Red light camera whiners

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
June 7, 2012

See the great article on Page 1 of the Northwest Herald today about red light cameras. The headline? "SEEING RED. Motorists face fines for failing to stop properly at local intersections."

Have you watched the red-light runners on Lake Avenue at Route 47 (by 3 Brothers Restaurant) at all times of the day and night? And we don't even have red-light cameras in Woodstock. Every day drivers cruise through the red light, never even coming close to stopping.

Do you know what the law is about red lights? the State law?

It says Stop. It doesn't say Stop only if no one is coming. It doesn't say Slow Down or stop if you feel like it or if you don't see a cop or anything else. It says Stop. That means all wheels are stopped and the forward motion of the vehicle has stopped (so locking the brakes and sliding through doesn't count).

Most red-light camera systems take two still photographs and a video of the violation. If a driver looks at the movement of his car on the video and is honest with himself (or herself), he'll have to admit that he did not stop.

What does the law require? If there is a stop bar (solid white stop line), that's where you stop - before crossing that line. If there is no line, then you stop at the near line of the crosswalk. If there is no crosswalk, then you stop before reaching the near curb line of the intersection.

If the light is red when you enter the intersection, you have violated the traffic law. If the light changes from green to yellow and you gun it and "think" you can make it, and if you're wrong, Pay $100.00. And consider yourself lucky, and dumb. An oncoming driver, waiting to turn left, may "think" you are going to stop and begin his turn. BAM! Worth it? Not hardly.

Sure, red-light cameras create a lot of revenue. That's because there are a lot of violators.

Some readers of the Northwest Herald article are commenting that they avoid the red-light camera at Route 22 and Route 14 by cutting through the shopping center. I say to the Fox River Grove P.D., "Sic 'em."

Have you received a red-light ticket recently? Think you didn't break the law? Post your Ticket Number, license plate number and the URL below.

If it appears you are innocent (i.e., your vehicle came to a complete stop), I'm sure readers will provide valuable advice to you on how to fight your ticket and win. \