The Las Vegas light may disappear if candid cameras are installed at intersections
Veteran automobile drivers know that California has its Hollywood stop, and Nevada has its Las Vegas light. Both are related as to danger of collision.
The Hollywood stop, dating from the days of automobiles with manual transmissions or stick-shifts, works this way: When approaching an intersection that has a stop sign rather than a traffic signal, slow down to a near crawl with your foot on the brake pedal. Look both ways for cross traffic. If it’s clear, downshift to second gear and gun it across.
Faster and considerably riskier is the Las Vegas light. It works this way: When approaching an intersection and the traffic signal turns red just as you’re about to enter that intersection, just keep going. Thumb your nose at the red light and any Metro cop sitting in a back-and-white. Motorists who stop for an orange light, or as it changes to red, risk being rear-ended.
Egad, the Las Vegas light may become a thing of the past—a lapsed practice—if a proposal said by Channel 13 reporters to be backed by Gov. Jim Gibbons is adopted by the state Legislature. Not specifically enunciated in the State of the State message Jan. 22 in Carson City, but according to versions being bandied about, cameras would be installed at intersections to snap a picture of the license plate of cars that run red lights. Traffic sleuths would then identify the registered owner of the car and send him or her a traffic ticket with a big-bucks fine on it.
Zounds! Moving violations will proliferate like mushrooms in a forest after a warm spring rain. State treasury coffers will swell. Traffic schools will bulge with attendees hoping to purge their driving record of points to avoid paying bigger bucks for car insurance.
Gov. Gibbons didn’t say so in his speech, but maybe that’s how he plans to pay for all those highway improvements he called for.
