Yes, I agree with your first half, although I would say that you are talking more about the application of the penalty. I should get a heftier fine if I make a habit of running lights, but I should get a fine each time I run a light! Likewise, what you said about the distinction between manslaughter and murder.
Haha, a law for clean yards? Although, I would have to say I do agree with littering laws for public spaces... I just wished it was enforced...
I would argue that there is no "victimless" crime. Take the example of helmets (well, in NL we don't wear helmets... but that is a debate for bikes, but let's talk about motorcycles!), if you got in an accident, you are essentially socialising the cost of your injury (and carelessness) and just passing it on to society to foot the bill for keeping you alive afterwards or to assist in your healing. (I wouldn't extend that to suicide, that is a much trickier topic!).
A fine for each incident of running of a red light is an interesting though, but I don't think any of us really want to live in a society where each and every infraction is awarded to us in a penalty... The level of big-brother aspects of society would be extremely unpleasant for everyone regardless of how many laws someone breaks...
See the conversation I was having with @dollarsandsense regarding helmets, I thought his perspective was quite interesting.
There's also a difference between a broken law and a consequence.
You do realize that in many places homosexual relations are still on-the-books as crimes. Victimless crime. I can come up with other examples if I work at it. Bicycles, btw, have the same debate as for motorcycles... same potential for injury, just a different scale, but a bad bicycle injury will cost too. Unfortunately, you can't place stupidity on a criminal record. (And we shouldn't "go there.")