Customer Reviews

Smile for the Speed Camera: Photo Radar Exposed!

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I live in Arizona, the author's home state, and got "flashed" by a Department of Public Safety photo radar van on I-10 going from Tucson to Phoenix. It really ticked me off, because I was on cruise control going 55 in a construction zone and some idiot hauling a trailer was going maybe 30, so to avoid being rear-ended, I stepped on the gas and whipped around the truck and trailer. As luck would have it, just as I passed him and pulled back into the right "slow" lane, I got "flashed."

Yes, I WAS speeding, doing probably 65 in a 55, but for a reason. If a cop had been sitting there, he might have pulled me over and given me a warning, but I doubt it. He'd have seen I was merely passing a very slow vehicle and wouldn't have done anything. Not so with good ol' "Robo Radar" -- which has no judgment, common sense, or intelligence - just an automatic FLASH! and to hell with any mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

The incident really got me mad. I felt violated by technology, even though, yes, I was "speeding" for 4-5 seconds. Talk about wrong place, wrong time! Anyway, I began to research photo radar, especially since the Arizona Department of Public Safety plans to roll out dozens and dozens of these on interstates and rural highways. (And I-10 through Phoenix is a driver's nightmare with cameras everywhere!) I live in Tucson and the technology is just barely catching on here...

I got this book after checking out the author's web site. To be honest, I didn't learn much more than I did by reading her web site, other articles about photo radar online (especially in Phoenix newspapers), and the DPS web site. (Her book predates the Arizona Legislature's authorization giving DPS the power to roll out the photo radar vans, and some of the information is dated. The book came out in 2004, so it was probably written in 2003, which means it is well over 5 years old by now.)

Surprisingly, the DPS web site turned out to be the best source of information. I learned, for instance, that DPS (but not the cities) will not issue a ticket if the vehicle is owned by a governmental agency or a corporation. (I was driving a company-registered vehicle and it's been over a month, so I think I got very, very lucky!) In addition, because so many scofflaws do what this author advises (throw the ticket away and wait to be "served" in person), the state now has set the ticket at $165 with NO points on the license and no report to DMV, so anyone who is flashed and just pays up isn't facing any license problems or insurance increase. Unfortunately, the cities aren't so generous and they are reporting all information to the Motor Vehicle Division, so I'd follow her advice, toss the ticket, wait to be "served" (at an additional fee, of course) and then decide to pay up or fight the ticket.

Overall, the book was useful, but this short tome (134 pages, including appendices)with LARGE TYPE barely qualifies as a book, and the price being asked is easily more than twice what I think it is worth! (A lot of extra padding, such as samples of tickets, photos, etc., have been used to make this seem more like a, well, book...) Before buying this, I'd recommend Googling photo radar, especially for your state (many, many references in here are for Arizona, or Alaska, a surprising pioneer in the use of photo radar), and doing some research. If you can't find out what you need online, then maybe you might want to fork over the money for this book -- and don't forget, you have to pay shipping, too.

I give this book a weak thumb's up. It's well-written but really brief, and by having scoured the internet first, I haven't come across a single thing in the book that I haven't seen (for free) elsewhere.

If you're very, very lazy and don't want to do online research, and don't mind that a book is (in my opinion) over-priced and half a decade behind the times, then order away!

P.S. Since writing this about 10 months ago, photo radar continues to expand in Arizona. I had a minor fender-bender that was my fault and I had to go to "good driver school" so the ticket would be dismissed and it wouldn't be reported to MVD, which means no insurance rate hike. It was worth the $218. Anyway, the instructor asked how many people out of about 80 in the class had gotten tickets in the mail from photo radar. I was shocked when about 60 of the 80 people in class held up their photo-illustrated tickets. Almost everyone said they didn't realize they'd been ticketed. So, read up, prepare, and slow down and STOP! for those red lights -- if you've got photo radar in your area. If not, consider yourself blessed. This really is BIG BROTHER in action and, despite claims that it's for "safety," (I'd say 50 people in traffic school, times $218, comes to over $10,000) this is seen by most Arizona residents as a way to generate revenue during the Great Recession.

I had no idea there were so many things wrong with photo radar cases. This book told me more than just that I shouldn't mail back the ticket. It talks about whether to have a lawyer, how to handle the case in court and tells so much about the many ways they try to trick you into paying. It also helped me fight my ticket because it explains how to prove whether you were speeding or not. Other books on just speeding don't have the information about photo radar that this book has.
At first I thought it might be too complicated, but when I finished the book I knew it was the right thing to do to fight my ticket. I highly recommend that people read this before they pay their ticket so they know what they are doing.

It was worth the money. The information I learned from this book got me out of a $185.00 ticket.

I was so surprised to find out how these photo enforcement programs are run and how we pay our tickets without even realizing that what they are doing isn't right. I liked that this lawyer explains what is wrong with photo radar and why we should think twice about it. She also gives good advice on how to handle the ticket if you get one, but it seems you would almost need a lawyer to help you. A book everyone who gets a ticket should read!

I live in Arizona,Maricopa county where the presence of Photo Radar abounds. Up until the appearance of these Cameras I had never received a speeding ticket. I sure wish I had purchased this book before I paid and received points on my record.
Interesting, like most of us law abiding, good tax paying citizens we believe when we receive a photo radar ticket in the mail with our face taken by the flashy cameras and our liscense plate numbers that we are automatically guilty as charged. We believe our government would not be breaking the law by sending us this ticket in the mail. We believe we must either go to court, and probably not win anyways because we don't remember what speed we were driving 7 days ago. We MUST have been speeding.
This book shows us it is all wrong.They want us to believe that. That is why we pay. This book is so important to have before you pay that ticket. Whether you decide to go to court and fight the ticket or not pay it at all, there are some important things you should know, and important things you will need to know to say if you do go to court.
Don't let them get you! Get this book and you will find excellent answers.

After getting my second photo radar ticket I broke down and bought this book. Although it was written a few years ago, the information is still sound. This book shows what goes on in court and how a person can understand what to do with a photo radar ticket. The book explains how you don't have to give in and pay the ticket and why. The publisher maintains a website to update the information in the book, but it's more meaningful to read the book first to get down the basics.

If you have a ticket, this is a small investment with great return. I'd recommend it.

I enjoyed the book and all the keen insight!...I don't think I will want to go to court over a ticket though...I would much rather satotage the process' attempts at reeling in my money by using the other "early on" escape and evasion techniques. If I did go to court over a photo radar ticket however, I would definitely want Susan Kayler by my side. It is evident that she did tons of homework on the subject. With her championing the end of photo radar (hopefully), and exposing it for what it really is (a money making sceme), she stirred up in me how I have always felt about photo radar...that it is WRONG! I hope she keeps working toward the eventual end of photo radar in Arizona! Excellent job Susan!!!

I bought this book after receiving a "Speed camera" ticket. Using the advice provided I was able to avoid paying a fine and had the ticket dismissed.

Exposes photo radar for what it is, illegal and gives you all the info you need to fight and win.

The author suggests a lot of very good ideas on how to deal not only with police officers and with the court but everything you need to know. Including things as important as being polite/considerate to the police officer. There are good suggestions and options in which you can take to limit the negative and focus on the positive.