THE DECATUR CAMERA COURT RACKET: What I Learned Today…read more I just walked out of the City of Decatur Municipal Court (420 W. Trinity Pl) regarding an automated school zone camera ticket from Blue Line Solutions (a private company out of Tennessee). I didn't go to save the $85; I went as an observer to see how the system operates. What I witnessed is a total revenue racket designed to protect profit over logic. 1. The "Non-Driver" Loophole (How to Beat the Ticket)Before my case was called, I watched a line of about 8 or 9 people walk completely free with immediate, unquestioned dismissals. By Georgia law, these cameras can only photograph the back of your car--they cannot legally photograph your face. The law presumes the registered owner was driving. However, if you show up and state under oath that you were not the person operating the vehicle at that time, the city's case instantly collapses. The court cannot legally force you to name who was driving. They keep this loophole incredibly quiet because if everyone knew it, the camera program would go bankrupt overnight. 2. A Biased Courtroom & Rushed JusticeWhen it was my turn, I admitted I was the driver but laid out a flawless logistical defense. I was caught at 3:38 PM--nearly 50 minutes after Westchester Elementary dismissed, meaning the street was completely clear of kids or buses. I was boxed into the center lane by heavy traffic, with a massive landscape trailer physically blocking my line of sight to the roadside sign over the crest of the hill.Instead of evaluating the physical reality of the road, the judge openly snickered and mocked my testimony in front of the courtroom for stating I was "pickled" by traffic. Her only response was, "All I know is the system says it was working, and you can't prove it wasn't." They force you to prove a negative while their out-of-state vendor rakes in cash. 3. The 2027 Law Change Is a Red HerringThe judge kept repeating to everyone in the room that the Georgia Legislature passed a new law (HB 651) making flashing lights mandatory alongside cameras by July 2027. But as she proved today, that change is completely irrelevant to them. If the lights fail during a storm and you cannot physically prove they were dark, they will still rule against you and take your money anyway. The Bottom Line: I watched this court clear an estimated $1,500 to $2,000 in fines in just a 90-minute window. It would cost me over $200 in non-refundable filing fees to appeal this to the DeKalb County Superior Court, which is exactly how they trap you--making it more expensive to fight them than to just pay the fine. If you get one of these tickets in the mail, do not just pay it online. Look at the back of the ticket, find the Affidavit of Non-Responsibility, and use the framework the law left open for you. Don't let this local cash machine fool you twice. Please share this to warn your neighbors!

The city of Decatur is a city within the city of Atlanta. It's occupies about 4.2 sq. miles…read moreaccording to Wikipedia. Some of the city's best colleges such as Georgia State, Emory University and Agnes Scott just to name a few are located in this area. Decatur residents are some of the most educated and highest income earners for the city of Atlanta. The average house hold income is about $75,000 and over 57% have a bachelor or higher degree. With demographics like this there is no question that there are plenty of good eats in this area. In fact I would say some of the best restaurants (regardless of price) are located within this vicinity. I'm going to list a few but you can just google "best places to eat in Decatur, GA" and there are no shortages of blogs, articles and reviews praising the area's eats.... 1. Your DeKalb Farmers Market on Ponce is one of the city's original and still one of the best places to get high quality eats from all different regions and budget friendly. https://www.yelp.com/biz/your-dekalb-farmers-market-decatur?uid=FdPioXvctMq8lhBtd_NnTg&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) 2. Bone's... arguably Atlanta's best steak house....I've been eating here all of my life. One of the reasons I like Bone's is because they are total un-snobby about their high class restaurant...Not only will you find families here but it's incredibly racially diverse here. Plus every time I come here for so-in-so's birthday or some celebration I always walk away thinking "I think that's the best meal I've ever had in this city" Yes. You will find people that say other places has better steaks...maybe they're right but Bone's has the whole package i.e. service, food, atmosphere, etc. and it's consistent...Not first meal good and second meal not so good....always good. No matter what day of the week or what time you show up.... https://www.yelp.com/biz/bones-atlanta-6?uid=FdPioXvctMq8lhBtd_NnTg&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) 3. The General Muir is where you want to get a good NY pastrami or good ole home made Jewish comfort food. It's an institution and its always packed but that's a good sign. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-general-muir-atlanta?uid=FdPioXvctMq8lhBtd_NnTg&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) 4. Bocca Lupo is one of the city's most celebrated and consistently good Italian restaurants. They're famous for their black spaghetti but really you can't get a bad meal here. https://www.yelp.com/biz/boccalupo-atlanta?uid=FdPioXvctMq8lhBtd_NnTg&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) 5. Bacchanalia is considered one of the top restaurants in Atlanta and some people think it maybe the best....that's debatable.....personally I think for the money I rather spend it on sushi but it's your world and we just live in it.....worth checking out anyway https://www.yelp.com/biz/bacchanalia-atlanta?uid=FdPioXvctMq8lhBtd_NnTg&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) There you have it....not a great list but decent..... 1392nd review 6/20/2018 312th for 2018

It' really lame compared to past years. It doesn't have any of the energy or selection and not…read morebeing downtown means no Marta. Poor decision on Decatur's part and just helping a couple of the downtown Decatur bars. Crap. Basically. Crap.

