| Being a responsible driver is more difficult than it | | | | these red light cameras is to catch speeders in the |
| seems when you think about it. However, it doesn't | | | | act of speeding and issue them tickets via regular |
| necessarily have to be as difficult as most people | | | | mail. You see, what happens is that there are motion |
| make it. For example, the other day, I was driving | | | | sensors at each of these various intersections. The |
| down the road when a light changed from green to | | | | motion sensors are linked to the lights changing; so |
| red. Now, most of us know that when a light | | | | when a light goes through a cycle whereby it |
| changes, it goes through a cycle where it transitions | | | | changes from yellow to red, the motion sensor kicks |
| from green to yellow and then from yellow to red. | | | | in. Any vehicle that crosses a certain point after the |
| Also, when a light changes, it usually gives a driver | | | | light has changed from yellow to red automatically |
| more than enough time to adjust their driving so that | | | | trips the motion sensor. Then, because the motion |
| the can safely and gradually come to a stop. | | | | sensor is affixed to a strategically placed camera |
| However, even after the light had turned green for | | | | somewhere within the intersection, the camera goes |
| me (which means that the light going in the other | | | | off and snaps a picture of the person who is violating |
| direction was clearly red, I had to pause for at least | | | | the law. |
| four seconds while I waited for not one- but FIVE | | | | Any person who runs the red light is then sent a |
| drivers to run the red light. | | | | picture of themselves actually running the red light, in |
| In the aforementioned situation, those drivers were | | | | which they are then forced to pay a fine. The idea |
| NOT demonstrating what it meant to be a | | | | of red light cameras is a great idea. However, it has |
| responsible driver. In fact, they were demonstrating | | | | not been without consequence or complication. For |
| quite the opposite. In that scenario, all that would | | | | instance, at intersections where people know that |
| have been required of them to prove that they | | | | there is a red light camera, they will actually, go to |
| were competent, responsible drivers would have | | | | even greater lengths to avoid getting caught on |
| been to simply slow down once they saw that the | | | | camera. For instance, if someone sees that the light |
| light had turned from green to yellow. However, | | | | is changing, depending on where they are in relation |
| many people in situations like this do not slow down. | | | | to the intersection, they may suddenly slam on their |
| In fact, they see a yellow traffic signal as an | | | | brakes. The unsuspecting driver who is behind them |
| indication that they should hurry up and speed it up | | | | and may not have been paying quite as close |
| so that they don't get caught going through a red | | | | attention will then slam into that person. Therefore, |
| light. | | | | there have been increased instances of people |
| In many places and at various intersections where | | | | getting into motor vehicle accidents because of red |
| this is the case in North Carolina, the Department of | | | | light cameras which makes one question whether or |
| Transportation has set up what are very well known | | | | not they are as good as they were originally intended |
| as "red light cameras". The whole purpose behind | | | | to be.. |