Denver Collects Fines On Drivers Who Stop At Red Lights

CBS Denver ^ | November 3, 2011 | CBS Denver

[re_tail20]

The city of Denver is bringing in thousands of dollars in fines every year by ticketing people who stop at red lights. They are ticketed because their tire goes over the white line that marks where the vehicle should stop.

The red light cameras at various intersections in the city will flash and the driver will be sent a $75 citation if the vehicle goes over the white line, even if the driver stops for the light.

“They are stealing money. Who has extra money to pay?” asked one driver.

“I think this is an injustice, it’s just completely unfair,” said another.

“I didn’t go through the red light. I just didn’t stop at the white line,” said yet another driver. “I feel it’s a frivolous charge. If an officer had been present, I would not have been given that ticket.”

That driver went to court to fight the ticket and lost.

According to the law, Steady red indication:

a. Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line but, if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown; except that

1. Such vehicular traffic, after coming to a stop and yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection, may make a right turn unless an official sign is erected at each and every intersection where such right turn is prohibited.

2. Such vehicular traffic, when proceeding on a one-way street, and after coming to a stop, may make a left turn onto a one-way street upon which traffic is moving to the left of the driver. Such turn shall be made only after yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic proceeding as directed. No such turn shall be made if a sign is erected giving notice of any such prohibition at each and every intersection where such left turn is prohibited.

[re_tail20]

For the rest of the story, click on this link.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/11/03/denver-collects-fines-on-drivers-who-stop-at-red-lights/

[Jonty30]

This is an abuse of government authority, no question.

[fhayek]

We should just have direct deposit of our paycheck into a government account and get it all over with. We can then all buy food with our food stamp benefit cards.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Last week I was approaching an intersection with a red light camera when the light turned yellow. I had plenty of time to get through, but there was a cop following me right on my ass, so I locked up the brakes and he smashed into my rear-end.

I wasn't hurt, but I left in an ambulance and called a lawyer on the way to the hospital. He says I'm going to get a pretty big settlement from the city.

Paypack's a bitch.

[jpl]

I’m waiting for the day when the people start fighting back against these extortion cameras being placed everywhere.

[YHAOS]

This ‘injustice’ can be corrected in the next election cycle.

[hosepipe]

The people of Colorado have the government they deserve..
ELSE; they would elect a different one..

!democrats!... <-(Eddie Murphy laugh)... RINOs <-(scooby doo laugh)..

[mountainlion]

Dirty denver at it again. The whole sate pays for their buses, trains and such but the crooks think that is not enough so they take the state highway budget and blow that on their city streets.

[mass55th]

I hope they don’t fart at the same time they drive onto that white line, or they’ll be fined for gas emissions too.

[mountainlion]

Dirty denver at it again. The whole sate pays for their buses, trains and such but the crooks think that is not enough so they take the state highway budget and blow that on their city streets.

[RockyMtnMan]

BS

“Colorado Springs announced the end of its red light cameras just last week after studies showed they didn’t improve safety.”

I live in Colorado Springs, it’s those douche bags in Denver that screw it up for everyone. Yet one more reason to be on guard when driving in Denver.

[rarestia]

Actually... there’s a legal reason for this. The white line at an intersection is there for a reason. Going over the white line means you disobeyed a traffic control device and can be ticketed for it.

Here in the Tampa Bay area, these are cropping up all over the place, and people are fed up. Many intersections do not have enough clearance to see oncoming traffic in a right-turn lane, so you have to stop then creep forward to check traffic.

Problem with this is that if you go completely forward of the white line and the car behind you doesn’t stop, the camera now has 2 cars in technical violation of statute, and they send out 2 tickets to 2 different people despite the person in the front being in the right.

Whatever happened to due process in this country? Used to be a day that you couldn’t be fined for something unless a LEO saw you in commission of the act. Now they deputize camera systems. Unreal.

[Drill Thrawl]

I think people should addopt the UK solution to these cameras.

http://www.speedcam.co.uk/gatso2.htm

[discostu]

Photo enforcement is always about the letter of the law not the intent. Technically 1 inch over failure to follow the rule, but real live cops would never go through the trouble of ticketing that, it’s no trouble for photo cops though.

[Amagi]

So, sounds like the cop who didn't have his cruiser under control was fixing to run the yellow light too, perhaps in pursuit of a traffic light violation ticket. I'm glad you weren't injured, but that's one of the best stories I've ever heard.

BTW, this is another absolutely outrageous greedy government abuse of authority. Remind me to avoid ever going to Denver.

[taxcontrol]

I have to disagree with you. There are load of drivers in the Denver area who pull so far forward, that they block the cross walk, and get their nose out into the flow of traffic.

This forces pedestrians to have to walk around the nose of the car, some times dangerously close to the cross traffic. Some times the stop is so bad that it actually enters into the cross traffic lane.

I have had to stop short on a couple of occasions and wait for the driver to back up in order to safely proceed.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I was fantasizing.

[vikingd00d]

NIBRS crime stats for the city and county of Denver:
(% change from 1 year ago):
Murder +111.8%
Non-Forcible Sex offenses +19.2%
Extortion +100%
Larceny +10.7 %
Robbery +39.1%
Motor Vehicle Theft +7.2%
Simple Assault +6.1%

Yet THIS is how they choose to allocate their resources?

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

“Used to be a day that you couldn’t be fined for something unless a LEO saw you in the commission of the act.”

Here in Maine, if you pass a stopped school bus that is letting kids on or off, the bus driver has the authority to report you to the police. A violator would have to pay a large fine, and repeated offenses of a similar nature could result in a suspended driver’s license. Even if there was no cop for miles around.

When the bus is letting kids on or off, the bus has red flashing lights and a big red stop sign protrudes from the side of the bus, near the driver’s window.

And by report “you,” I mean the bus driver would report your license plate and a description of your vehicle to the cops.