Am I missing something? Why am I only the second person to review this thing. Pretend I repeated…read moreeverything Alex H. had to say. He's got a pretty accurate review. I've gone to the DCBF for four years in a row. Each year is as good as the last. To get tickets, you have to buy them within a couple of hours of them going online; otherwise, they'll sell out. Once you get there, it's like any beer fest, except it's huge and it's right by a Marta stop. Tip: Don't forget to wear a pretzel necklace.

Located atop the Decatur MARTA station, this 11-foot tall bronze artwork is by artist Gary Lee…read morePrice. It features joyous children soaring around a globe celebrating life. It was initially unveiled in Surrey, England at the American Community Schools. The children are clearly having fun, flying around the earth. Holding hands, playing, very happy expressions on their faces. Worth stopping to check out as you pass through the metro station. [Review 19534 overall - 590 in Georgia - 504 of 2023.]

Lives up to the hype. I have been dying to come here for ages and finally had the excuse to come…read morefor a friend's birthday. We had a big party and they were super accomodating which was already a plus for the restaurant. When we got there, they provide complimentary bread and tomato sauce which was delish. We also got some drunks and I opted for the tequila/aperol cocktail which was stunning. The waiter did say it was their most popular and for good reason! We also got some appetizers to start include the fried seafood which was yummy and the cheesy bread which was STUNNING! Imo, skip the pizza and get the cheesy bread. Cannot explain how good it is. Almost ruined my dinner. For my entree, I opted for the eggplant parm after many recs and I do fear its worth. You can add a side of pasta for $7 which is lowkey is a scam... but those were some delicious buttered noodles. This meal was stunning. No notes.

My daughters and I have visited this restaurant monthly for years, and it has always been our…read morefavorite Italian restaurant in Atlanta. We have spent a significant amount of money here and considered it one of our special places to catch up and spend quality time together. During our Sunday recent visit, we started at the bar with appetizers and drinks. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to stay for dinner and asked for a table. Although we were initially given one, the hostess. She was apparently new. She had a conversation with a server and then returned to tell us that we had to remain at the bar because we started there, and cannot transfer to a table. It was clear that the decision appeared to be based on protecting a server's section and earning potential rather than providing guest service. When I asked for a manager, the situation was not handled appropriately, and it was obvious that servers are in control of this restaurant, not management. Unbeknownst to me after all these years. A restaurant should prioritize its guests--not allow server preferences to dictate the guest experience. After years of loyalty and substantial spending, this experience was unacceptable. We will not be returning, and it is unfortunate that such a long-standing family tradition ended this way.

We went to the new location on Luckie Street. We did the southern biscuit class and boy was it…read morewonderful! Jessica was a great guide and the space is so beautiful and clean! I would highly recommend this! My husband and I did it together but I think my ten year old daughter would have loved it. It was a great integration of history and cooking! Thank you, Jessica for making our day!

Kristen was a great guide and had us laughing and smiling all the time. The biscuit making class…read morewas a lot of fun and something we will do at home too.

A perfect place to enjoy amazing food with great ambiance and friendly staff. Perfect for a great…read moremeal with friends or a casual romantic date night spot.

I was in the mood for Italian and decided on Paolino's based on the reviews…read more The caesar salad was good. The lasagne was okay. And the tiramisu was great. My next visit I will try one of the pastas. The service was excellent. Even though I ordered on the app, as soon as I entered the restaurant I was greeted. I was immediately helped at the bar and received my order quickly.

Loved the gluten free pizza from the wood oven and pasta (meat sauce). Very authentic Italian with…read moregood service and comfortable surroundings. They have free parking.

We had an EXCELLENT experience at this place. We dropped in on a Friday night without a reservation…read moreand it was pretty busy. That didn't stop them from finding us a seat and delivering incredibly speedy service. We had the Insalata Italaiana, a delicious sald featuring prosciutto and olives, and the Salsiccia e Funghi pizza. We were blown away at how fast the food came out and how delicious it was! Great food, great service, great vibes. Highly recommend!

