Sticker Trap Fairfax (home, purchase, inspections)

[Cosmic Artifact]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I've noticed they only do it on days of beautiful weather. Curious what they're doing when not doing it and what they're not doing when doing it.

my father lives in Burke, not far from the county courthouse there in Fairfax... it was maybe a few years ago I was there and an 11 year old boy was stabbed multiple times behind the gym there in Burke, this was in broad daylight after school let out and of course the county blamed it on MS13 but who really knows if it was gang related or not? could have been a just a knife fight.

this is what they are not doing when they are standing on the side of the road looking like roman soldiers...

[vicnice]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

How dare they enforce the law! The nerve.

Enforce the law efficiently not on 5% of the population that uses the highway system during that time.

Going door to door to check drivers licenses isn't too bright and neither is standing on the side of the road with a credit card reader.

[vicnice]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Artifact

I just do not like to see my tax dollars being spent this way... there is real crime going on in my city and in the surrounding counties. I guess all the real work is left for detectives after the fact of the crime? Arlington and Fairfax police have been stripped of their title of LEO's but more so considered traffic enforcement officers.

I have no beef with the police really but you know take a look next time when you drive by someone that is pulled over, their car could use some work or new paint. I just notice the coincidence I guess or that people without new cars are up to no good?

in other words I don't know if it's the people in their junkie cars or if it is the police who are targeting them? (you know roll up behind adter you pass them and run your tags just because of the way your car looks)

You don't have to explain yourself. If you see something wrong with the law then speak out on it that's he great thing about being an American (vs a police/tax state). What you are saying is that you are are not a sheep that finds no fault in current laws.

Just like every candidate that runs for office (local, state or national).

Id love to see those guys show up at an assembly when a statesman is making the same complaint about the car tax or excessive permit requirements.

Go down to Richmond, tell the statesman Kanye style: "Ima let you finish on your rant about the car tax and all that but ITS THE LAW"

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Artifact

double check your country and state inspection stickers my fellow Virginian's, in Fairfax usually around spring time on RT:123 not far from the courthouse just before it intersects with RT:50

This is a major operation usually involving around 4 officers... one to two flagging down and two to three writing tickets on both sides of the road.

I pretty much see this as entrapment and pretty insidious and low of the county to do but it is understandable in the last few years since they have stepped up their assault on the motorist of the area. (there are not many projects around anymore and the county needs to make money) they have no shame...

good luck!

I just noticed the other day that my safety inspection expired in January! I've never missed it before and I got it done the next day. whew. I don't know how I got away with it for so long, driving everyday.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by Denton56

I just noticed the other day that my safety inspection expired in January! I've never missed it before and I got it done the next day. whew. I don't know how I got away with it for so long, driving everyday.

In reality I believe only a small percentage of drivers are ticketed for infractions like these.
And Cosmic. Put the tinfoil on a little tighter and maybe do a little research in regards to tickets and revenue. You might be a little surprised.

[CAVA1990]

The county also has officers who drive around neighborhoods looking for parked cars with expired stickers. That's a lot less disruptive of traffic. The sticker traps have a somewhat un-American, "papers please" checkpoint feel to them.

[vicnice]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

The county also has officers who drive around neighborhoods looking for parked cars with expired stickers. That's a lot less disruptive of traffic. The sticker traps have a somewhat un-American, "papers please" checkpoint feel to them.

That is still an inefficient use of resources. How come my mechanic knows when my car is due for service but the county can't tell when stickers are expired. Just attach inspection to registration and do them all at the same time.

Bring in an inspection paper to get a renewal and eliminate the waste.

[scimitar12]

Originally Posted by vicnice

That is still an inefficient use of resources. How come my mechanic knows when my car is due for service but the county can't tell when stickers are expired. Just attach inspection to registration and do them all at the same time.

Bring in an inspection paper to get a renewal and eliminate the waste.

Exactly. The county's inability to use technology wisely forces them to use more expensive manpower to enforce this law. And, the enforcement is not for safety reasons but simply to drum up more cash, IMHO. Back in the day if anyone got pulled over for a minor offense such as this a warning ticket would be issued. Generally these warnings allowed the driver two or three weeks to get their vehicle safety inspected, get their tail lights fixed, etc. But no longer. Two years ago I got pulled over for an expired safety sticker. Cost me $90. A couple of weeks later I got a call from the Virginia police fund (or something like that) wanting cash donations. I told them I already gave

[tarp]

With tickets like these, if you show up to court with proof that you completed the inspection, the judge will 99% of the time dismiss it, especially if you don't have prior infractions of the same type on your record.

Also, if this is taking place on 123 near the intersection with 50, it is Fairfax CITY police, not county police doing it. Separate municipality, separate police force.

[car54]

I think sticker enforcement is a great use of manpower....because they run across all sorts of serious stuff in the process.

Remember, Tim McVeigh got caught because of a dead plate.