Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

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"]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

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

It looks, to me, that they are going after the serious offenders like drunk drivers, convicted felons and dangerous (deadly) drivers.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Keep reading.

$1,050 for failure to use turn signal
$1,050 for crossing across parking spaces in a parking lot
$1,050 for failing to stop entering highway

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

OMG, this is insane. They are practically forcing you to go to court and challenge your ticket and probably lie to get out of it.

p.a. Lets hope you're not poor.

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]
First off it says nothing about fining someone driving on bald tires. Maybe people will start driving as they should and not act like they own the road and risking the lives of others. I'm in the insurance business and I have seen some driving records that I just cant believe that they still have a valid lic.. I know this bill does not address this but maybe the heafty fines may make one think a little more before driving like a fool.

Ok I have to edit this as it does adress bald tires. Not sure how this is going to go over in Va. as I just heard of this about 4 days ago and it seems as our local goverment did some late night work when no one was watching.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

And from what I understand, these fines will only be levied on those who live in the State? That's absurd...so I can do all those things listed and only suffer the result of a regular fine, not a VA State fine.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Yeah, drive through here from another State and you just get the $50 fine and they jack me an additional $1,000!!!!!

This can't pass our Virginia State Supreme Court.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

seems like if you're a good driver you won't have anything to worry about

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72;321916]seems like if you're a good driver you won't have anything to worry about[/QUOTE]

Sure but the punishment should fit the crime. So I should be punished $1,000 more than you cus I live in this State? That sounds like fair and equal justice under the law? Come on man.

No way man.

We are protected against "excessive punishment under the law" and clearly this is excessive that I pay $1,000 more than you.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Sammy Baugh Fan;321912]Yeah, drive through here from another State and you just get the $50 fine and they jack me an additional $1,000!!!!!

This can't pass our Virginia State Supreme Court.[/quote]
woof, for a second i got worried about these fines because i come into virginia everyonce in a while (training camp basically). Seems like Maryland doesn't have to worry. Boooo Virginia; Hooray Maryland.


No but seriously, that sucks.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I have to say, Virginia has some of the more insane driving laws around.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Mattyk72;321916]seems like if you're a good driver you won't have anything to worry about[/quote]

I agree. Why should I care how much a terrible driver has to pay compared to another terrible driver. Seems like a good source of non-taxed revenue for our state. Better than raising state taxes to balance the budget.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I had no idea, Virginia had such an epidemic of............parking associated concerns. How do you sleep at night? COPS: Virginia edition. 60 minutes of parking lot stake-outs, and wild rides through the local Wal-Mart crossing parking spaces with reckless abandon. What next Hannibal, the........parking...space.........crosser?

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

With the idea of preventing people from crossing parking lots, they could just put in parking curbs. You know, those small curbs at the end of a parking space. However, instead of choosing to spend some money to do that (or force businesses to use them), they decided to issue an excessive fine. It really makes their motive pretty obvious.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I received a wreckless driving for failing to use my turn signals 4 years ago. All i did was change lanes to get into the turn lane and bam ticketed me, at the time i was still under 18 so i ended up having to go to court and all that jazz, it was ridiculous. Some of the driving laws in VA are insane. You know what else really gets me, this is to raise funds to improve the roads right? how much improvement do you think northern virginia is really gonna see... practically none, all the fat cats down in richmond will make sure those roads are real nice around richmond while the rest of us in Nova, which pays the overwhelming majority of taxes in VA suffer through the worst traffic in the country and the VA govt does nothing about it.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

This will hammer the poor folks. Poor folks are the ones struggling to keep their car up and are the ones who will bear the brunt of these fines.

I still don't believe this can really hold up in court. Politicians pass stuff all the time that don't fly. This has to be one.

I'm suprised it's me a Republican screaming and not some of you left wing ACLU card carrying members flipping out about the poor folks. lol

Where's the love man?!?!??!!

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Use your turn signals, don't cut across parking lots, and you'll be fine. I honestly don't see what the big deal is, unless you're a bad driver who doesn't follow the rules of the road and use common sense.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Hail2theskins;321926]I received a wreckless driving for failing to use my turn signals 4 years ago. All i did was change lanes to get into the turn lane and bam ticketed me, at the time i was still under 18 so i ended up having to go to court and all that jazz, it was ridiculous. Some of the driving laws in VA are insane. You know what else really gets me, this is to raise funds to improve the roads right? how much improvement do you think northern virginia is really gonna see... practically none, all the fat cats down in richmond will make sure those roads are real nice around richmond while the rest of us in Nova, which pays the overwhelming majority of taxes in VA suffer through the worst traffic in the country and the VA govt does nothing about it.[/quote]
In Va. its not reckless driving for failing to use a turn sig. If you went to court the judge should have throwing it out as its minor violation of not using a turn sig.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I think the parking lot fine is for someone who cut across a parking lot to avoid waiting for a light. Like at a corner 7/11.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I agree the fines are high, but the $1000 penalty only usually attaches in cases where the violator is a felon or the action in question leads is the proximate cause of someone's death (you cross a parking lot illegally and run over granny). In most cases they are $300 or $350 fines, which are still high, but not nearly as nasty as $1000.

