fine, where I was allegedly speeding a bit on a freeway. There was rain at the time. I went to court, and had the evidence that radar was not allowed to be used in the wet and the Cop there admitted that. Says in their operators manual. Had closest BOM weather reports etc that it was raining. Cop said it was dry...

Magistrate said even though the BOM at that exact time only a few KM said it was raining I did not have evidence it was raining at that exact spot!!

Lying cop and judge protecting revenue has forever made me lose respect for the HWY patrol cops. Cant stand them.

Police prosecutor afterwards said "good try" to me, and that I really should go to the next court to try again. I didnt do that.

Have had other unfair fines as well, including sitting on cruise control at 110 which was 105 GPS speed, oncoming cop car coming round a corner got me doing something like 115 ! And I slowed down before they straignted up to be directly oncoming. Couldnt believe it. I tried to get calibration certificates etc for their equipment but had no luck.

Anyway, good to see someone have some luck!

[Crazy Dazz]

There was a bloke in Perth who beat a Speed Camera.

Took to it with a baseball bat.

[EBSXR6]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

There was a bloke in Perth who beat a Speed Camera.

Took to it with a baseball bat.

In Middleborough Rd Box Hill North Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne a couple of years ago, someone shot one up in the early hours of the morning. AFAIK they never caught the person.

A long time ago there was a Dutch website, cannot remember the exact name Gatso haters or something similar and guys would post pictures of their handywork destroying the Gatso cameras. Favoured method at the time was an old car tyre straddled across the top of the camera, pour petrol or something similar into the bottom of the tyre and set it alight. Did a lot of damage.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

There was a bloke in Perth who beat a Speed Camera.

Took to it with a baseball bat.

There was one over here just south of Lonnie where someone cut it off and took the lot.Then there was one of the trailer camera units down the Midland hwy which apparently suffered spontaneous ign and burnt out.

[ford71V8]

My missus got pinged at red light arrow exactly like that description in OP.
Was in March and was bloody expensive.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by EBSXR6

The finding means South Australian police will have to change how it tests the red light detection cameras or the regulations will have to change so that they don’t have to test them properly.

We can all see where this will go. Change the regs so they don't have to test them properly no doubt

[Dr Smith]

I would have thought the red light camera takes two photo's.
One when the light has turned red and if a car crosses the stop line and then a second photo within a set time to show if the car has progressed further into the intersection and not actually stopped.

Or is it a case that it cannot be proven the camera activates after a red light comes on but rather after a green light turns off?

[EBSXR6]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Or is it a case that it cannot be proven the camera activates after a red light comes on but rather after a green light turns off?

I think it is as above due to the non compliant testing regime.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

I would have thought the red light camera takes two photo's.
One when the light has turned red and if a car crosses the stop line and then a second photo within a set time to show if the car has progressed further into the intersection and not actually stopped.

Or is it a case that it cannot be proven the camera activates after a red light comes on but rather after a green light turns off?

I got pinged, must be 20 years ago, Wellingston st in West Perth. I wasn't paying close enough attention, and I entered the intersection on a green light, but the traffic can to a complete stop and I was stranded.
(Now, as it happens, it was a '|-' intersection, so I wasn't actually blocking anyone)
But yeah I got snapped and done.
I don't know HOW the camera knew to snap me??

More recently I got pinged turning right after the arrow had gone red, and the photo had a timestamp showing how many seconds since it went red. I couldn't argue, it was obvious I had gone through a red.

[Tonz]

am in Adelaide for few days and yesterday was interesting driving on South rd through Therberton Henley beach area.
Several intersections had police bikes and cars all over the place and huge long traffic holdups.
I would guess they were testing the cameras with their vehicles.
if they continue this process I would suspect the guy who took this to court, his lawyer and police will be in for some serious s##t throw back.