Mexico City's 'Ghost' Fines: Drivers Fight Back Against Unfair Tickets

Mexico City Drivers Face Wave of 'Ghost' Fines for Metrobús Lane Violations Mexico City is grappling with a surge in reports of unfair fines levied against drivers for allegedly encroaching on the dedicated Metrobús bus lanes. These fines, exceeding 6,000 pesos, have sparked outrage among motorists who claim they never committed the infractions. One such case involves Araceli, a resident who received a fine despite having never used the bus lane. "I checked my fines record in February and everything was fine," she explained. "Then, a month ago, I checked again, and there was a fine from October of last year!" The controversy has prompted action from the Mexico City Congress, where deputies are calling for improved transparency and efficiency in the ticketing system. They are demanding that all fines be notified within 48 hours of the alleged violation and that the camera footage used to issue the fines be of high quality and clearly show the infraction. Deputy Mario Enrique Sánchez Flores of the PAN party emphasized the importance of due process, stating, "Citizens are losing their right to a 50-90% discount because the fines arrive long after the event." Legal expert Mauricio Graciano adds that many citizens are successfully appealing these fines in the Administrative Justice Tribunal because the evidence is often insufficient. He notes that the tribunal is generally siding with citizens because the fines are "poorly documented." The situation highlights the need for a more transparent and fair system of traffic enforcement in Mexico City.