Heard about the 3-second-stop rule?

I’ve been furious about the red light cameras ever since the sham started several years ago. Now another farce has come up, so I’ve decided to write this letter and see if anyone else would be mad with me. For the record, I’ve never received a ticket, I always stop before turning right on red, and I’ve never pulled out unless there was plenty room to make the turn without inconveniencing anyone.

A friend recently received a ticket for turning right on red for only stopping for 1.5 seconds instead of the required 3 seconds. How many have ever heard of this? I never did. But I checked with the Carol Stream police and was told that a 3 second stop is, in fact, required. Otherwise, the camera couldn’t tell that you stopped. Think about that for a while.

I have a novel idea about this: Why not start giving tickets for turning in front of someone when there isn’t room? When I have to put the brakes on for someone who turned right on red I don’t care whether they stopped at the line or somewhere else, or if they stopped at all.

Still, it’s only an annoyance. A discourtesy. I doubt if it ever even comes close to causing an accident. The driver, even though he or she may be willing to be discourteous, simply isn’t going to pull out in such a way as to cause an accident. And if that did happen the driver with the green light is going to see what’s going on and do whatever is necessary to avoid it.

Right-on-red does cause accidents, though, but if I try to tell that I’ll be over the word limit. It will have to be in another letter.

George Foxe

Carol Stream