Colorado Hotline OK’d for Bicyclists to Report Aggressive Drivers

Sun June 11 2006
Posted Jun 11, 2006
6,742

[wouldn't this be a great program for Iowa to adopt?] Bicyclists have a new tool to help make Colorado’s roads friendlier to bicycling. The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) confirmed that its hotline to report aggressive driving is available to bicyclists if they see a motorist putting a bicyclist at risk. Motorists who are identified three times through the hotline receive a warning letter and any additional complaints result in a personal visit from a uniformed officer. Follow the link below to learn how bicyclists can use the hotline, what information to provide, and how to call if you don’t have a mobile phone. The phone number is Star CSP (*277) when dialed from a mobile phone. Thanks to a State Patrol partnership with mobile phone companies calls to this hotline are free. This is not like a normal phone number; you do not need to dial an area code. Simply press the * key (usually the lowest left key on a phone pad) and then 277. This number only works on mobile phones. If you are calling from a non-mobile phone dial 303-239-4518 or any State Patrol Communication Center. In the case of an emergency dial 911. Bicycle Colorado confirmed bicyclists' use of this hotline during discussions with the State Patrol to remove the cap on bicycling events. When dialing Star CSP bicyclists should be prepared to communicate:

Vehicle license plate number and description
Location and direction of travel
Driver description, if possible
The aggressive driving behavior being demonstrated

The license plate number is the key. This allows the State Patrol to identify the vehicle owner’s name, driving record, and address. Without the license plate number, identifying the vehicle is unlikely. According to the State Patrol website, they enter this information into an aggressive driver database and send a warning letter after receiving three complaints. If the State Patrol receives additional complaints they send a trooper to make personal contact with the registered owner of the vehicle to take appropriate enforcement action. Bicyclists can report aggressive driving from any road in Colorado, not just a state highway. We applaud the State Patrol for its work keeping roads safe. Star CSP is an important tool for bicycling safety and helping to ensure aggressive drivers are held accountable for their actions. Colorado State Patrol’s Star CSP website is: http://www.csp.state.co.us/dialstar.cfm Star CSP is an important tool to help keep roads safe