Don’t Run Those Yellow Lights in Washington

Washington, Mo., residents — yours truly included — are going to have to keep dealing with the obnoxious red light cameras scattered throughout town. The Washington Missourian tells how one attorney tried to declare that the city’s red light camera laws were not harmonious with state red light laws. Missouri law prohibits vehicles from “entering” an intersection while the light is a steady red. The Washington ordinance issues fines if a vehicle is “present in an intersection” when the light is red. Uh oh. No wonder people keep slamming on their breaks at the intersections of highways 47 & 100 and highways 100 & A. I know I have run many a yellow light in my Danger Ranger. Now I’m more likely to slam on my breaks when I go back home to Washington. Watch out if you are driving behind me.

One eyebrow-raising tidbit from the article was the motion that a city counselor used to try (successfully) to get the judge to dismiss the case. The counselor claimed that because the plaintiff had not been charged with violating the ordinance, he had no standing to sue. The judge agreed, and forced the plaintiff to pay court costs. If I were him, the first thing I would do after leaving court is drive my car right through a red light camera intersection and wave to the camera.

There are also many other red light camera blog posts here at Show-Me Daily, available for your perusal.