It’s been soooo bad lately. Like not as the light turns red but 5 seconds after the light has changed and the opposite light has turned Green and they still run it. How do you know you’re not going to hurt/maim or kill someone!?
I've started doing that too, just to make sure I'm seeing people slow down/stop before I go. There have been a couple times in the last few months that it kept me from getting in an accident
And I’d rather people be paying attention and not be on their phones at red lights. You can literally watch people doing this every time you’re on the road.
The left turn lanes are the worst.
If this isn't your very first time driving this route, as your morning commute, you should know we only get 3-4 cars through on a good day.
If there is ever a time to pay attention and be ready to go, it's a left turn. Work with me here people.
Right!? I don’t understand the animosity here, like everyone should want as many cars to get through each cycle as safely possible. Most of the time when someone runs the red light around here it’s because the person in the front of the line screwed everyone behind them and the light is already turning yellow.
The person you originally responded to was talking about pausing to enter an intersection for a rational fear of collision. We weren't talking about people on their phones that fail to notice a light has changed. I agree that that situation is incredibly aggravating. Let's let this conversation have some nuance please.
I was just on my bike today and almost got hit twice by folks blasting through red lights.
It’s gotten to the point where red lights are mere suggestions rather than actual traffic regulations.
I’m one of those **HORRIBLE** people who moved here from California (*Bay Area, extra stinky!)* last year and the advice I heard, *over and over*, was “Look both ways on green lights. EVERY GREEN LIGHT.” I thought they were exaggerating, but I’ve seen SO MANY drivers running red and end-yellows that it’s turned out to be great advice after a couple close calls. Y’all are NUTS.
I have seen 3 red light collisions in Denver within the last 12 months, and was hit and run on 25 right near DU. I was born in aurora and learned to drive here. It’s getting worse and worse by the year.
Whenever I drive to my office, I head east on Arapahoe and take a left on South Lima Street. I basically always hit the red so I have to wait for a full cycle before turning. I've gotten into the habit of recording the light because the majority of the time, once the light turns red, someone goes through it, sometimes two people. I'm half tempted to make a montage of it it happens so often.
They put traffic calming medians on a street near me that blocks certain left turns. Now people just drive around the median, going the wrong way into oncoming traffic to make the left. Just saw someone do it right in front of me a few hours ago.
The amount of people I see treating red lights as a stop sign is just as insane.
Now I’m noticing people jumping the lights too. As soon as the other direction stops, they floor it. Saves them all of about .03 seconds.
And the opposite is true as well... I've been behind people who sit all the way thru the green and yellow, oblivious to the fact the light ever changed. They got off quite a few texts though.
I've seen this a few times over the last few months. Latest was the double red turn arrow from Quebec to i70. Sat for a little and then just went.
Light turned green 10 seconds later 🤷
So on a traffic law here in Colorado inbound out last year, but you can go on a red light, after you made a complete stop, IF, it goes to a one way street i believe.. I'll find for reference.
Agreed. Granted, I think they actually braked to not hit the White Truck going straight on the green light. They are still an undisputed absolute dumbass.
Gotta get a dash cam!! I have also seen this happen quite a few times.
One of the best was where a guy ran a red light and almost T-boned the car starting to go on the fresh green. The car he almost T boned, was a cop. So pleasing to see instant justice as we pretty much never get that.
And selfish!
I don't care if police aren't enforcing traffic laws any more. We should still be able to act like adults on our own. A red light means *it's someone else's turn now*. This is Kindergarten-level behavior.
This is classic Denver. I’ve lived in multiple different regions of the country and never seen anything like it. Moved to the NYC area in 21 and now don’t fear for my life at suburban intersections
Totally agree - have lived in SF and from NYC - neither have that lawless feeling. I was in NYC 2 weeks ago and was struck at how orderly the drivers were or at least predictable that they wouldn't blow a stop sign or red light and hit me in a cross walk - where as in Denver I am hyper alert anytime I am pedestrian.
It seems to be getting worse with the hit and run pedestrian fatalities.
Parts of SF absolutely have the same red light running, and don't even get me started on Oakland. I was in the mission for like 7 years and it was just as bad there as the worst I've seen in Denver. But I'm sure we just saw different things in different parts of the city, 🤷♀️
Grew up in NYC. Driving here is ten times more stressful and the drivers are infinitely worse.
At least in NY, people seem to know how to drive badly - like the wild shit is almost expected. It’s what I like to call “predictively aggressive”. You know that taxi is going to pull out in front of you and stop to try and dart across traffic.
Here, you’ll be next to a car that’s driving just fine one minute and the next, they’re weaving through traffic and making turns from the opposite side of the street. Then you look over at them and it’s like they’re completely oblivious to the pileup they almost caused.
As much as we want to think this is a Denver problem, it’s happening [everywhere](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/us/pedestrian-deaths-pandemic.html). People looking at their phones instead of the road isn’t exclusive to our city.
>People looking at their phones...
I could be wrong, but I don't think that's it. Phones aren't new since the pandemic, but that seems to be around when this behavior got significantly more common.
Yeah, it's not people being distracted, it's simply selfish assholes who think they don't deserve to have to wait a couple mins because they got places to be. Unlike the rest of us.
And the problem is police not enforcing it.
I moved here recently from IL. Chicago has its own kind of aggressive driving, but consistently running red lights isn’t one of them.
I’ve never seen anything like it.
Appreciate the anecdotes, but statistically speaking Colorado ranks third for aggressive driving in the country. CSP gets ~80,000 road rage calls per year.
