A few observations:
1. CA’s fines are two to three times as high as most other states. Seems to be primarily a revenue-raiser for our big state government.
2. Such fines are especially tough on the poor–some countries (I believe Finland) base the fine on your income, an interesting stance.
3. You seem to admit guilt, so maybe you should appear in front of a judge and ask for a reduced fine.
4. Turning right on a red light is actually quite dangerous to pedestrians and bicyclists. The latter especially, (I am one), may be moving pretty fast, are hard to spot, and are counting on you to stop. So-called rolling stops are common, but they condense the time for you to spot pedestrians or bicyclists.
