Jim Thompson wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:11:18 -0500, Noway2
wrote:

Fred Bloggs wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
Virginia isn't for "lovers" anymore.....

Shows what the socialist coast will do to raise money for their
cockamamy schemes...

$1111 fine for driving 20MPH over the speed limit!

Count me out as a tourist.

...Jim Thompson
I certainly don't want to dissuade your decision to *not* visit the most
beautiful state in America. But is it too much to ask of your small
brain of ever diminishing capacity to note that under the new Virginia
law the civil fees are charged only to Virginia residents and not
out-of-staters? As for the 20MPH over posted limit, that has always been
one of many criteria for reckless driving, a Class I misdemeanor
punishable by up to $2500 fine and/or one year in jail. It is actually
20MPH over posted speed except for 35MPH zones where it is 25MPH over,
and 80MPH for any posted speed limit.

Excuse me, but only for Virginia residents?

A coworker of mine (resident of NC) got caught on I77 in VA. I don't
remember exactly how fast he was going, but it was about 30 MPH over the
posted 65. By the time it was all said and done, his ticket cost him
over $1000, but the lawyer managed to keep him from getting jail time.

What I found that was strange was that he was referred to a lawyer in
the small town that supposedly had jurisdiction for that part of I77 and
that they lawyer was the brother in law of the judge assigned to the
case. I still wonder to this day if there is / was some sort of racket
going on.



All of those coastal southern states make much of their income from
traffic fines. Florida is particularly noted, though, IIRC, they got
busted by the Feds some years back for using speed traps.

...Jim Thompson
There was one time, we were coming back from the beach and traveling
through this small, very poor, southern town in the south-eastern part
of North Carolina. The road went from 55 to 35 as you came into the
town, of course, we slowed down. Then along comes this fire red card
with Ohio tags, driven some punk kid with a shaved head, leaning over
into the passenger seat while driving - going probably a good 60 through
the 35 zone. Of course there was a cop sitting in a plaza in the middle
of town. Well, on came the lights and the cop took off - though it took
him a good 4-5 miles to catch up with the kid. To this day, I wonder if
he enjoyed his stay in the county Hilton. I bet it gave him a new
appreciation for "Southern Hospitality".