I've just received my first traffic summons...Twelve demerit points for beating a red light...

Words cannot describe how shitty I feel now. In fact, I feel like I've just bungee jumped into the toilet bowl.

Ever since I got my driving licence, I've been trying my best to be a safe and considerate driver. A fatal moment of hesitation, as well as my indecisiveness, caused my downfall. If I had accelerated and cleared the pedestrain crossing before the amber light turned red, I would have avoided this costly mistake. However, I dithered and ended up stopping ON the crossing...no small distance ahead of the stop line. Unfortunately, the red light camera was not under routine maintainence at that point of time...

I don't know why I made such a silly mistake. Was it inexperience? Was it complacency? Was something wrong with my brakes? I'm still trying to find out why I lost control at the junction.

I've worked so hard for the licence...and now I have put myself in great danger of losing it. I just hope that this lesson stays with me for a long time to come. Well, I guess its time to move on...

I'm grateful that my family and friends have been coming forward to console me. Thanks guys, I really appreciate your kind words. Mum gave me a good tongue-lashing, but she gave words of encouragement as well.

It's times like this when you learn how important the people around you are. If not for them, I'd be feeling much worse...