Red light running

[ChrisHayes]

I love OKC. Especially its climate, vibrant economy, and how it's growing. But OKC PD needs to put in place a program to crack down on people running red lights. It's a ridiculous problem here. I'd say make it known that there will be several dozen unmarked cars at random intersections to solely ticket people running red lights. The fine is no less than 500-1000 if you're caught. Make the program known, and that it will constantly occur off and on without dates being known.

[Achilleslastand]

Five hundred bucks and up for running a red light, that's going to go over like a Lead Balloon. They would however have the money to repair money pits #1 and #2{capitol and jail} in no time at all. Here is a better bet. Why doesn't the city do a better job of synchronizing the lights for a better traffic flow.

[ChrisHayes]

I'm all for that. The constant stop and go is probably a reason so many people run lights

[Urbanized]

For the record, neither the Capitol (state) or the jail (county) are the responsibility of the City of Oklahoma City, and it would likely be illegal to dedicate municipal funds to their maintenance or repair.

[rezman]

This problem has become epidemic. I see it daily. The lights turn red and they still come sailing through. When I'm stopped at an intersection, and the light turns green, I make sure to stay put for a couple of seconds and check all directions to make sure no one is coming through.

This is why I really no longer enjoy riding a motorcycle around town. There's just too many mind numb idiots behind the wheel these days.

I'm all for a $500 fine. If the red light runner hits someone, and especially if they injure someone, it's going to cost them a hell of a lot more than that.

[BBatesokc]

One of the deciding factors for me in finally installing a dashcam in my vehicle.

Was in one wreck and naturally the person at fault immediately started lying about what happened. Fortunately there was a witness to the whole thing.

I now take my 'witness' (aka, dashcam) with me wherever I go.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
When I was about 20 I was broadsided at 13th and Hudson by an 85-year-old woman who ran a red light. She got out of the car apologizing, saying she hadn't even seen the light until it was too late. Her middle-aged son worked nearby and was there before police. He immediately started openly counseling her to not admit guilt.

When the police responded they immediately excluded statements from the two people in my car, one of whom was my 50-ish stepmother, who was sitting in the front seat. Since I was in a cheap old car, I only had liability and nobody to fight for me.

Not sure what happened as far as her car being paid for (this was nearly 30 years ago), but I know I had to eat my totaled car, which I had just finished paying off. It was a tough hit for a college student with a barely-above-minimum-wage job. It has stuck in my craw to this day that someone could be so callously terrible to someone who they had knowingly wronged. It was a worldview-changer for me, and I became a little less naive that day. My only consolation today is knowing that she statistically must have met her maker years ago.

[gurantula35]

We could install the cameras at intersections like they do in Denver and many other places. Rented a car in Denver last year with some friends and 3 months after we got back, i got 2 different tickets for running red light. Thank goodness there were pictures to show I wasn't driving at the time. But that could be a solution you are looking for. $500 is outrageous though. I think the fine for Denver was around $40-$50.

[betts]

This problem has become epidemic. I see it daily. The lights turn red and they still come sailing through. When I'm stopped at an intersection, and the light turns green, I make sure to stay put for a couple of seconds and check all directions to make sure no one is coming through.

This is why I really no longer enjoy riding a motorcycle around town. There's just too many mind numb idiots behind the wheel these days.

I'm all for a $500 fine. If the red light runner hits someone, and especially if they injure someone, it's going to cost them a hell of a lot more than that.

As a frequent pedestrian, this and people turning right on red without looking for pedestrians are major problems here. Cameras at intersections would work.

[okatty]

Saw a huge wreck at Memorial and Macarthur from a person running red light. I was the third car behind the light, It turned green and the cars in front of me drove into the intersection and a car just crushed the first car by running the light.

I have told my driving age kids if you are the first car at the light, when light turns green treat it like you are walking across the street and look both ways - don't just look at light. I'd rather get honked at than hit.

[Roger S]

$500 is outrageous though.

I agree... The fine should be larger!

I have zero tolerance for people that break traffic laws and endanger the lives and property of those they share the road with..... I say jack the fines through the roof and restrict their priviliges.

[Filthy]

Saw a huge wreck at Memorial and Macarthur from a person running red light. I was the third car behind the light, It turned green and the cars in front of me drove into the intersection and a car just crushed the first car by running the light.

I continue to see this issue at this intersection. I live right there, so utilize the intersection regularly. It is scary for sure, and as a father of two small children riding in the backseat in car seats..I cringe at the thought of driving through an intersection and getting T-Boned by someone running the red light there. But I see it 2-3 times a week. And these cars aren't....."floating the intersection"....or "pushing a yellow light," turning red. These are cars/trucks flying through the intersection at 50 mph, a good 1.5 to 2 full seconds after the light has turned red. MAybe I'm more aware in my old age, and protective parent nature...but, I honestly feel like this epidemic is increasing. I am personally in favor of lighting these people up with ridiculously high fines. A $30-$50 fine, isn't going to make anyone think twice about anything. However, a $500-$700 fine, might be significant to someone. Maybe it would keep them from paying rent...maybe it would keep them from being able to pay their electric bill.....maybe it would force them to appear in court, because they cant afford to pay the $700 fine. If it were significant enough to cause someone these issues...it would probably make enough of an impact, that they would think twice about flowing through an intersection on red, just because they are frustrated with traffic...or running 2 minutes late getting to the McDonalds drive thru.

[OKCinsomniac]

I agree... The fine should be larger!

I have zero tolerance for people that break traffic laws and endanger the lives and property of those they share the road with..... I say jack the fines through the roof and restrict their priviliges.

