Red Lights

I had an idea driving home from the mall yesterday. It involved all the people who choose to run red lights and how to prevent them. My plan would require a little more technology than we probably now have, maybe a little too much money. But hey, if we caught just a portion of those who run lights it would pay for itself. Depending on the posted speed limits at each light, the time for the yellow should be long enough for anyone driving at the top of the limit to come comfortably and safely to a stop once a yellow light comes on, thus preventing the legal argument that it would have been unsafe to brake to a stop when the yellow is spotted. If they have to go through the yellow because they were too close to stop, they should have plenty of time to make it through on all yellow. But if any part of their car is still in the “zone” when the red light comes on, they would be required to pay a fine. The zone would be marked by a laser beam set to go on with the red light. A video camera would also automatically go on at the same time to record the licenses of any who were still in the red zone. The first infraction within a one year period would cost $100, without recourse to the legal system. The second infraction would double to $200, the third to $400, the fourth to $800, the fifth to $800 and a month in jail, the sixth to a year in jail. After a year, the penalties would revert to step one. I’ll bet it wouldn’t take very long before NO one was going through any red lights.