Red-light cameras

At many intersections in Albuquerque, there are red-light cameras. There is a lot of debate about this: some say there are too many, others say too few. Some say we should have flashing yellow lights when the camera is about to go off, others say we already have yellow lights immediately following the green and preceding the red. Some say that it is unconstitutional to issue tickets for red-light violations when there is no physical police officer present, others say that the ticket is too high. The controversy goes on..... In general, I am of the opinion that they are good because sometimes people here act as if they are the only ones on the road and while laws might apply to others, they surely can't apply to themselves. We run into problems when everyone thinks this way. Red lights are not merely suggestions, kids. Yesterday, I was at the junction of University and Lomas (where they really should install a camera, by the way), and I was in the left turn lane behind one other driver. The left turn light turned green and he was slow in going. Just as I was about to get impatient, another vehicle came barreling along right through solid (for a few seconds) red light from the left. Good thing the guy in front of me was slow, and even better that I was not the first person in the line. I would have already been most of the way through the intersection, or most of the way to heaven. So I really have to say that God was looking out for me. Who knows how many near death experiences we are delivered from on a regular basis? Sometimes they are just more visible than others. (Thank you, God). The red-light runner made me really MAD, though, and now I am firmly in the camp of loving red-light cameras. Maybe some other time, I will discuss my views on the cell-phone hands-free-while-driving laws (which, in case, you were wondering, I also appreciate).