Orange Light

Two weekends ago - I wrote about my very bad day.  The puppy that missed its flight. The long drive home through the torrential downpours. The broken toe. Little did I know....that was not all.  Today Mr. Yesteryear Acres brought in the mail.  Right on top was an envelope addressed to Mr. Yesteryear Acres from Anne Arundel County.  Evidently someone driving a Silver SUV with our license plate got a ticket. A ticket!  A moving violation! ACK!  Mr. Yesteryear Acres handed me the letter. *sigh*.  Do you know that Mr. Yesteryear Acres has NEVER EVER gotten a ticket? He always drives the speed limit. Always.  If he were in Montana, driving down the interstate, with absolutely NO chance of being seen, he would never even think of speeding. Not even 1 mile over the speed limit.  He completely stops at all stops, always keeps a safe assured distance, never forgets to use his blinker and is a perfect driver. He even went to some safety driving school in Texas to be certified as a defensive safe driver - or something like that.  So you can imagine his face when he handed me the envelope. ARGH!  The ticket even came with pictures and a link to watch the video of the un-named driver going through what is clearly an ORANGE light.  I mean here is the set up. The light is YELLOW. YELLOW. YELLOW. YELLOW.  There goes some person with curly hair who really looks JUST like me - driving my SUV - with my license plates - through the YELLOW light.  The second my front tires were in the intersection - BAM!  The light turns red! I mean honestly. It was yellow when I started!!!  If I were in a deserted town and the light was red and no one was around for miles - I WOULD WAIT for the light to turn green. I am not a red light runner! I mean doesn't a yellow light mean CAUTION?  I was taking caution.  Doesn't caution mean you don't slam on your breaks potentially sending 8-10 gallons of milk flying into the front seat? I mean think of the destruction! Those milk missiles are positively dangerous!  Or what if I slammed on the breaks and made one of my sweet puppies fall over? That is not nice at all!  Being cautious - I kept the exact same speed driving through the intersection, giving my passengers a nice smooth ride.  Isn't being a considerate driver worth anything? Evidently - the answer is NO. Evidently - I am guilty of running a red light. Me. Guilty. Even though the light was clearly ORANGE not red.  Mean automatic hidden cruel evil red light cameras!  I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't even think the light was red. Now I have to go pay my fine online and then pay extra money to pay my fine online. No more caution for me. I am throwing caution to the wind! Here is a warning to any and all drivers that may be behind me in the future. If you see a big Silver SUV in front of you and the light turns yellow.....be prepared to come to a screeching halt.  From now on yellow means PUT ON THE BRAKES NOW!