Agree... One wonders if increase in this behavior is related to the absolutely ridiculous texting-while-driving phenomenon. As a runner/cyclist/pedestrian, you really have to watch yourself these days, make eye contact with people before crossing, etc. because so many just don't pay attention. Amazing how many people I see that drive with their phone in their hand next to the wheel.

The most frequent place I see this is coming off I-40 east onto Shields exit. People come flying through going south and you can't see them because of the wall.

[Roger S]

Agree... One wonders if increase in this behavior is related to the absolutely ridiculous texting-while-driving phenomenon.

I think it has more to do with the me first/sense of entitlement attitude that has permeated our society..... "I'm too important to be inconvenienced by that red light/speed limit... Everyone out of my way!!!"

[RadicalModerate]

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but a small part of the problem is those jerks who sit at a green light for five to ten seconds jacking around on their f*******n' cell phones plus those idiots who leave about three car lengths between them and the car in front of them at a red light. If people would simply focus on DRIVING and getting from Point A to Point B as quickly and safely as possible EVERYONE would benefit. I don't condone the running of red lights by any means, but I'll damn sure run a yellow light that should have been green had some bozo in front of me been paying attention to what they were supposed to be doing rather than their friggin' phone.

[Richard at Remax]

I see it daily at the Memorial/Turpike/Western area. You have to be real cautious. I never used to touch my horn and I probably use it once a day now. Its funny though cause Im the one who gets the fingers when I honk at them while running the light.

[kevinpate]

High fines won't get you the results you want. Fines are almost always discretionary. You want red light running tackled. Make it a state public safety issue, not a local revenue issue.

Talk to your local legilizards about the scourge and danger it is. Press for mandatory significant impact on the DL point system.
Say 3 or more points. Mandatory 15 day DL suspension on first offense, 30 day on a second offense within 2 years, 90 days on a third offense within 2 years, 180 days on a fourth or subsequent offense, irrespective of the years gone by. (For your hit the wallet folks, that can be a few hundred right there on each reinstatement) Oh, and a driving course be mandatory, and no 35.00 online class option. A live in person boring as hell class, no exception, and no reinstatement without the class.

Yeah, I have a mean streak. I also have grandbabies and young ones known through my lovely's daycare. Some of whom are car seaters today, and at least of one who is headed to college in the fall, with all ages in between. Not to mention all our former Scouts of both genders, who now range in age from 30 down to 17.

[mugofbeer]

We could install the cameras at intersections like they do in Denver and many other places. Rented a car in Denver last year with some friends and 3 months after we got back, i got 2 different tickets for running red light. Thank goodness there were pictures to show I wasn't driving at the time. But that could be a solution you are looking for. $500 is outrageous though. I think the fine for Denver was around $40-$50.

As a Denver area resident i want to make it crystal-clear that you do NOT want OKC installing red-light cameras. There is a basic assumption that the pictures taken are accurate. I can tell you i have seen the cams here take pictures at totally inappropriate times. Thunderstorms seem to make them take pictures indiscriminately. If you are unaware you have been snapped and you are a daily user of the intersection, you may have no memory of the day or the circumstances so you can defend yourself. Then there is the revenue aspect of them. They are pure money -makers for the host city. They are pure money-makers for the company that operates them. Denver, until recently, was using them for crosswalk at intersections. Stop your car with the bumper even an inch into a crosswalk and you get a ticket a month later. No opportunity to defend yourself. Even going the speed limit, there are times you have to stop hard so you dont run the light. They took them out because of the complaints and the fact you were damned either for stopping or running the light. Cities will tell you they can show they save lives but cities will also admit they could lengthen yellow lights or that they cause more rear-ender collisions. Cities could just use them for manned-obvervation ticket proof rather than robo-money-makers. No. I havent gotten a ticket from a cam but i have seen multiple times when people have been snapped by one when the cams should not have snapped.

[okatty]

There was a KOCO-TV segment on the cameras that are at 63rd and May the other night but I missed it and forgot about it until I saw these posts. Pretty certain those are not for that purpose and maybe more to just monitor the traffic but really not sure.

[LakeEffect]

There was a KOCO-TV segment on the cameras that are at 63rd and May the other night but I missed it and forgot about it until I saw these posts. Pretty certain those are not for that purpose and maybe more to just monitor the traffic but really not sure.

Correct. OKC does NOT have any red-light cameras.

[mugofbeer]

There was a KOCO-TV segment on the cameras that are at 63rd and May the other night but I missed it and forgot about it until I saw these posts. Pretty certain those are not for that purpose and maybe more to just monitor the traffic but really not sure.

Intentions are one thing but reality is another. I work near one of the lights and have watched it flash people for both justified and not justified reasons. My problem with them is reliability, accuracy, the potential you cant defend yourself, the money-making aspect and the presumtion of guilt until proven innocent.

[okatty]

What do you mean "flash people"?

[jerrywall]

We seem to have a longer pause in between one direction turning red and the other direction turning green than I have seen in other states/cities. I wonder if this contributes to people running the lights, since they know they have a slight buffer?

[mugofbeer]

I think it happens everywhere. I dont see any buffer from when one light turns red to the other direction turning green here. It has long been argued that if there were a buffer, less deadly wrecks would occur. So far, cjtiez with the cameras have not added buffers. That makes the people suspect the money motive.

[Mel]

So many good posts on this subject. I want to get a dash cam even more now. I've seen Tractor Trailer rigs blow through red lights and that scares the jeebers out of me. "I'd rather get honked at than hit" That is bumper sticker gold there!