Another Photo Radar Debacle?

WINNIPEG, MB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) and Wise-up Winnipeg is urging motorists not to pay photo radar tickets issued in the vicinity of Grant Avenue and Nathaniel Street.

The two groups believe tickets were issued wrongly at that location and are urging motorists who received tickets there to contact them. Further, recipients are urged to call the number on the ticket to register to challenge it in court. The CTF and Wise-up Winnipeg have heard from over 100 Winnipeggers who have received tickets at this location since the end of October. Each has questioned how they could be going 65-85kms after just having turned onto Grant Avenue westbound at Nathaniel Street. Unlike other locations enforced by mobile photo radar, the photo radar vehicle situating at Grant and Nathaniel has been situating from a parallel service road, measuring motorists’ speeds from 46 feet away from the target road, resulting in unreliable measurements.

“Photo radar vehicles fix the angle of radar beam at 20 degrees, whereas this unique location 46 feet off the road would require adjustment to that operating system, which has been shown to produce unreliable speed reflections,” said Todd Dube, a spokesman for Wise-Up Winnipeg. “Due to that and other factors related to origin of radar in relation to target, mobile photo enforcement measurements have been proven to be inherently unreliable. Hence, many vehicle owners are receiving tickets stating they were driving faster than they were. That is the constant in the very many contacts received from the public over the last week regarding this particular location." WiseupWinnipeg will have a radar expert attest to the unreliability of mobile photo enforcement reflections at the time of trial of one of these many contested speeding tickets. “It doesn’t make sense,” added CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig. “How could so many people be measured at 65 to 85kms/hr on that stretch after just turning onto the road? In the case of my ticket, I don’t think my Corolla could physically get up to 67kms/hr in such a short distance.” Motorists are reminded of the Bishop Grandin debacle a few years ago when motorists were ticketed in a construction zone when workers were not present. Even though such tickets were thrown out by a judge, those who had paid the tickets were not provided refunds – on the basis that they had paid the ticket therefore conceded guilt. Taxpayers who have received tickets at the Grant and Nathaniel location are encouraged to contact Todd or Colin for information on developments in this matter: Colin Craig – 982-2150 ccraig@taxpayer.com Todd Dube – 795-5120 mediascene@mymts.net

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Canadian Taxpayers Federation