In article , Dave Hinz says...

Anyone not stopping and looking both ways at a red light is
subjecting themselves and others to the same risk - who it is
doesn't matter, it's what they do. That's an example of an unsafe
act, which is already illegal.

It is *not* legal to stop, look both ways, and then proceed
on through, even if there is no cross traffic. It's illegal
if you sail on through without looking, it's also illegal
if you stop, look both ways to be sure it's clear, and
then go on through.

This is an example of a 'bright line rule' that police
can use to issue tickets to offenders. There is no need
for the cop to watch and see if the driver is passing the
intersection safely or not. The light's red, the car
went through, he gets a ticket. End of story.

GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WITH A RED LIGHT OVER IT
IS NOT AN INHERENTLY UNSAFE ACT.

It's the societal convention which says folks go on
green and stop on red, punishable by law, that implies
one is a raving mad dog lunatic if one does not stop
at red lights.

Society has decided that passing through red light
intersections often coincides with inherently unsafe
acts, namely two cars crashing into each other.

But they decided to make it easy for all citizens
to understand, they decided to take the option of
individual evaluation of each separate intersection
by each individual driver.

You're, once again, equating an inherently unsafe act with
talking on the cellphone, which sometimes coincides with people
doing inherently unsafe acts.

The state in this case has done the same thing with hand-held
cell phones. The statistical probability of performing
an unsafe act is so high that they've made using them
illegal. Not an individual choice. Because using them
is sufficiently distracting that on average it is a 'bad
idea.'

In the same way that a driver deciding on his own, if a
red light means 'stop' or not, is a bad idea.

Jim


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