Busted (?/!)

Last week, I posed a question to a group of impartial Southern Californians. I had triggered one of the dreaded red light cameras that are interspersed around Los Angeles. I saw the flash and everything. Was I screwed? Their responses gave me a inkling of hope... but not much. I tend to be a pessimist so I had already prepared for the worst. But there was always the chance...

When I got home from visiting a sick friend in the hospital (see? I'm a good person even though I'm crappy driver!), I found a special letter from the police department waiting on the bookshelf near the door.

Looks like I got my answer.

I tore it open - maybe there was some sort of ambiguity. Something I could fight against.
No such luck. Totally me. I could make out my parking pass hanging from the rear view mirror and the smears of bird crap on the windshield.

To add insult to injury, my cheery Obama/Biden magnet that was graciously given to me by a fellow Obama supporter in my work parking lot was clearly visible in the rear view shot. As was my No on Prop 8 bumper sticker.

You can't see this clearly from the scanned picture, but the light is clearly RED in this pic. And there I am, trying in vain to push my 4 cylinder enging across the intersection. I'm so busted.

I'd like to think that if I had been apprehended by an actual cop, I could have sweet talked my way out of a ticket. That I could have squeezed out some tears, begged for mercy, etc. But the cops in that area are heartless and are sticklers for the law. What assholes. I got my first ticket in Los Angeles about 100 yards from the spot of this little incident. It was an anti-gridlock ticket for momentarily blocking the intersection in rush hour. Never mind that I was never actually in the path of oncoming traffic or that two other cars were in the same predicament. That baby was $200. Chump change compared to this fine of $380. And I might have to suffer the humiliation of traffic school. lol

On the upside, I have a fetching souvenir which will be my new Facebook profile pic. And I provided Mr. Insomniac with a hearty dose of laughter when he saw the photos. So I guess there's that. ;)