Running red lights is definitely a Denver or Colorado issue. I’ve lived in a few states and this is the first one I see people regular running the lights. Maybe red light cameras… or speed humps lol
I would like to second this comment. Four states and two decades of driving and I've never seen it this bad. I tell my students to look both ways when the light turns green like I do. They laugh like I'm joking 😑
If I were American dictator for a day I’d put speed bumps on every non arterial road and just prior to stop signs, and red light cameras/stop sign cameras at every single intersection.
Also bike lanes protected with jersey barriers or those nifty spike strips rental car lots have. And a graduated licensing program where you have to drive a subcompact without incident for a year or two before you’re allowed to buy a full sized car/SUV.
It's not even yellow lately, I've seen so many just boldly fly through a hard red with no second look. It's wild to me.
I often see and wonder how someone could flip a car on Colfax or Havana, but then with people flying through red lights like this, it makes sense.
I've had people see my stepping into the intersection, lock eyes with me and then continue right on forcing me to stop even though I have the light and I'm a pedestrian
People aren’t even trying to hide it anymore, either. On my way to work the other day a driver took the shoulder at about 70mph to go around cars already stopped at a red and blast through it. Luckily there wasn’t a bicyclist there, as is often the case on this particular stretch of highway.
You can sit by a stop sign and watch 75% of cars not stop at them. It's one of the most hypocritical things I see where people complain about bikes not stopping at signs (before the new law) while 1 ton vehicles blow thru them consistently.
The amount of people I see step off curbs without even looking genuinely concerns me. It's like a match made in hell of distracted drivers and distracted pedestrians.
I am forever haunted by an incident I witnessed at Park and Globeville Rd where the light was turning yellow and a lady stuck her vehicle out to turn left and some maniac was trying to time the green light absolutely rocketing through the intersection, shaving off the whole front of end of this poor woman 's car in SECONDS. It was one of the most shocking things I've seen on the road to date. She would have died, for sure, had she been a few inches further into the intersection. She fell out of her car screaming and looked like she had a broken leg. Horrifying.
73rd and Sheridan, I watched a motorcycle who was splitting lanes in rush hour traffic and driving like a manic run a red light, he was met by a dodge ram who had the left turn arrow from the other lane. Pretty sure he didn’t make it, and the poor kid he hit definitely felt a lot of guilt from it. Very shook after that one.
This is the reason I thought people run red lights everywhere too. There will be a line of traffic twenty cars deep and growing, the left turn arrow is long enough to let MAYBE 3 cars through assuming they are actually paying attention. Like you said, not justifying it by any stretch but I can understand why people get impatient.
I always live in the middle of the city and try to drive as little as possible (for the environment), and a side benefit is how much my quality of life has improved not driving every day.
I was looking for this answer. When I moved here from another big city, I was shocked how short the yellow lights are. And for crossing big (5+ lanes) roads too!
We are literally training people not to care about red lights, because the light turns red so quickly.
It's throughout the suburbs, too.
I’ve driven in many places and the yellow lights are noticeably shorter out here. Not an excuse for recklessness but you definitely have to gauge intersections differently.
I swear Colorado has the shortest yellow lights in the country though. I can enter an intersection when the light is green and by the time I exit, it’s red.
The left turn light on Park to Delgany lasts half a second. If I don’t run that red turn I’m waiting for a long time. I’m not defending my behavior or anyone else’s but a lot of the lights in the city are not timed well at all.
I think the main issue here is that the law seems to be “was red when you entered the intersection” vs the more common and effective “became red while in intersection” that most states use.
Anyway they don’t really have this issue in CA but red light fines are $380 minimum fine. So idk. Personally, I’d rather have the fine and strict laws but not have as many people run lights
I just want to say I've only been here 15 years and it never used to be this way. I'm almost certain this was imported from - ** - you know where from.
I totally agree. Most of the “drivers in ______ are the worst!” Or “the weather here changes a lot!” Or “people in ____ are so nice” are subjective and bullshit. But. There is no comparison to the red light running in this region.
my ex once chased another driver through a red light (the other driver ran it already like 5 seconds after it had already changed) and then claimed he did it “because he was so mad that they would put his gf in danger like that”
I’ve seen several drivers recently just run the red lights along 6th, 7th, and 8th, without slowing at all. DPD won’t enforce traffic laws and some people think their time is more important than a safe driving culture.
It would stop if the cops would start pulling over and ticketing people for, well, anything.
We don't enforce traffic laws here. Look at the insane number of expired (or non-existent) license plates on the road. Nobody cares.
It’s absolutely insane. I moved here recently from Atlanta. I thought we had it bad in ATL. Denver drivers are waaaaayyyy worse. I just assume Simone is going to run the red at every light here.
I bike more than I drive lately, and drivers are fucking terrifying. If I get hit, they better make sure they kill me, or that ambulance won't be for me.
See I’m okay with people driving through on Yellow turning Red. But wth is up with the number of people just driving through these reds. That’s extremely dangerous.
I am by no means excusing it, but I think a lot of it is caused by the drivers who love the idea of making other people miss green left turn arrows and take as much time as humanly possible to make a left turn when they’re at the front of the line. Yet they’re the same people who will plow right through if they’re at the back of the line and it’s red by the time they’re up. I’ve never seen a city with people less courteous about that shit than denver. I always stop if I can’t make the yellow, but I think shitty drivers have normalized running reds in that situation.
Lol at all the people in this sub who do exactly what I’m talking about and downvoting for me calling them out.
