In days gone by many towns across America had Red light districts, they were called this because of the beautiful red lights that adorned many of the establishments and verified the services that these business's offered. Usually the red light districts were off the beaten path and were usually in the more seedy areas of the town away from the gentile folks. The individuals that worked at these places of business were paid for various services rendered, or for a better term prostitute them selves out for a few dollars while the madam or pimp would collect and keep the lion's share of the nightly profit. And like all Red lights it was a signal to STOP.

Here in River City USA the city fathers and leaders of the small community have decided to prostitute their neighbors and passing through traffic out to the Red light signals that will be placed at the intersection's of the most likely and busiest thoroughfare's. The city fathers and deciders of the town are not much different from the prostitutes of yesteryears; they have hired a pimp to run their new traffic business, tossing the city of St. Helens a few coins from the red light establishment, I understand that these "new " red lights have come to the area with some problems such as shortened yellow lights so the passing motorist can not clear the intersection before the light turns red, therefore getting an automatic picture taken with an automatic ticket for running a red light. These picture taking red lights have had problems in prior areas and have had much scrutiny.

Is the city of St. Helens so short on funds they need to invite Big Brother into our fair community? So they can pick the pockets of motorists through questionable traffic violations. Will the citizens of the area speak out against this unwanted intrusion of Big Brother probably not, most people feel the lights will be a positive thing, citing that it will stop speeders and red light runners, unfortunately they will not be given the information that the deciders and their contracted pimp will have the light changing sequence shortened. In fact the shortened lights will definitely cause people to try and hurry through the light or slam on their brakes which will increase the possibility of traffic accidents. I wonder how many traffic accidents there have been at these designated red light intersections; the city should list actual traffic accidents at these designated areas for the local media to print in their papers to justify their implement of red light camera's.

Because of the problems associated with these Big Brother Red lights I would suggest before these lights are initiated and functional a group of citizens get together and document the time it takes for the lights to change so when the red light comes to town the citizens will be able to keep the pimps honest and then periodically document the sequence to make sure the deciders and their pimp have not adjusted the sequence.

These red lights are not for traveler's safety they are a way for the city to make a few extra bucks off the trusting and unsuspecting driver. Furthermore if you receive one of these tickets forget about fighting it unless you want to drive to Salem and petition the courts for a fair hearing in front of a judge and the way I understand the courts are several years behind. So I suggest be wary of the red lights and be prepared to pay big.