Originally Posted by
Often1
Most jurisdictions have navigated around the problem by simply enacting statutes which make the registered owner or designated user (think renter of rental vehicle) responsible for fines incurred by the vehicle not any individual. Thus, a fine, but no points or whatever penalties are assessed against any individual.
There's no requirement of personal service of civil speeding tickets in any state I've ever heard of, particularly the jurisdictions with the new statutes described above.
In the end, the consequences of ignoring these tickets are often fairly drastic. Doesn't mean that you can't request a hearing and contest. But, you can't ignore.
The most common consequence is that the fines double on a regular basis and are simply reported, once the default date passes, as unpaid debts. It kills your credit and sooner or later when you want a mortgage, a credit card or you are applying for a job or promotion, the debt shows up and you wind up having to shell out $1,000 to deal with what was once $200.
Thank you Often!
Often has made a very concise and cogent argument, presented much better than I did, but making the same, or similar, points.
1) Service is not the issue, don't allow discussion of service to distract.
2) In almost every case, if you ignore a camera ticket, it will come back to bite you somewhere, somehow.
3) When it does bite, it will be a much bigger bite than you ever thought possible.