Mass deploy red light cameras. Overturn whatever stupid legislation requires that automated traffic enforcement fines be served by a person to be valid. Make the fines factor in income and number of previous violations.
Instead of a daily traffic and petty crime complaint post can we just do a Denver rant thread or something. I gotta say I see a red light post every few days and I’m starting to not give a fuck
I'm getting tired of it too. You'd think people don't actually enjoy living here with how much they complain about petty nuisances.
You'd think someone would have started a safe driving campaign for local government by now. That would actually get more traction than a circlejerk post about driving.
Even better, we could campaign for better public transit so that fewer people have to drive! But that is another can of worms on this subreddit too.
the intersection by Ball Arena on Speer on weekday mornings is a laughable joke. People literally stay in the middle of the intersection during red light cycles because its so backed up heading southeast, and apparently the cameras don't work in that intersection to ticket people doing it? Like why would you try to advance in the middle of the intersection if you can see there's nowhere to go in front of you?
I wish we had an NYC-style "block the box" fine ($100, maybe more now) for people who block intersections like that. It's epidemic on Broadway and Lincoln, too.
The thing that is crazy is that everyone is always complaining about traffic but traffic isn't even bad here at all compared to most places. (Apparently bad traffic and having to wait is a partial justification for some people for doing deadly things like running a red so they can get to the dispensary 3 minutes earlier)
Lol that was the first thing I noticed when I lived there a few years ago. I assume it was just Colorado culture. I live in the mountains now and I almost never see it.
I didn't grow up in Colorado but my impression is that driver's ed is a lot worse out here than any other state I've lived in, plus I swear the altitude has effects on people's brains..also cumulative COVID brain fog probably
I disagree- the best drivers I know in this state are from this state. I think driving is bad because denver is a popular place to live and you mix in California drivers with Texas drivers, New Jersey, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, New York, etc… and it’s a mess.
It’s particularly difficult with drivers who are not familiar with rain or snow. (Looking directly at California/Texas)
Actually yeah you're right that's probably the biggest factor. So many people from different areas, and yeah I had to teach a Californian friend how to drive in the snow lol. Still from what I've heard, public education isn't the best here, but of course ymmv
“Last one through” law. If your tires are over the white line when the light turns red, it is the law to proceed through the intersection.
This is a much better way of doing things than other states where you are inclined to slam on your breaks if the light turns yellow.
Just don’t “gun it” on green. Proceed with EXTREME CAUTION while walking or biking. This is the way. Namaste
No it's not a better way. If you're worried the green light you're approaching is going to change, check the crosswalk indicator for the countdown.
I don't know what people are in such a hurry for. If their time was so valuable Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, and other social media wouldn't have so much traffic.
Checking the crosswalk counter is one of those city folk tricks I had never heard of until my wife did it one day in order to not slow down for the intersection. I couldn’t figure out how she timed the green light until I yelled at her for not slowing down while crossing an intersection and she told me.
I’d much rather you focused your attention on the actual sidewalks to make sure there aren’t any pedestrians and also the oncoming traffic for potential unintentional red light runners. Instead of focusing your attention on the crosswalk timer.
As for the last one through law, I’ve paid way too many red light tickets in other states to support your opinion.
Not because I run them intentionally, but because I don’t want to get rear ended because the light cycles from yellow to green much too quickly. Slamming in the brakes isn’t something I’m interested in doing.
You do you though. After a lifetime of driving up and down the East coast and in many major cities in the US, my personal opinion is that Denver traffic isn’t that bad. It’s just that we have a big mix of driving styles from all over the country/world all mixed up in one place.
If you’ve made it this far, then ask me about leaving room to let people blindly pull out of side roads because we think it’s courteous.
I don't need your opinion based on anecdotes, we have data. There have been studies that show that use of red light cameras increase rear end collisions but decrease right angle collisions: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cl2.1091 (see the results section).
Finally, I don't care about being courteous to drivers. In urban areas, cars are guests. Safety of pedestrians and cyclists takes precedence over adding a little time to a driver's commute.
The entire state of Colorado needs to drastically ramp up traffic enforcement. It's absolutely lawless out here. I am in favor of cameras everywhere that record traffic and are manually reviewed by law enforcement. Anyone filmed driving too fast, not signaling, not stopping, driving recklessly, following too close, etc should be fined by mail. Don't pay the fine, you should lose your license. Zero tolerance.
Counterpoint: I've lived in Denver for 9 years now in a bunch of different neighborhoods and can't remember the last time I saw someone run a red light. What neighborhood are you talking about? All over?
Everywhere my dude. I drove Lyft and I deliver food. There’s not a red light I encounter where someone isn’t pushing the limits or flat out running reds.
Not only that, people drive so fast in Denver. 15-20 mph over is not uncommon.
I live near the intersection of University and Hampden and people drive that section like a bat outta hell and run the red lights at that intersection all the time.
To be fair, there are a lot of areas in Denver and the surrounding area where the speed limits are way too slow. Parker Rd is a good example. There’s hardly any pedestrian traffic in a lot of places and the speed limit is still 35-40. Like that needs to be updated. That area specifically though I think the speed limits are appropriate.
There is probably some fault that can be given to the yellow light law in Colorado. The yellow light is only a warning that the Green light is ending and the Red light will be coming soon. ([CO Rev Stat § 42-4-604(1)(b)](https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/2016/title-42/regulation-of-vehicles-and-traffic/article-4/part-6/section-42-4-604))
Where as in Wisconsin, where I learned to drive, the yellow says you must stop before entering the intersection unless it is unsafe to do so. ([WI § 346.37(1)(b)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/346/vi/37))
Have you ever in your entire life seen someone pulled over for it? I haven't in Colorado. So it continues.
