Cops Ahoy (not)

Got stopped by the police on the way to school today. How unfortunate. I was caught "running a red light" which isn't really true, as I was running a yellow, which turned red by the time I passed by. It was a borderline case anyway I see it, though when you nitpick rules I'm indeed at fault. I still don't know what to expect in these situations to be honest. I heard that those traffic police have a quota that they have to meet, that's why they go to such extends in order to catch people. I mean, if your job requires you to make N people miserable every month, how do you go about doing it?

Sure, you can justify it by saying that you are doing the public a service to keep the road safe. In my situation though, I simply cannot see how an accident is physically possible. I was at a speed that is fully controllable with my vehicle (under speed limit too), it is a straight road with a zebra crossing and there are zero visual obstacles, good road conditions, and the person who pressed the button for the light change was a child on the far side of the road, he hasn't even begin to move. There is no other people there and nobody at all on my side of the road for as far as I can see, which is pretty far as nothing is blocking my view. If anything, I wish that the people who are on Canada's Worse Driver would take this in my stead.

This is the second time I'm stopped by a cop in my 7 years or so with a driver's license. I have always heard that people could sort of get around it by pretending to not know English or beg. They would get out of it that way. I have never done that. I just thought it would make me look so pathetic. So I have always just let them do what they want. Even so, the police in Canada seemed to like to project on a generous image and tend to say that they have "gone easy on you" and gave you a "lesser" punishment. Though whether that is the case I really do not know.

This time, the policeman took my identifications and did his usual stuff. Then he came back and asked me why shouldn't he give me a ticket. I must say I was slightly surprised at the question. My first answer was of course "There is no reason." Though he didn't actually hear it as I spoke quick and light (as I often do). Then I proceed to make up a reason anyway, which he then refuted (as I had expected). He said he didn't give me a ticket anyway, and instead gave me a 7-year probation period, and threatened me about losing the license all together if there's another instance of going against the law.

That is some awful stress applied right there. Seven years are entirely too long, and losing the license is most troublesome. It seems to be the usual way they do things though, putting you in the uncertainty of a very bleak future if something happens again. I am not sure how effective this is. It definitely disturbs me, even though I actually do not care so much about the driver's license. It is true that it can be difficult to go to places if you cannot drive in Canada since the public transport system sucks (according to my standards) and the driver's license is also your ID card in many situations outside of driving. The thing is, I detest driving. That is why I'm so looking forward to the sky train extension to Richmond. I kind of know it is going to be unreliable, I still remember when they shut the system down for hours because there was heavy rain or something. Such a thing is inconceivable in Tokyo or Hong Kong. There is however no good alternatives here, and at least I will not be wheel-ridden anymore.