boduke0220

same here and thats ok isnt it?

2K05GT

Beware Virginia Drivers New Civil Fees for Traffic Tickets take effect July 1st, 2007... these fees only apply to Virginia residents, DC, MD, WV, NC and PA boarder states only pay the base fines. ILLEGAL ALIENS and NON US Citizens are Exempt.

"The civil fees will be on top of traffic fines courts impose, and are part of the new financial package to help fund Virginia's beleaguered highway department.

For instance, an offender charged and convicted of reckless driving for going 20 mph over the speed limit would pay the traffic fines and court costs, plus be accessed a $1,000 civil fee. One-third of the civil fee would have to be paid the day of the conviction. The rest would be paid in two equal installments over the next two years. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is responsible for collecting the final two payments, if not paid loss of licanse wil occure and more fines will ensue.

The new system is designed to spread the fees into three yearly payments.
The fees could reach into the hundreds or thousands of dollars for some traffic offenders.

“Judges have no leeway with the new law,” said Branscom. which means they cannot reduce or suspend the civil fees.

Those who have driving points on their record also will be assessed an additional $175 per point in civil fees for their previous record up to $700 if convicted of a new violation."

Oh, let's see what some of these fines are:

Driving on a suspended or revoked permit - Civil
penalty $750.00 + the court cost & fines

Reckless Driving - Civil penalty $1,050.00 + the court
cost & fines

DUI - 1st offence - Civil penalty $2,250.00 + the
court cost & fines

Failure to give proper signal - Civil penalty
$1,050.00 + the court cost & fines

Leaving the scene of an accident - Civil penalty
$3,000.00 + the court cost & fines

Yes, you read that right. That is a $1050 fine on top of the fees of the ticket. For not using your ****ing turn signal.

Now 80mph plus constitutes reckless driving, Yet driving on I-81 the average speed is 75 and the limit is 65, IMO it's to low. the speed limits are calculated on a 85% rule (says 85% of the drivers can safely drive at this speed limit, yet this number is based on 1980 statistics, todays cars are safer and handle better than cars in the 80's.

Why this number is unfair, Virginia is the Only state with an arbatrary 80mph reckless clause, A total of 31 states now have a maximum speed limit of at least 70 mph, including Virginia and 3 states have Max Limits of 80mph.
Right now in Virginina, Highway I-85 is 70 mph, so this only gives drivers a buffer of 10 mph before they get a reckless ticket, Unfair.. give them a speeding ticket but not reckless.

I SAY STICK WITH THE 20mph OVER Limit as Reckless only.

By the way, the following crimes in VA now carry a less severe punishment than driving 80 MPH on a clear road with no traffic around:
Assault
Stalking
Sexual Battery
Contribute to abuse of child
Obstructing justice by threats or force
Shoplifting
Pass bad checks
Identity fraud
Cruelty to animals
Prostitution
Accessory after the fact to a felony crime
Vandalism/Intentional damage
Tresspass with intent to damage

Welcome to the Communistwealth of VA!
Well we wanted change Last November and thats what were getting....

I find this video very funny, it shows how irrelevant the posted speed limits are. Some say they broke the law, but how can you by doing the exact posted speed limit?

Click here for the Video

John SCB

A buddy of mine got pulled over in his BMW doing 105mph on Hwy 5 during

a drive between LA and SF. The cop never threatened him with arrest but the fine is heavy: $980!

He called the court to attempt a reduction based on his belief that he was only doing 95mph. No help...95 and above is considered reckless driving...he paid the fine. It seems tickets for 100+ are more common than they used to be.

svopaul

I am so happy I no longer live in the NE...I used to live in MD. That law in VA is absurd and nothing more than another way to bring in Revenue.

Faber

Mass drivers are the most insane I have ever encountered. 85-95 on route 2 right up to the concord rotary (rain or no rain). Passing on the right shoulder at 2:00 in the afternoon on 95 north. driving a foot off your bumper at all times. and god forbid there should be enough room between you and the car in front of you for a car because someone will blow by you on the right, and then swerve in front of you and pinch their car in there. almost every day I lived in Mass. was a road rage day for me.

svopaul

That's not just Mass.....The D.C./Baltimore area is exactly the same and so is Atlanta....I had a Masters Degree in Road Rage when I lived near Baltimore due to constant stupidity of others.....but I'm MUCH better now

bob

bob

I think anywhere theres little land area and alot of population density that behavior becomes the norm.