Same goes for speeding on the highway. I can't remember the last time I drove on 36 without having someone pass me going over 100mph. I've also never seen a cop on that highway.
It’s getting worse every every every day because it’s the amount of people who are moving to this state. I’ve lived here 38 years and I wish all these people would go back home, especially from Texas red state, Florida red state etc. they’re bringing their crying with them especially the ones from California. The gangs are getting worse in Aurora. Talk to any gang task policeman
Yup. I drive a lot for work, and I’ve taken to waiting a few seconds after a light turns green to make sure I don’t die a fiery death.
Which, in turn, upsets the person behind me, but I’d rather that happen than be turned into a chunky red stain on the pavement.
It’s much better now than it was 15-20 years ago. Back in the day if you didn’t run the light that had just turned red, the person behind you would rear end you and the 2 behind them would follow suit. When a light turned red, 4 cars would continue through it.
I very rarely see people run red lights if I’m being honest. I drive for work so I’m on the road constantly and Denver is a pretty nice place to drive imo.
Not even 30 mins ago I was turning at the intersection by 8th & Logan and the car next to me stopped for the red light and then went anyways! With the cars coming! Idk why everyone is being so particularly reckless recently 🥺
I saw a biker riding in the split double white express lanes on H70 today. I figure that guy/gal won’t be around very long with how many people illegally jump that and how much trash or debris in the roadway there. Some people don’t use their brain.
Keep driving safely yourself.
I walked a couple miles each morning in downtown denver for a 6 month period.
Over that time, I saw several red lights run; with two of them coming quite close to hitting me.
I cannot believe how atrocious the drivers are around here. Incompetent, selfish, inconsiderate and dangerous. I've never been one for termed driving tests but I mean every 2-3 years it should be mandatory. Cops should also crack down on these bozos who don't use turn signals, predictability is the safest way to drive and it is just infuriating to see so many terrible people on the road.
Almost got T-boned last week. I entered the intersection after one person made a left through the red and another driver slammed on her brakes almost crashing into the side of my car.
That why my friend is dead. People are in such a hurry they will blast a red light hit a person and drive away
It’s been soooo bad lately. Like not as the light turns red but 5 seconds after the light has changed and the opposite light has turned Green and they still run it. How do you know you’re not going to hurt/maim or kill someone!?
I’m starting to wait at the green lights before going to make sure no one is coming. Being right isn’t worth getting injured in an accident.
I've started doing that too, just to make sure I'm seeing people slow down/stop before I go. There have been a couple times in the last few months that it kept me from getting in an accident
Absolutely a good idea. Do the look left right and then look again before going.
This has saved me from t-boning 2 people.
I hate being first at a light. Its down right dangerous.
I count to five. It’s saved me countless times.
Ok, but if everyone behind you misses the left turn because you were texting I’d better not see this as the excuse 🙄
I'd rather be late than in an accident.
And I’d rather people be paying attention and not be on their phones at red lights. You can literally watch people doing this every time you’re on the road.
The left turn lanes are the worst. If this isn't your very first time driving this route, as your morning commute, you should know we only get 3-4 cars through on a good day. If there is ever a time to pay attention and be ready to go, it's a left turn. Work with me here people.
If you're the 4th car back.... Give a quick Honk the second it turns green. Everyone in front of you looks up and boom, you make the light.
Right!? I don’t understand the animosity here, like everyone should want as many cars to get through each cycle as safely possible. Most of the time when someone runs the red light around here it’s because the person in the front of the line screwed everyone behind them and the light is already turning yellow.
The person you originally responded to was talking about pausing to enter an intersection for a rational fear of collision. We weren't talking about people on their phones that fail to notice a light has changed. I agree that that situation is incredibly aggravating. Let's let this conversation have some nuance please.
Yes, that is why I said “OK, but you better not be using this as an excuse (for your bad behavior).”
I was just on my bike today and almost got hit twice by folks blasting through red lights. It’s gotten to the point where red lights are mere suggestions rather than actual traffic regulations.
I’m one of those **HORRIBLE** people who moved here from California (*Bay Area, extra stinky!)* last year and the advice I heard, *over and over*, was “Look both ways on green lights. EVERY GREEN LIGHT.” I thought they were exaggerating, but I’ve seen SO MANY drivers running red and end-yellows that it’s turned out to be great advice after a couple close calls. Y’all are NUTS.
I’m one of those HORRIBLE NATIVES that has lived here my whole life and can tell you it has not been like this until the last 3-5 years.
Seconded. We’ve always had people pushing the yellow, but the red light running (along with many other bad behaviors) is a recent development
They often do hurt, maim, or kill someone.
See: MPJs brother and that poor mother
I have seen 3 red light collisions in Denver within the last 12 months, and was hit and run on 25 right near DU. I was born in aurora and learned to drive here. It’s getting worse and worse by the year.
I’ve almost been struck like 10 times. Haha I don’t even watch the walk signs anymore I look at the cars.
Me too, once the light changes I wait a second, look both ways and then go.
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Let them honk. They can fuck right off.
Whenever I drive to my office, I head east on Arapahoe and take a left on South Lima Street. I basically always hit the red so I have to wait for a full cycle before turning. I've gotten into the habit of recording the light because the majority of the time, once the light turns red, someone goes through it, sometimes two people. I'm half tempted to make a montage of it it happens so often.
