Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Well, how will cutting across a parking lot be enforced? If in the way you make it out, I'm fine with it? Someone that clips a wide open spot? Pulling through to the open spot on the other end?

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=SmootSmack;322051]I'll admit. I sort of have a weird fear of parking lots. One time I was T-Boned by someone cutting across a parking lot and smashing right into the side of my car. Another time someone swerved to avoid another car that was cutting across the parking lot and hit my parked car as I was walking back to it. Still another time, someone was cutting across the parking lot and hit my cousin (not my cousin's car, my actual cousin). Thankfully it wasn't serious.[/quote]

I don't blame you, I'm not a big fan myself with the way people race through like it's the Indy 500. There's this guy I work with that absolutely flies through our parking lot, it's ridiculous.

When I worked at Progressive I used to see so many claims involving parking lot accidents, pedestrians getting hit in parking lots, etc. It's more common than I think people realize.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

No one should be surprised to hear that the legislator behind this is a lawyer specializing in traffic cases.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

It shouldnt matter for good drivers but the fines are excessive. I can't wait to see the reaction by citizens in a couple months when they all start getting decked 1k for driving across a parking lot.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

whats the big deal with following the rules? there is nothing more that pisses me off, then changing lanes, pr turning, without signaling

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I think my issue with all this goes to the "cruel and unusual[ly]" punative nature of this.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I know a lot of people are saying to just be better drivers. Be BETTER drivers or PERFECT drivers? I have a hard time believing that EVERY TIME everyone uses a signal light or NEVER pulls through a parking lot. The law is bullshit because, just like Daseal, there will be the one person who makes a mistake and then truly pays for it. They could charge a million dollars and people would still make mistakes. We're not robots.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;322082]I know a lot of people are saying to just be better drivers. Be BETTER drivers or PERFECT drivers? I have a hard time believing that EVERY TIME everyone uses a signal light or NEVER pulls through a parking lot. The law is bullshit because, just like Daseal, there will be the one person who makes a mistake and then truly pays for it. They could charge a million dollars and people would still make mistakes. We're not robots.[/quote]


Yea, and those mistakes will be costly. It might get a few more folks to think about what the hell they are actually suposed to be doing behind the wheel.

Instead of everything they shouldn't be doing?

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

The shitty drivers aren't going to be less shitty because the fines are higher.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

It's really just punishing the otherwise good drivers who just make a mistake now and then.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

And, as Daseal's incident points out, the law creates an invitation to arbitrarily enforce the laws -

"I was gonna bang you with the big fine but now that I see you're [older, a hot woman, hot guy, not a young male, white, etc], I won't."

While I don't have the studies to back it up, I would bet that the arbitrary enforcement of excessive fines does not create a greater likelihood of compliance.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Sammy Baugh Fan;321895]Wow, $1,000 for crossing across a parking lot or for failure to use turn signals.

[URL="http://www.courts.state.va.us/publications/hb_3202.pdf"][/URL][/quote]


Hey...those things really GRIND MY GEARS, so I'm fine with it.

Let's add: If you're not using headlights at twilight or in the rain...doubled if you have a grey/silver car that matches the road...and tailgaters. :oink:

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;322098]The shitty drivers aren't going to be less shitty because the fines are higher.[/quote]


They'll be off the road if they're broke. :D


Like Matty said, if you're a good driver, you'll be fine.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

How about folks driving at you with HIGH BEAMS on? I close my eyes till I get past them.

peace

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;322098]The shitty drivers aren't going to be less shitty because the fines are higher.[/quote]
So your saying if a guy gets two tickets that end up costing him lets say $100 court cost and fine then this fine of $1050 which the two will end up costing him $2300 that will not effect the way they drive? If thats the case then they deserve the fines.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Yeah, basically. Regardless of the amount of fines one gets, you're never going to be the perfect driver. I would say that most of us on here consider themselves good drivers, but as I said above, none of us are perfect.

Each and every one of us breaks traffic laws, most of us on a daily basis. Not because we're crappy drivers, but because we're not perfect. A hit in the wallet is a hit in the wallet whether it's a hundred or a thousand. It would be one thing if it were only ten bucks or something like that. I think one hundred as it is now is a pretty damn good deterrent.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Sammy Baugh Fan;321895]Wow, $1,000 for crossing across a parking lot or for failure to use turn signals.

[URL]http://www.courts.state.va.us/publications/hb_3202.pdf[/URL]

My main problem is there are making the stiff fines not to deture the offenses from happening but "TO RAISE FUNDS" in the State of Virginia.