Mustangwizard

and woman putting on make-up while driving 65, on the Highway!
" AMEN Brother"

Rapture

There are good drivers (ppl that realy know how to drive) and there are bad drivers(ppl that should not drive) out there. I really think they should make drivers test harder That said, as far as driver fast.......There is a time and place for it Key is time and place

bob

A paper test does nothing for competent driving, it shows your encyclopedic knowledge about rules and regulations but not about actual skill at driving.

The failure in the system is our woefully inadequate drivers eduaction program which is aimed at creating that encyclopedic knowledge and little more. If the feds were serious about it, they would keep that system in place and require a http://www.skipbarber.com/driving_sc...ay_school.aspx, or something like it.

Next up is the general attitude of the US at large. For most people, driving is more an excersize in getting from point A to point B, while filling this boring trip with something meaningful along the way (be it talking on the cell phone or watching a movie or reading a book or making sure your lip gloss is perfect). For the most part, people are uninterested in driving and would be happier if the car drove itself (all the more reason regular cars should be fitted with SMG/ABS/TC/ESC/AWD/GPS - leave the bare bones car for the enthusiast)

Paris MkVI

Bob speaketh truth.

My wife and I both did a Skip Barber advanced driving school for our 20th anniversary. It was very educational - and a lot of fun. It substantially changed several things in my driging habits. . .

Following distance
Understanding the steering/throttle/brake relationship fully
heel and toe shifting (fun for the track!)
At-the-limit emergency maneuvering
skid control
avoiding the emergency-lockup mentality

And we just had a bucketfull of fun in the process.

Emu Hunter

Dude man, I live through it every day on the way to work. 48 miles down I-90. It ain't pretty, what with 18-wheelers, soccer moms, compacts, and who-all knows what else - all going 80-90 MPH to get to their boring 9-5 jobs!

crewcutkid

Thou shalt NEVER exceed the speed limit when others' lives are at stake.
-Jim

karman

It may be hard to visualize 4 busy lanes all doing 20 to 30 mphover the speed limit mile after mile, day after day.
This is the way it is around here.
Read this story and notice how the cop never said a word about SPEEDING.
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showth...ghlight=pulled
If you don't do at least 70 in a 55 zone you may endanger the lives of the other drivers.
Think of it from the point of view of what happens when 1 person does 25 in a crowded 40 zone.

Clark Kent

f*** cops f*** tickets and oh yeah f*** bs pathetic speed limits in canada 90km/h the fastest i can go ne where legally in vancouver b.c. 50km/h everywhere else even on 6 lane roads. I might as well have bout a 4banger

crewcutkid

I think your reasoning is flawed- sure, I can see keeping up w/ traffic if, oh, I dunno, wherever you are coming from was exploding with considerable force, but like Mom always said: "If everyone jumped off of a bridge, would YOU?" Besides, if you are doing 25 in a 40, you aren't going the speed limit, you are still breaking the law, as that is a ticketable offense. If I'm going 55 in a 50, and you are doing 70, just go around in the left lane, that's what it's there for. I'm still under the "fudge factor" limit, and you are bucking for a few points.
Not a dig against you, I just dont agree, nor do those who have been killed by the desire just to get there faster than the next guy, I bet.
-Jim

karman

I guess you just have to be here to understand.
Most people from out west seem scared to death on the local Boston highways.
They say,"Yeah I'm used to heavy traffic, but not at Autobahn speeds."
We just are so used to it (me 30+ years) that it is just the way it is.
I know the guys that drive these roads with us are getting a little chuckle about your point of view.
(PS... My mom tends to keep it under 70 , of course she is way over 70 years old.)

crewcutkid

Im a little disturbed that dangerous driving is taken so lightly. I used to work at a hobby shop, and we ran R/C car races. There were a couple of guys who showed up to races every so often, both in wheelchairs. One guy was a parapelegic, the other was a quad. Both were involved in motorcycle accidents. They both peed into bags and had to have constant assistance to get even the smallest things done.
Imagine, if you will, wanting desperately to feel the freedom of the open road, while being stuck in a chair all day, every day, only being able to operate a vehicle 1/10 the size of an actual one.
Again, I say again, thou shalt not speed when others' lives are at stake. It's not something to make light of.
-Jim

John SCB

Update: Another buddy of mine was pulled over for doing 120+ in his '05 GT. Cop wrote him up for "Exceeding 100mph" but did not arrest him. Had to go to court. Judge suspended his license for 6 months! He tells me exceeding 100 in California is now an automatic 6 month suspension. I sure didn't know that. Anybody have more info on this?