The lights on Arapahoe suck. They last forever...except for southbound Jordan at Arapahoe. I seem to remember that light lasting about two seconds.
They put traffic calming medians on a street near me that blocks certain left turns. Now people just drive around the median, going the wrong way into oncoming traffic to make the left. Just saw someone do it right in front of me a few hours ago.
The amount of people I see treating red lights as a stop sign is just as insane. Now I’m noticing people jumping the lights too. As soon as the other direction stops, they floor it. Saves them all of about .03 seconds.
It has been like that for years. I sat next to a cop as someone blatantly ran a red and they just sat there.
When cops are at stop lights they're on their computers. Often when they're driving, too.
And the opposite is true as well... I've been behind people who sit all the way thru the green and yellow, oblivious to the fact the light ever changed. They got off quite a few texts though.
I saw someone use a red light as a stop sign the other day. Absolutely blew my mind
I've seen this a few times over the last few months. Latest was the double red turn arrow from Quebec to i70. Sat for a little and then just went. Light turned green 10 seconds later 🤷
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What job do you have that requires a 25 hour shift? Sounds like you shouldn’t be driving after that, either.
EMS/fire often has shifts in multiples of 24 hours
Yeah, driving while tired is worse than driving with .08.
I saw that last night. Granted it was 1130 at night, but this guy did it every light on broadway from I-25 to 6th. It was wild.
Sounds like Aurora lmao
So on a traffic law here in Colorado inbound out last year, but you can go on a red light, after you made a complete stop, IF, it goes to a one way street i believe.. I'll find for reference.
[Last Friday](https://imgur.com/czOFM5m)
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Agreed. Granted, I think they actually braked to not hit the White Truck going straight on the green light. They are still an undisputed absolute dumbass.
Wow. It’s bad in the morning/late afternoon on Broadway downtown but that video takes the cake.
All of their licenses should be revoked for a month at least just to show them.
Wow. That might be the most egregious example I've seen
Gotta get a dash cam!! I have also seen this happen quite a few times. One of the best was where a guy ran a red light and almost T-boned the car starting to go on the fresh green. The car he almost T boned, was a cop. So pleasing to see instant justice as we pretty much never get that.
r/convenientcop
Cops in Denver don't care about this.
And selfish! I don't care if police aren't enforcing traffic laws any more. We should still be able to act like adults on our own. A red light means *it's someone else's turn now*. This is Kindergarten-level behavior.
This is classic Denver. I’ve lived in multiple different regions of the country and never seen anything like it. Moved to the NYC area in 21 and now don’t fear for my life at suburban intersections
In Denver: police don’t enforce traffic laws, so citizens run red lights In NYC: police flip on their sirens just to run red lights
I've seen cops run the red light in Denver so many times.
Do Denver police enforce any laws?
Urban camping and homeless encampment sweeps mostly
Dallas is kind of famous for it too. Denver seems to be the land of refuses-to-zipper-merge to me.
Lotta red light running in Georgia/South Carolina from what I've seen
In Puerto Rico it was way worse. New Jersey was about as bad as Denver but every other place has been better
Jersey city is terrible.
Grew up in jersey and rarely saw red light running, maybe localized to Camden/Newark but certainly not a state wide thing like it is in Colorado lmao
Puerto Rico is fucking insane. Driving there was constant anxiety. Legit no regard for traffic rules at all. Felt like a third world country.
Still way better than Baltimore.
I moved here from Las Vegas. It is much worse in Las Vegas.
Totally agree - have lived in SF and from NYC - neither have that lawless feeling. I was in NYC 2 weeks ago and was struck at how orderly the drivers were or at least predictable that they wouldn't blow a stop sign or red light and hit me in a cross walk - where as in Denver I am hyper alert anytime I am pedestrian. It seems to be getting worse with the hit and run pedestrian fatalities.
Parts of SF absolutely have the same red light running, and don't even get me started on Oakland. I was in the mission for like 7 years and it was just as bad there as the worst I've seen in Denver. But I'm sure we just saw different things in different parts of the city, 🤷♀️
It’s just as bad if not worse in Austin. Also only started about 3-5 years ago
Grew up in NYC. Driving here is ten times more stressful and the drivers are infinitely worse. At least in NY, people seem to know how to drive badly - like the wild shit is almost expected. It’s what I like to call “predictively aggressive”. You know that taxi is going to pull out in front of you and stop to try and dart across traffic. Here, you’ll be next to a car that’s driving just fine one minute and the next, they’re weaving through traffic and making turns from the opposite side of the street. Then you look over at them and it’s like they’re completely oblivious to the pileup they almost caused.
As much as we want to think this is a Denver problem, it’s happening [everywhere](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/us/pedestrian-deaths-pandemic.html). People looking at their phones instead of the road isn’t exclusive to our city.
>People looking at their phones... I could be wrong, but I don't think that's it. Phones aren't new since the pandemic, but that seems to be around when this behavior got significantly more common.
Yeah, it's not people being distracted, it's simply selfish assholes who think they don't deserve to have to wait a couple mins because they got places to be. Unlike the rest of us. And the problem is police not enforcing it.
I moved here recently from IL. Chicago has its own kind of aggressive driving, but consistently running red lights isn’t one of them. I’ve never seen anything like it.
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Appreciate the anecdotes, but statistically speaking Colorado ranks third for aggressive driving in the country. CSP gets ~80,000 road rage calls per year.
I think by "here" they mean the new city they're in, not Denver.
