"Oh, don't lean on me man 'cause you can't afford the ticket" - David Bowie
Most people do not run redlights on purpose. While this may seem like a strange fact to some, I have never encountered anyone that runs lights for fun. "I was so late for work, I just ran all the lights!" Most of these redlight cameras are being put in to give tickets to people that do not come to a complete stop when turning right on red. Most people come to a rolling stop, then turn. In fact if you do come to a stop, the person behind you will start laying on the horn.
Meanwhile, you get processed a ticket that tends to run $100. Have a nice day, drive safe!
There is an interesting news story about just this. In Collier Florida the citizens are getting more than a bit annoyed at getting tickets.
Collier County Commissioner Jim Colletta tells WINK News that during the month of August at the intersection of Vanderbuilt Beach Road and U.S. 41, the cameras caught 507 red light violations, but 500 of those happened when drivers didn't stop before making a right on red.
Out of 507, only 7 were people that ran a light. The rest just did not come to a complete stop when making a right turn. Many cities now know that all you have to do to make some money is shorten the yellow lights, and to also ticket those turning right on red. It is pure revenue.
"I don't have any violations or citations on my driving record, so for me to even get that letter was shocking," Marjorie Burnham says.
It is not about safety, at all. It is about publically elected and appointed officials making money from their constituents. They want us out there playing bumper cars with each other, and causing road rage, while they profit.
...Burnham says she isn't taking any chances.
"I sit there and cars honk at me to move along (at a right turn), but I'm not going to because I can't afford another ticket!"