I haven't read the law, but hopefully it includes channeling provisions for the revenue created so that a good portion has to come north to fund the projects we desperately need. As painful as a fine like this is, I prefer it to an across the board tax increase.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=firstdown;321932]In Va. its not reckless driving for failing to use a turn sig. If you went to court the judge should have throwing it out as its minor violation of not using a turn sig.[/quote]

Actually, I think it is considered reckless driving but only as a way of categorizing the offense. Reckless driving has a pretty broad defintion.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

ok, but read and you see that $300 or $350 is an annual fee. So it's $1,050 for a traffic ticket on top of the ticket.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Yea these Civil fines are gonna be fine in my book, maybe some of these fools out here will lose there PRIVLEDGE TO DRIVE.

AND PUT THE HAMMER ON THE DRUNKS....NO PROBLEM!

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Well, I'm a good driver who has not had a ticket in 20 years I bet but I still see this as an unfair House Bill.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=skinsfan_nn;321937]Yea these Civil fines are gonna be fine in my book, maybe some of these fools out here will lose there PRIVLEDGE TO DRIVE.

AND PUT THE HAMMER ON THE DRUNKS....NO PROBLEM![/quote]

That's how I see it. Not affecting just the poor but the insanely stupid. I see it as a good way to get some of these kids licenses away that demonstrate daily that they have no business driving while my wife and child are on the same roads. Can't pay the fine? Oh well, looks like your parents will.

Hmm...now may be a good time to become a defense lawyer specializing in traffic offenses.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=724Skinsfan;321935]Actually, I think it is considered reckless driving but only as a way of categorizing the offense. Reckless driving has a pretty broad defintion.[/quote]
It may have been the way he changed lanes which was the issue and not just that he didn't use his turn signal.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=724Skinsfan;321940]That's how I see it. Not affecting just the poor but the insanely stupid. I see it as a good way to get some of these kids licenses away that demonstrate daily that they have no business driving while my wife and child are on the same roads. Can't pay the fine? Oh well, looks like your parents will.

Hmm...now may be a good time to become a defense lawyer specializing in traffic offenses.[/quote]
The problem is that the law does not address people with bad driving records. Like I said earlier I'm in the insurance business and see driving records so bad and cannot believe they have a valid lic. An example of stuff I see on one persons lic within a three year period. 3speeding, 2 driving on suspended lic, 2 or 3 at fault accidents, and these people will still have valid lic. Thats what Va. should have addressed or at least hit people with these fines who are repeat offenders.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Sammy Baugh Fan;321929]This will hammer the poor folks. Poor folks are the ones struggling to keep their car up and are the ones who will bear the brunt of these fines.

I still don't believe this can really hold up in court. Politicians pass stuff all the time that don't fly. This has to be one.

I'm suprised it's me a Republican screaming and not some of you left wing ACLU card carrying members flipping out about the poor folks. lol

Where's the love man?!?!??!![/quote]
So if your poor its ok to drive a dangerous car on the roads and to top it off speed and drive bad?

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[QUOTE=firstdown;321956]So if your poor its ok to drive a dangerous car on the roads and to top it off speed and drive bad?[/QUOTE]

You never heard me say that or can quote me so don't try and put words in my mouth.
These fines are wrong for everyone. My point could be taken to say the cops won't be sitting at the luxury mall paking lots but at Walmarts and strip malls where more folks of lower income tend to be.

The fact is you will be punished TWICE. You pay the regular Ticket fine and for 3 more years you mail them additional fine money just to raise tax money THEY WASTE LIKE IT'S FREE Money already. Spend what you are jacking me in the arse with properly and you won't need more money.

Sorry for screaming
peace

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=724Skinsfan;321935]Actually, I think it is considered reckless driving but only as a way of categorizing the offense. Reckless driving has a pretty broad defintion.[/quote]
My aunt got reckless driving for backing up into a car in a parking lot. It wasn't a normal parking lot (not rows and rows of parking). I guess it is a U shaped parking lot with the open space in the U being pretty big. So she is on the sides and backed out and hit a car that was coming into the parking lot. She backed up like 15 feet so they called it reckless driving.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Sammy Baugh Fan;321958]You never heard me say that or can quote me so don't try and put words in my mouth.
These fines are wrong for everyone. My point could be taken to say the cops won't be sitting at the luxury mall paking lots but at Walmarts and strip malls where more folks of lower income tend to be.