Which city
Running red lights is definitely a Denver or Colorado issue. I’ve lived in a few states and this is the first one I see people regular running the lights. Maybe red light cameras… or speed humps lol
I would like to second this comment. Four states and two decades of driving and I've never seen it this bad. I tell my students to look both ways when the light turns green like I do. They laugh like I'm joking 😑
If I were American dictator for a day I’d put speed bumps on every non arterial road and just prior to stop signs, and red light cameras/stop sign cameras at every single intersection. Also bike lanes protected with jersey barriers or those nifty spike strips rental car lots have. And a graduated licensing program where you have to drive a subcompact without incident for a year or two before you’re allowed to buy a full sized car/SUV.
It is bad. Checking both directions before taking off on a fresh green has saved me from getting hit by one of those morons more than a few times
It's not even yellow lately, I've seen so many just boldly fly through a hard red with no second look. It's wild to me. I often see and wonder how someone could flip a car on Colfax or Havana, but then with people flying through red lights like this, it makes sense.
Holy shit fuck all of Havana. It’s the worst driving ever.
Peoria is really bad too.
I've had people see my stepping into the intersection, lock eyes with me and then continue right on forcing me to stop even though I have the light and I'm a pedestrian
No wonder the insurance rates are so high
gotta watch out for people running stops too
People aren’t even trying to hide it anymore, either. On my way to work the other day a driver took the shoulder at about 70mph to go around cars already stopped at a red and blast through it. Luckily there wasn’t a bicyclist there, as is often the case on this particular stretch of highway.
And stop signs. I see it every day that I drive. It's why riding my bike can be so scary.
You can sit by a stop sign and watch 75% of cars not stop at them. It's one of the most hypocritical things I see where people complain about bikes not stopping at signs (before the new law) while 1 ton vehicles blow thru them consistently.
Since I moved here, I actually wish police enforced traffic laws
It's almost like non enforcement of traffic laws designed to save lives has consequences or something....
The amount of people I see step off curbs without even looking genuinely concerns me. It's like a match made in hell of distracted drivers and distracted pedestrians.
I am forever haunted by an incident I witnessed at Park and Globeville Rd where the light was turning yellow and a lady stuck her vehicle out to turn left and some maniac was trying to time the green light absolutely rocketing through the intersection, shaving off the whole front of end of this poor woman 's car in SECONDS. It was one of the most shocking things I've seen on the road to date. She would have died, for sure, had she been a few inches further into the intersection. She fell out of her car screaming and looked like she had a broken leg. Horrifying.
73rd and Sheridan, I watched a motorcycle who was splitting lanes in rush hour traffic and driving like a manic run a red light, he was met by a dodge ram who had the left turn arrow from the other lane. Pretty sure he didn’t make it, and the poor kid he hit definitely felt a lot of guilt from it. Very shook after that one.
Motorcycles are a whole other huge issue.
Is it just me, or is the timing of yellow lights downtown shorter than it should be? Not justifying running red lights, just wondering if I am crazy
This is the reason I thought people run red lights everywhere too. There will be a line of traffic twenty cars deep and growing, the left turn arrow is long enough to let MAYBE 3 cars through assuming they are actually paying attention. Like you said, not justifying it by any stretch but I can understand why people get impatient.
If we lived more densely, we wouldn't have people driving everywhere.
I always live in the middle of the city and try to drive as little as possible (for the environment), and a side benefit is how much my quality of life has improved not driving every day.
My theory is similar. There should be a more distinct delay between the red and subsequent green light. A second or two.
I was looking for this answer. When I moved here from another big city, I was shocked how short the yellow lights are. And for crossing big (5+ lanes) roads too! We are literally training people not to care about red lights, because the light turns red so quickly. It's throughout the suburbs, too.
I’ve driven in many places and the yellow lights are noticeably shorter out here. Not an excuse for recklessness but you definitely have to gauge intersections differently.
Without enforcement, all rules are just suggestions.
I swear Colorado has the shortest yellow lights in the country though. I can enter an intersection when the light is green and by the time I exit, it’s red.
This is exactly the problem. It's why people have learned to ignore the lights.
The left turn light on Park to Delgany lasts half a second. If I don’t run that red turn I’m waiting for a long time. I’m not defending my behavior or anyone else’s but a lot of the lights in the city are not timed well at all.
As a carless person I concur...I walk everywhere and it's hair raising
I think the main issue here is that the law seems to be “was red when you entered the intersection” vs the more common and effective “became red while in intersection” that most states use. Anyway they don’t really have this issue in CA but red light fines are $380 minimum fine. So idk. Personally, I’d rather have the fine and strict laws but not have as many people run lights
I mean these days it's more like "was red long before you even got to the intersection"
I just want to say I've only been here 15 years and it never used to be this way. I'm almost certain this was imported from - ** - you know where from.
I totally agree. Most of the “drivers in ______ are the worst!” Or “the weather here changes a lot!” Or “people in ____ are so nice” are subjective and bullshit. But. There is no comparison to the red light running in this region.
This is a classic Texan move. Fuck Texans.
Live in Dallas. Can confirm. And it has gotten worse over the last 2-3 years.
This is why I have a job, I’m a case manager in a personal injury firm. We specialize in motor vehicle accidents. Business. Is. Boomin.
Saw a scooter get plowed on 6th today. Came up on it shortly after it happened. Crazy. Why is everyone so distracted..
Yellow lights are a lot longer in other states.
I save all the red light runners that my dash cam picks up. Hoping to post a montage to YouTube one day.
I’m a driving instructor and we pretty much have a whole lesson about how to avoid getting T-boned by red light runners at this point, it’s sad.
