A Denver driver faced a “misleading” fine that led to a major rollback by state authorities.
We challenge you to find a single driver in the nation who’s never broken the rules of the road. We all need to be aware of the repercussions of illegal actions, especially as the increased scrutiny from law enforcement while we drive is getting a lot more intense.
But as one case has proven, a fine can be “misleading”.
What concerns need to be considered when driving around the U.S.
Well, for one, following the relatively simple law of the road.
Not following the long list of laws that govern the roads can lead down a path to fines and penalties. While following the law is our responsibility as drivers, the lawmakers of the land also have their own duty. And no, we are not talking about purely implementing fines.
In fact, the law enforcement agencies around the nation can make their own mistakes.
We are all human after all. But that certainly does not stop fines and penalties from racking up over time. How would you feel about being charged for an offence that was clearly not your fault?
Common sense is not that common after all, at least in some states
As drivers, we face increasingly great dangers when traversing this great nation.
The automotive technology that has become a common feature on our cars often leads us down a path of complacency. And living that way can become very expensive indeed.
Not stopping when instructed to do so by the police is no laughing matter.
Some drivers are opting to leave their cars at home, with some of us noting that we much prefer the newly minted network of autonomous vehicles. But even a driverless car can cause chaos on the roads.
Congestion has become a real issue for the larger cities around the nation, not to mention how it affects the police’s ability to monitor drivers’ behavior.
Some states have even gone so far as to fine those who don’t plan ahead and leave a little bit earlier for work. Common sense, it seems, is not that common at all.
State Supplement to MUTC from the Colorado Department of Transportation has reaffirmed the legal requirements regarding road signs and markings that determine where and how we drive.
One driver in the Mile High City has changed the way we look at laws
A Denver driver was facing a world of hurt when she was fined for exiting the express lane while driving to work.
As she thought the big red X meant that the lane was closed, she believed that the move was a legal one. How wrong she was. She was subsequently fined for “toll-weaving,” a citation that normally comes from unsafe exiting of an express highway lane.
But like a protagonist in an action movie, she was not going to take it lying down.
As the big red X sign was an indication that the lane was closed, she assumed that the move would not land her in hot water. The fine was headed her way, and she opted to challenge the citation in court.
An investigation by a reporter then found that 48 other drivers were also ticketed for the same violation, proving that there was a systemic problem at hand.
The Colorado Department of Transportation quickly noted that the issue came from the fact that the giant red X sign was left on unintentionally. They quickly cancelled all tickets related to the issue and even went so far as to refund any driver who paid the fine without disputing it.
The DOT has made similar poor decisions in recent memory. But this one led to 48 drivers facing heavy fines; luckily, the situation worked itself out.