Ohio Judge: “It is a scam that motorists can’t win.”
“Elmwood Place is engaged in nothing more than a high-tech game of 3-Card Monty, (sic)” Ruehlman wrote, referring to a card game used by con artists.
And with that phrase, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman stopped a six-thousand-ticket-per-month operation.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, the tiny village of Elmwood Place near Cincinnati, Ohio was partnered with speed-camera firm Optotraffic to write three tickets a month for every man, woman, and child residing within the municipal limits. Optotraffic received $41 of every $105 ticket. At the village boundaries, the speed limit drops from 35 to 25mph — a tactic used infamously by “the corruption capitol of Ohio”, New Rome. Unlike that now-defunct municipality, however, Elmwood Place doesn’t have a kangaroo court and outsized police force to do their dirty work. They simply sit back and let the private partnership with Optotraffic rake in over three hundred thousand dollars per month in fines.
No longer. Judge Ruehlman brought a halt to the proceedings with a permanent injunction. Elmwood Place plans to appeal, of course. This may be the start of a genuine legal dialogue about speed cameras in Ohio — or it may simply be a rare sensible and ethical act from the state’s judiciary. Let’s hope it’s the former.
Never give up!
March 14, 2013 at 6:55 pm
Honors to His Honor.
March 14, 2013 at 7:24 pm
I’m loving this Mary. Kudos to the judge for taking a stand.
March 14, 2013 at 7:53 pm
One of my arcane areas of knowledge is actually the New Rome, Ohio traffic trap. That town was actually featured on ABC’s 20/20 years ago for their use of dubious RADAR and such citations as broken license plate lights.
The town was essentially run by a corrupt family who found it easy to tap out of state drivers cutting through their reduced speed section of the main highway. They were actually de-incorporated because of how bad the reputation was of the local government.
If you really want speed reduced, there’s a highly effective invention called a stop light. If someone blows through that, a town can write all the tickets they want and I won’t care.
March 15, 2013 at 6:37 am
Well, that absolutely makes far too much sense. I’m sure it is more fun to steal money and invite friends (cam companies) to join in the fun as well.
March 15, 2013 at 8:28 am
I disagree with the stop light solution. There are plenty of examples of red light cameras being abused too, where the yellow light is but a blink. There are plenty of stories out there about cities shortening the yellow light in order to boost ticket revenue. The companies that supply these cameras are all too happy to comply because they’re getting a cut.
Of course, stop light and speed traps have been around forever but now with the aid of technology AND our current economy they seem to be expanding.
March 15, 2013 at 9:05 am
Yes, the economy has spurred this with incredible fervor.
If you traverse the long desolate highways in rural Texas, every tiny town always has a speed trap of sorts.
March 15, 2013 at 11:33 am
Finally a judge with a spine! Way to go Your Honor.
March 17, 2013 at 3:45 pm
Don’t you wish that there were more judges like this man? I do.
March 17, 2013 at 4:21 pm
I certainly do and working for more accountability. God bless