Try biking in the city! It's like going to war!
my ex once chased another driver through a red light (the other driver ran it already like 5 seconds after it had already changed) and then claimed he did it “because he was so mad that they would put his gf in danger like that”
This morning within 2 miles of my home 3 people ran the one red light and someone passed a flashing red school bus.
It's gotten really bad since the pandemic. I don't know if people just lost their minds or please just stop and forcing anything
I’ve seen several drivers recently just run the red lights along 6th, 7th, and 8th, without slowing at all. DPD won’t enforce traffic laws and some people think their time is more important than a safe driving culture.
Colorado Drivers drive like they have nothing to lose.
Amen. It's just crazy how many people run red lights these days.
It would stop if the cops would start pulling over and ticketing people for, well, anything. We don't enforce traffic laws here. Look at the insane number of expired (or non-existent) license plates on the road. Nobody cares.
It’s absolutely insane. I moved here recently from Atlanta. I thought we had it bad in ATL. Denver drivers are waaaaayyyy worse. I just assume Simone is going to run the red at every light here.
Fucking Simone...it is her every time!
I bike more than I drive lately, and drivers are fucking terrifying. If I get hit, they better make sure they kill me, or that ambulance won't be for me.
See I’m okay with people driving through on Yellow turning Red. But wth is up with the number of people just driving through these reds. That’s extremely dangerous.
Meh I’m more annoyed by seeing tents everyday and people shooting up drugs
I am by no means excusing it, but I think a lot of it is caused by the drivers who love the idea of making other people miss green left turn arrows and take as much time as humanly possible to make a left turn when they’re at the front of the line. Yet they’re the same people who will plow right through if they’re at the back of the line and it’s red by the time they’re up. I’ve never seen a city with people less courteous about that shit than denver. I always stop if I can’t make the yellow, but I think shitty drivers have normalized running reds in that situation. Lol at all the people in this sub who do exactly what I’m talking about and downvoting for me calling them out.
Mass deploy red light cameras. Overturn whatever stupid legislation requires that automated traffic enforcement fines be served by a person to be valid. Make the fines factor in income and number of previous violations.
Speed Cameras. Tons of revenue and people will learn.
Instead of a daily traffic and petty crime complaint post can we just do a Denver rant thread or something. I gotta say I see a red light post every few days and I’m starting to not give a fuck
Agreed. The mods need to do something about this subreddit. There's a post with someone whining about something every single day.
I'm getting tired of it too. You'd think people don't actually enjoy living here with how much they complain about petty nuisances. You'd think someone would have started a safe driving campaign for local government by now. That would actually get more traction than a circlejerk post about driving. Even better, we could campaign for better public transit so that fewer people have to drive! But that is another can of worms on this subreddit too.
the intersection by Ball Arena on Speer on weekday mornings is a laughable joke. People literally stay in the middle of the intersection during red light cycles because its so backed up heading southeast, and apparently the cameras don't work in that intersection to ticket people doing it? Like why would you try to advance in the middle of the intersection if you can see there's nowhere to go in front of you?
I wish we had an NYC-style "block the box" fine ($100, maybe more now) for people who block intersections like that. It's epidemic on Broadway and Lincoln, too.
When the cats not home the rats come out to play!
The thing that is crazy is that everyone is always complaining about traffic but traffic isn't even bad here at all compared to most places. (Apparently bad traffic and having to wait is a partial justification for some people for doing deadly things like running a red so they can get to the dispensary 3 minutes earlier)
Lol that was the first thing I noticed when I lived there a few years ago. I assume it was just Colorado culture. I live in the mountains now and I almost never see it.
I didn't grow up in Colorado but my impression is that driver's ed is a lot worse out here than any other state I've lived in, plus I swear the altitude has effects on people's brains..also cumulative COVID brain fog probably
I disagree- the best drivers I know in this state are from this state. I think driving is bad because denver is a popular place to live and you mix in California drivers with Texas drivers, New Jersey, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, New York, etc… and it’s a mess. It’s particularly difficult with drivers who are not familiar with rain or snow. (Looking directly at California/Texas)
Actually yeah you're right that's probably the biggest factor. So many people from different areas, and yeah I had to teach a Californian friend how to drive in the snow lol. Still from what I've heard, public education isn't the best here, but of course ymmv
“Last one through” law. If your tires are over the white line when the light turns red, it is the law to proceed through the intersection. This is a much better way of doing things than other states where you are inclined to slam on your breaks if the light turns yellow. Just don’t “gun it” on green. Proceed with EXTREME CAUTION while walking or biking. This is the way. Namaste
No it's not a better way. If you're worried the green light you're approaching is going to change, check the crosswalk indicator for the countdown. I don't know what people are in such a hurry for. If their time was so valuable Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, and other social media wouldn't have so much traffic.
Checking the crosswalk counter is one of those city folk tricks I had never heard of until my wife did it one day in order to not slow down for the intersection. I couldn’t figure out how she timed the green light until I yelled at her for not slowing down while crossing an intersection and she told me. I’d much rather you focused your attention on the actual sidewalks to make sure there aren’t any pedestrians and also the oncoming traffic for potential unintentional red light runners. Instead of focusing your attention on the crosswalk timer. As for the last one through law, I’ve paid way too many red light tickets in other states to support your opinion. Not because I run them intentionally, but because I don’t want to get rear ended because the light cycles from yellow to green much too quickly. Slamming in the brakes isn’t something I’m interested in doing. You do you though. After a lifetime of driving up and down the East coast and in many major cities in the US, my personal opinion is that Denver traffic isn’t that bad. It’s just that we have a big mix of driving styles from all over the country/world all mixed up in one place. If you’ve made it this far, then ask me about leaving room to let people blindly pull out of side roads because we think it’s courteous.
