[whmatthews]

I don't know if anyone else had posted about the new speeding ticket system in VA or not, but I think it's crazy, and hopefully won't last long with the public cry of outrage. I, for one, am glad I graduated and won't have to drive through Virginia too often.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 52_pf.html

Armed With Checkbooks and Excuses, First Casualties of Va. Fees Go to Court

By Jonathan Mummolo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 12, 2007; A01

The labor pains were coming, so Jessica Hodges got going. The 26-year-old bank teller from Burke sped toward Inova Fairfax Hospital, but before she got there, the law got her -- 57 mph in a 35 zone. Reckless driving.

Hodges's labor pains subsided -- they turned out to be a false alarm -- but the agony from her ticket is mounting. She was found guilty of the July 3 offense and given a $1,050 civil fee on top of a judge-imposed $100 fine and court costs, making her one of the first to be hit with Virginia's new "abusive driver fees," which have been greeted by widespread public outrage.

"It's crazy," said an unregretful Hodges. "Having a baby's more important. Of course I'm going to speed."

Anger and exasperation have been common sentiments recently in Fairfax General District Court, where fee-facing drivers such as Hodges have started to join the daily swarm of traffic offenders. After waiting hours to give their side of the story to judges -- several of whom seemed just as annoyed with the fees as defendants -- many nevertheless left owing enormous sums that they said would be difficult to pay.

Those lucky enough to live out of state or to have been pulled over before the fees went into effect July 1 -- the "magic date," as one judge called it -- escaped the penalties, as did many who hired attorneys who were able to argue for lesser charges or continuances.

The fees, which range from $750 to $3,000, were passed by the General Assembly in the spring as part of a package aimed at funding scores of transportation projects. Backers said the fees would both raise money and improve highway safety by targeting the state's worst drivers -- those guilty of severe traffic offenses such as DUI, reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.

[RubberMallet]

when i get pulled over i just claim i have to crap and if they don't believe me i poop my pants....works everytime

[Knucklehead]

when i get pulled over i just claim i have to crap and if they don't believe me i poop my pants....works everytime

Mallett, you concern me!

[El Scorcho]

I, for one, am glad I graduated and won't have to drive through Virginia too often.

The fines do not apply to out of state drivers. Virginia residents only.

[LUconn]

When I was in college, before this law came about, I vowed I'd never live in Virgina on account of all of their stupid traffic laws/enforcement. Look at me now.

[RagingTireFire]

Anybody else notice that the Highway Patrol suddenly had a lot more cars on the road after July 1st?

[Rocketfan]

Anybody else notice that the Highway Patrol suddenly had a lot more cars on the road after July 1st?

Also a lot more new cars......hmmm i wonder how they got that funding....

[flameshaw]

I hope they don't catch me in 19 days, when I am headed to The Burg. I have been known to crank it up once or twice. Are you sure about the out of staters? It is already bad enough, I have to take the radar detector out of my car.

[shukcb04]

i don't ahve a problem with the fines being high - you won't be fined unless you BREAK THE LAW (at least i've never been pulled over for going the speed limit) and with them being so high maybe people would learn that the speed limit is there for a reason, it's not just arbitrarily decided upon - but I do believe that it applying only to VA residents is unconstitutional and that their reasoning behind the laws is for funding purposes. well they wouldn't have a problem with funding if they would get off their sorry butts and enforce the laws. most of the cops i see sitting on the side of the road, with the purpose of pulling over speeders, don't pull anyone over, even when a person in front of my is blatantly going 15 or more miles over the speed limit. if you would just enforce the current traffic laws there shouldn't be a problem, but I guess that makes too much sense for them to do that, i mean God forbid someone actually do their dang job.

[whmatthews]

I can understand that Virginia residents want it to apply to out of staters so that the burden isn't all of them, but I know that unless this is repealed I won't be living in Virginia any time soon. I know it's supposed to help out with speeding, but paying that much money for going 10 over is stupid. In my opinion, slow people cause more wrecks than speeders, but that's a different debate. If they want to give that fine to people for DUI or suspended license, that's one thing, but if someone is going a little fast, whether it's emergency or if they're just in a hurry, it's absurd to fine someone that much.

[El Scorcho]

Are you sure about the out of staters?

Positive. My legal eagle wife read me the document with the laws in it one night in the process of a rant. That's one of the parts I listened to.

Edit: As a matter of fact, she still had it. Here it is. All four pages of rules, fines, etc.

I definitely do not think it should apply to people out of state. This is effectively a tax, so it should only apply to residents of the state.

[shukcb04]

Are you sure about the out of staters?

Positive. My legal eagle wife read me the document with the laws in it one night in the process of a rant. That's one of the parts I listened to.

Edit: As a matter of fact, she still had it. Here it is. All four pages of rules, fines, etc.

I definitely do not think it should apply to people out of state. This is effectively a tax, so it should only apply to residents of the state.

well it's unconstitutional (well that's what they say) if it doesn't apply to everyone.

[PAmedic]

thank you for your opinion, Judge Ito

[El Scorcho]

well it's unconstitutional (well that's what they say) if it doesn't apply to everyone.

It very well may be, but I'm just saying what the law says as it is written and exists. Whether or not it'll be upheld is a matter for the judicial system.

[flameshaw]

Are you sure about the out of staters?

Positive. My legal eagle wife read me the document with the laws in it one night in the process of a rant. That's one of the parts I listened to.

Edit: As a matter of fact, she still had it. Here it is. All four pages of rules, fines, etc.

I definitely do not think it should apply to people out of state. This is effectively a tax, so it should only apply to residents of the state.

well it's unconstitutional (well that's what they say) if it doesn't apply to everyone.

It does apply to everyone, everyone who resides in Va. Based on this law, glad I don't. If I did, would probably trade my car in for a riding lawnmower.

[shukcb04]

It does apply to everyone, everyone who resides in Va. Based on this law, glad I don't. If I did, would probably trade my car in for a riding lawnmower.

yes but non-VA motorists come through VA and it doesn't apply to them, so it doesn't apply to everyone. glad to know I won't be getting ticketed/fined since I go the speed limit

[El Scorcho]

yes but non-VA motorists come through VA and it doesn't apply to them, so it doesn't apply to everyone.

The courts disagreed with you today. Sorry man.

[shukcb04]

i'd like to know why the heck the courts say that the rest of the world doesnt matter, must have a very virginia centric mind

[El Scorcho]

Reversing the findings a lower-court judge issued less than two weeks ago, Circuit Judge L.A. Harris Jr. said yesterday that efforts to overthrow the hefty fees because they don't apply to out-of-state drivers fail because the legislature had a rational basis for passing the law.

Laws do not need to be fair or politically correct if they have a rational basis, Harris wrote, acknowledging that fees in at least four other states incorporate both in-state and out-of-state drivers.

"The two classes in this case do not have an equal obligation to pay for Virginia roads," Harris wrote. "Clearly, Virginia residents have more of an obli-gation to finance their own roads than do nonresidents driving through on Virginia's highways."

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx. ... -0081.html

[PAmedic]

obli-gation , huh.

is that like :

tar-nation
lack of imagina-tion
consti-pation
hair-nation
aggre-vation
menstra-tion

and why am I channeling Adam Sandler?