Caught! Red Light Camera

I didn't mean to do it. In fact, I didn't know I'd done anything wrong until I checked through a week's worth of mail and saw where Robin had written on an envelope, "Peggy!!! Bad Girl!"

Now for the record, Robin never opens my mail. This notice was addressed to him because my car is in his name. It was his car until he wanted a big, bad truck, then I took over his car. Still, the citation, the guilt, is in his name. He pulled out his calendar to see where he was the day the red light Road Monitor pulled a fast one. He was in Houston. Not here filling up my gas tank like a sweet husband. He was out of town. I'm the one who broke the law in his name.

But I don't think I deserve the citation. It was an innocent mistake. In the almost 35 years I have lived here, I have gone through that intersection thousands of times with no problem. When I noticed the date and time of the infraction, I remembered I was on my way to Patty's for lunch, shopping, and pedicures to get ready for our cruise like all normal women would. I have turned right on red numerous times at that intersection. I didn't know the rules had changed.

There are three pictures of my car on this notice. The first frame shows me in the right turning lane, even with the car that is going straight. That means I stopped, looked, listened, then turned. The second frame shows the car in the process of turning right. The final frame got real up close and personal with my license plate number. I couldn't believe I'd done anything wrong so I hopped in my car and drove to the intersection. There is a new sign there: "Crosswalk, stop on red". Shouldn't it say: "Crosswalk, no right on red"? I know to stop. I think I've known that since I was in pigtails. A red light means stop. I did. But I'm more familiar with 'no right on red' when the sign applies to the right lane.

I plan to let the city know that the sign is confusing, especially for those of us who have lived in this area forever. I will send that note with my $75. Yes, I know it won't do any good. The sign was probably deliberate to boost the city's economy during these bad times.

Robin told me to be sure and pay the fine well before the due date so it won't go on his record. This is my easy way out of paying the ticket. I'll just point to the name on the citation and ask Robin who is responsible. Hee hee.