That totally blows.

So yer car passes State Inspection and 2 months later a Cop pulls you over and fines you $1,000 for bad tires. That inspection is good for a year. That blows.

Thoughts? Fears? Anger?

peace
mike[/quote]

Unreal. That fine is far more criminal than failing to use your turn signal.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Sammy Baugh Fan;321895]Wow, $1,000 for crossing across a parking lot or for failure to use turn signals.

[URL]http://www.courts.state.va.us/publications/hb_3202.pdf[/URL]

My main problem is there are making the stiff fines not to deture the offenses from happening but "TO RAISE FUNDS" in the State of Virginia.

That totally blows.

So yer car passes State Inspection and 2 months later a Cop pulls you over and fines you $1,000 for bad tires. That inspection is good for a year. That blows.

Thoughts? Fears? Anger?

peace
mike[/quote]

1,000 dollars. It will really make people think twice.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;322394]Yeah, basically. Regardless of the amount of fines one gets, you're never going to be the perfect driver. I would say that most of us on here consider themselves good drivers, but as I said above, none of us are perfect.

Each and every one of us breaks traffic laws, most of us on a daily basis. Not because we're crappy drivers, but because we're not perfect. A hit in the wallet is a hit in the wallet whether it's a hundred or a thousand. It would be one thing if it were only ten bucks or something like that. I think one hundred as it is now is a pretty damn good deterrent.[/quote]
I don't break a trafic laws everytime I drive. Now if you said from time to time everyone breaks a trafic law then I would agree but most of these people do not get tickets. For the average good driver it takes some bad luck of being in the wrong place at the right time for a police to catch you breaking a law. For people to get multiple tickets means that they are breaking the laws enough to get caught when chances are slim of ever getting caught in the first place. Yes safe drivers will get hit by this but it will be the ones that really break the laws which will take the biggest hit. I do not agree with the fines as they are set up and would like to have seen them imposed on people who have prior convictions.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Firstdown -- you go 55 in a 55, not 60? Up here in Northern Virginia, if you're going slower than 65 in a 55 you'll get run off the road. While I drive fast, I always use my signal and the extent of my driving through a parking lot is driving through a space and that's only if I'm sure no one is coming from the other direction.

These could turn into a very costly "I saw you swerve over the line." type of traffic stops. What if you have no clue your blinker is out? etc. Too touchy for the fine. I'm fine with ENFORCING a lower fine for all of these penalties but 1000 bucks is too much.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Well, Virginians can take solace in the fact they can still stand on a sidewalk for [URL="http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_12334.aspx"]free[/URL]

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

This whole thing is so annoying. I am getting a a MD license. I think all I need to do is open a bank account and get something billed to my uncles house in Bowie. Bam, I will get a MD license and none of this bullshit.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=firstdown;322445]I don't break a trafic laws everytime I drive. Now if you said from time to time everyone breaks a trafic law then I would agree but most of these people do not get tickets. For the average good driver it takes some bad luck of being in the wrong place at the right time for a police to catch you breaking a law. For people to get multiple tickets means that they are breaking the laws enough to get caught when chances are slim of ever getting caught in the first place. Yes safe drivers will get hit by this but it will be the ones that really break the laws which will take the biggest hit. I do not agree with the fines as they are set up and would like to have seen them imposed on people who have prior convictions.[/quote]

So basically you're saying that it's OK if a few good people fry as long as we can punish the bad drivers even more?

Like I said, I among everyone here, make mistakes driving. I own my own home, I have a decent job and two incomes coming in. But even with that, I cannot BEGIN to tell you how hard and bad that would set us back as a family all because the state wants to add some additional revenue.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

OK WE HAVE LOOKED AT THIS ALL WRONG. If you look at the one everyone has talked obout RD-On Parking Lots. The RD stands for reckless driving which means someone recklessly driving in the parking lot like doing donuts etc.. If you look there is an RD beside all of the speeding type offenses so for the minor 5 to 10 mph over speeding tickets there is no additional civil fee. So it is designed for major infractions and not the everyday ticket. This was on the radio today and they where talking about major violations when someone called in about the parking lot question. Thats when the guy explaining this got a little confussed as he looked at the list. He then noticed the RD besides the infractions and explained what it meant. So its not really that bad of a law.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I struck a blow for all you frustrated Virginian's yesterday.
While leaving Sam's yesterday, I took the liberty of a 90 second bender to circle the parking lot, bereft of any and all reason, crossing parking space lines in a willful and wanton manner.