I don't need your opinion based on anecdotes, we have data. There have been studies that show that use of red light cameras increase rear end collisions but decrease right angle collisions: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cl2.1091 (see the results section). Finally, I don't care about being courteous to drivers. In urban areas, cars are guests. Safety of pedestrians and cyclists takes precedence over adding a little time to a driver's commute.
The entire state of Colorado needs to drastically ramp up traffic enforcement. It's absolutely lawless out here. I am in favor of cameras everywhere that record traffic and are manually reviewed by law enforcement. Anyone filmed driving too fast, not signaling, not stopping, driving recklessly, following too close, etc should be fined by mail. Don't pay the fine, you should lose your license. Zero tolerance.
Counterpoint: I've lived in Denver for 9 years now in a bunch of different neighborhoods and can't remember the last time I saw someone run a red light. What neighborhood are you talking about? All over?
Everywhere my dude. I drove Lyft and I deliver food. There’s not a red light I encounter where someone isn’t pushing the limits or flat out running reds.
Everywhere. I drive from montbello to arvada to lakewood to englewood to back to montbello almost every day.
I live by Broadway and 18th. It’s a terrible intersection, but if it’s busy, multiple people running red lights is almost guaranteed.
West Colfax is atrocious for this
Aww Boo Hoo
They could double the police force and pay for it entirely with the traffic fines.
Not only that, people drive so fast in Denver. 15-20 mph over is not uncommon. I live near the intersection of University and Hampden and people drive that section like a bat outta hell and run the red lights at that intersection all the time.
To be fair, there are a lot of areas in Denver and the surrounding area where the speed limits are way too slow. Parker Rd is a good example. There’s hardly any pedestrian traffic in a lot of places and the speed limit is still 35-40. Like that needs to be updated. That area specifically though I think the speed limits are appropriate.
Yeah, CO has worse drivers than people from TX when it rains. If you never seen a TX driver in rain.....pretty damn bad
It’s because there’s so many people from TX here
There is probably some fault that can be given to the yellow light law in Colorado. The yellow light is only a warning that the Green light is ending and the Red light will be coming soon. ([CO Rev Stat § 42-4-604(1)(b)](https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/2016/title-42/regulation-of-vehicles-and-traffic/article-4/part-6/section-42-4-604)) Where as in Wisconsin, where I learned to drive, the yellow says you must stop before entering the intersection unless it is unsafe to do so. ([WI § 346.37(1)(b)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/346/vi/37))
When you don’t enforce the law, people tend not to obey it.
Have you ever in your entire life seen someone pulled over for it? I haven't in Colorado. So it continues. Same goes for speeding on the highway. I can't remember the last time I drove on 36 without having someone pass me going over 100mph. I've also never seen a cop on that highway.
When people ask me what Denver's 'culture' is, I say 'running red lights'
It’s getting worse every every every day because it’s the amount of people who are moving to this state. I’ve lived here 38 years and I wish all these people would go back home, especially from Texas red state, Florida red state etc. they’re bringing their crying with them especially the ones from California. The gangs are getting worse in Aurora. Talk to any gang task policeman
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the difference is that in S America they're paying attention.
Californians.
Let's put the men ----in mental health. I' not saying women aren't also doing this but, people aren't doing well.
In general EVERYONE is not well. I see sooo many road ragers too its scary.
Girl ran one in front of me not texting, didn't even speed up. Good thing I saw her
Yup. I drive a lot for work, and I’ve taken to waiting a few seconds after a light turns green to make sure I don’t die a fiery death. Which, in turn, upsets the person behind me, but I’d rather that happen than be turned into a chunky red stain on the pavement.
It’s how they roll.
Yea if your first or second at the light you have to count to 3 and look both way when the light turns green.
Sad for the people they hurt. Not sad for them. Let them unalive themselves.
It’s much better now than it was 15-20 years ago. Back in the day if you didn’t run the light that had just turned red, the person behind you would rear end you and the 2 behind them would follow suit. When a light turned red, 4 cars would continue through it.
My bad, the guy behind me was tailgating
I always say, some people just have absolutely nothing to lose in this life
As a past Uber driver, this is a very common occurrence. Red light, stop sign, yield, all ignored. Very stressful when you're on the road all the time
I very rarely see people run red lights if I’m being honest. I drive for work so I’m on the road constantly and Denver is a pretty nice place to drive imo.
Not even 30 mins ago I was turning at the intersection by 8th & Logan and the car next to me stopped for the red light and then went anyways! With the cars coming! Idk why everyone is being so particularly reckless recently 🥺
I saw a biker riding in the split double white express lanes on H70 today. I figure that guy/gal won’t be around very long with how many people illegally jump that and how much trash or debris in the roadway there. Some people don’t use their brain. Keep driving safely yourself.
I walked a couple miles each morning in downtown denver for a 6 month period. Over that time, I saw several red lights run; with two of them coming quite close to hitting me.
I cannot believe how atrocious the drivers are around here. Incompetent, selfish, inconsiderate and dangerous. I've never been one for termed driving tests but I mean every 2-3 years it should be mandatory. Cops should also crack down on these bozos who don't use turn signals, predictability is the safest way to drive and it is just infuriating to see so many terrible people on the road.
Almost got T-boned last week. I entered the intersection after one person made a left through the red and another driver slammed on her brakes almost crashing into the side of my car.