Red Light Ticket

That's right. It happened to me. I got one of those evil red light tickets.

I got home from work a couple weeks ago and checked my mail. Inside my stack of mail was this ominous looking envelope and inside was a Red Light Photo Enforced Violation. AH!! I was really shocked at first because I would NEVER go through a red light. That is one of my biggest pet peeves, when people sneak through a red light. I think it is dangerous and stupid. So I couldn't believe I had EVER done it! Well...then I noticed that it was for not coming to a complete stop before turning right on red. REALLY? Now, that is a little stupid. But I didn't think the picture on the ticket really proved anything. It just showed my car in the right turn lane. That doesn't prove I didn't stop! In the still picture it looks like I stopped! Then Adam pointed out that there is a website you can visit, so I went to the website. I was on the phone with mom really really upset about the whole thing because it is $100. $100! Doesn't that seem a bit excessive for not coming to a complete stop before turning right on red??? I mean, obviously I looked and thought it was safe! Maybe $25 would be more appropriate. And then $50 if I did it again and didn't learn. But $100 right off the bat. That is just excessive.

So anyway...I am on the phone with mom and I try logging on to the website. I get on and there is a video there so I click on it and say, "Oh.....I so didn't even stop a little bit!".

If you watch it closely, you can see that I slow down near the light pole. I must have been looking to my left and saw no one was coming. You can also see that the traffic turning left in front of me had a green left turn arrow and so there was no way any one was going to come into my lane! Adam and I went back to visit the scene of the crime and think there should be a right turn arrow there anyway. It is all just a ploy to earn money for the village. Now I am paranoid around red light cameras. There is a new one right near my house and I am totally freaked out when I am at that intersection.

But now YOU know. You need to be awfully careful around those cameras. Make sure you come to a complete stop before turning right on red. Make sure you stop BEFORE the line (I know people who have gotten tickets for being stopped on or just over the line). Make sure you are THROUGH the intersection before the light turns red (no matter what). And DON'T get an expensive red light ticket!