We went to White Bull for their happy hour. I believe it's from 4-6pm…read moreWe sat on the patio, and it was a beautiful day outside The host, server and bartender were all so friendly and helpful We got drinks, oysters and the carbonara off the happy hour Rosemary focaccia off of the regular menu It was all great! We can't wait to come back and try their regular dinner menu

I've been meaning to check out this restaurant and finally had a chance to get dinner there today…read more There are a lot of people because of the World Cup, but I was able to get sat at the bar without a wait. The bartenders were very welcoming and answered all of my questions. To my surprise, they had a happy hour that went until 6pm even on a Saturday and I was able to order oysters for two dollars each and get a glass of wine for $12 so of course I ordered a dozen oysters For my entrée, I ordered the trout with black rice and succotash. The skin was crispy. It was a decent sized fillet and the sauce was a good pairing. Overall, lovely experience. I'm giving it four stars instead of five stars because there are multiple shells in a couple of the oysters.

Absolutely loved this tour. Our tour guy was amazing. The training was amazing. I felt like a pro…read moreriding around the town on the Segway. Another unforgivable moment in Atlanta for me. This tour takes you to a lot of places in Midtown that I would've never seen before but now I want to experience these places as well. I've never been to Piedmont Park and I will be going back to visit. But the tour guy was amazing. He knew a lot on the tour and I will say he knew all of our names. It's hard to learn one person's name, but having to learn that seven people that were on the tour and being correct every time it was impressive. They give you a helmet and teach you from the beginning how to ride, slow down, come to fast stop so you are comfortable before you even start the tour. I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it. I highly recommend you take this tour if you're ever in Atlanta.

This is my first and only negative review. It takes a lot for me to do this. We had a very…read moredisappointing experience with this company. Our group of four booked a Segway tour weeks in advance and arrived as scheduled, only to be told upon arrival that the tour could not proceed because their tour guide was unavailable that day. We were informed that they had attempted to notify us the day prior, while we were in transit, but no meaningful effort was made to ensure we actually received that message. A voicemail was left while in transit that only gave the name of the person to call back. We did respond message the company back but no message of details was sent to us. There was no information given us that the tour had been cancelled and there was no effort by the company to call us back this morning to indicate the tour was canceled. Instead this company allowed us to show up. When we showed up this morning, the office was dead quiet. The one staff easily could've contacted us before we arrived, to have allowed us to make alternate plans. As a result, we showed up expecting a confirmed booking. While an apology and refund were offered, that is the minimum one would expect in this situation. There was no attempt to find a replacement guide or propose an alternative solution, despite the significant inconvenience caused. What was most concerning, however, was how the situation was handled. As we calmly discussed next steps among ourselves, we were unexpectedly told that we were making the staff member, Sammi, "uncomfortable". Despite the fact that even though we were highly disappointed we remained polite and measured. We were then asked to leave, and the door was locked behind us, which felt offensive as well as entirely unwarranted given our demeanor. She should've called us that morning and if anything that would possibly be why she was uncomfortable because of her own mistake. Our disappointment was warranted and we were not in any way aggressive, moreover never have any of us been called that. It's preposterous that her mistake, resulting in our disappointment and regrouping could be attributed with making her uncomfortable. She could have a higher tolerance for customers and customer service vs blaming validly disappointed customers for frustration which she caused. We are reasonable, respectful customers and simply expected clear communication and a basic level of customer service. Unfortunately, neither was demonstrated here. I would not recommend relying on this business if your plans depend on them.

Stop 1 Publik Draft House…read more Peach martini was a little sweet shrimp & grits were pretty good but could use more spice The first several bits were nice and cheesy -- but the cheese did not feel infused through the grits cypress brewery --anniversary lager not bad -- crispy keene donut burger. needed additional acid to break the sweetness. -- bbq sauce added to sweetness -- excellent sweet potato fries nicely salted bulla potato peach martini a little sweet shrimp could use more spice real cheesy good -- cheese did not feel infused through the grits cypress brewery --anniversary lager not bad -- crispy keene donut burger. needed additional acid to break the sweetness. -- bbq sauce added to sweetness -- excellent sweet potato fries nicely salted bulla potato bravas--. pretty good. spice was real good built up right amount of crema --potato tortillas really good almost hot potato omelet vibe -- old fashion too sweet -- chicken paella -- preparation good in special pan, crisp up rice. artichoke was different but good, seafood with the paella would have been perfect Henry's for dessert Had the toffee ice cream pie. Really good, the atmosphere was fun. Real good experience overall and a lot of fun to try the different places. Bring your appetite.

We had a great time on the Midtown Atlanta Food and Cocktail Tour! Katrina was a great guide and…read morewe definitely visited some unique spots. We loved hearing about the area and seeing the sights. Loved the atmosphere of the Rowdy Tiger! We had a nice variety of different food and cocktails. Would definitely recommend!