The fact is you will be punished TWICE. You pay the regular Ticket fine and for 3 more years you mail them additional fine money just to raise tax money THEY WASTE LIKE IT'S FREE Money already. Spend what you are jacking me in the arse with properly and you won't need more money.

Sorry for screaming
peace[/quote]

See, the problem should not be how to pay for MORE government. Let's CUT Gov't spending, and then we do not need greater fines at all. I can then traverse the sacred parking space lines at will!

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[QUOTE=Hog1;321978]See, the problem should not be how to pay for MORE government. Let's CUT Gov't spending, and then we do not need greater fines at all. I can then traverse the sacred parking space lines at will![/QUOTE]


Hog1 For President!!!!!!!

Or at least Govenor of Virginia

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

BBQ served at all White House functions!!!!!!!!

Virginia has always been TOUGH on traffic laws

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[quote=Hog1;321996]BBQ served at all White House functions!!!!!!!!

Virginia has always been TOUGH on traffic laws[/quote]
How has Va. been tough on traffic laws except for this new law? I"ll vote for anyone who wants to reduce our goverment! Well, maybe not anyone but Hog1 has my vote. This question is your first question as you run for governor.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Just an observation.
I grew up in the DC area. Going back to the seventies, VA outlawed the use of radar detectors. It was basically unheard of at the time

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

My problem with this law is the inability for it to be enforced in any consistent way. The discretion granted police is so wide as to when to enforce the law or levy the BIG fines that it becomes whimsical. Just reading through the list it seemed that the police can ding you for just about any minor infraction and turn it into a major expense. I'm all about law and order BUT I am also about fairness. The inherent inability for consistent application seems to me to be abhorent.

"Just obey the law and you'll be fine". Fair enough, but look through the list - cop's had a bad day, needs a big ticket to meet quota, stops you for
1) "bald tires";
2) cutting the corner in a grocery store lot (not cutting through, just shaving teh corner at the end of an aisle) or,
3) sin upon sin, you simply were so busy looking for your turn that it came on you with little or no time to signal and, instead of driving down the street signaling for a turn, making a legal U-turn and circling back so you can legally make the turn - you do a quick take and see nobody behind and make the quick right turn before you drive past it.

The cop cites you for BIG fines. As he is writing your ticket - three cars zip past driving recklessly and no fines ensue.

No, this does not excuse illegal acts BUT it does go to fairness and common sense. I have a problem with laws drafted for the main goal being the creation of revenue for the State and doing so in a manner that grants agents of the State to do so in an inconsistent manner and one that invites abuse.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72;321930]Use your turn signals, don't cut across parking lots, and you'll be fine. I honestly don't see what the big deal is, unless you're a bad driver who doesn't follow the rules of the road and use common sense.[/QUOTE]

Common, seriously? Cutting across parking lots? Who really cares...I mean if you really want to pull someone over for driving in compleltey open space, than fine....but A THOUSAND DOLLARS????

People on this board cant tell me they dont make turns occasionally without using their signals...I'm not saying they do that everytime, but common we have to be realistic. I actually agree with SBF here (for once), this is rediculous. Why not jack up the fines for the idiots who go 80 in a 55 or do some REAL bad driving...cutting across a parking lot???? A PARKING LOT!?

And my other problem with this is their reasoning behind it...you are going to fine someone 1000 extra dollars to help raise money for the state? Thats the best you can come up with? If you want to raise the penalties a tad, maybe 50, hell even 100 dollars, than do what you have to do....but that is beyond rediculous, imo.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

Fine OUT of State folks worse would be better.
lol
Yankees get double!
hahahaha

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

I'm with JoeRedskin 100%. I got treated like a second hand citizen one day because of an illegal U-Turn. We were forced out of the car, asked to search the car (to which we denied), and there were 8 cop cars that showed up with spotlights. My problem isn't the illegal U-turn I made, I'm fine with that. I made a mistake, didn't see the sign, but I did break the law. It's the fact that he had a bad day and because we were all low 20s figured we were doing something illegal. While we were sitting there, five cars made the exact same U-turn, yet that "has nothing to do with you."

Give cops LESS power, not more. Make the laws black and white, most of them aren't bright enough to make decisions.

My very favorite is the cops telling me as I was getting fingerprinted for underage possession of alcohol that had I not been caught with a black dude and a hispanic dude charges would have never been booked. Hurray for racism.

Re: Virginia Laws: Stiff Fines added July 1st
 

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.

As for using turn signals, it's a pet peeve of mine. But doesn't irk me quite as much as cutting across a parking lot