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Old 07-26-2007, 07:12 AM
 
8 posts, read 23,886 times
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Does it mean the law will go away in your town just because your town strikes it? I think not. Yesterday Federal agents busted legal pot shops in CA. In CA medical pot is legal but it is not legal by federal laws.

So this is a step down. The state makes a law, your town say not here. State says whatever, here's your ticket. Just like the Feds in CA.
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Old 07-26-2007, 07:58 AM
 
31 posts, read 116,181 times
Reputation: 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deb in VA View Post
Thought I'd bring this back to the top as something very interesting is happening in our town as a protest against these huge fines. Our Town Manager has proposed striking the unpopular fee law from the town code and one of our Councilmen is predicting that other localities will soon be doing the same thing.
I say bravo to your town for standing up to this fascist law. No wonder this Albo guy tried two years to get this law passed.

"That's right. Albo's a lawyer. And not just any lawyer. The firm that bears his name specializes in traffic law, particularly in representing people charged with DWI and reckless driving. And yes, that's the firm's actual URL: virginiadui.com."

"Albo, a senior partner in the Albo & Oblon, LLP traffic law firm, can expect to see a significant increase in business as motorists seek to protect their wallet from traffic tickets that come with assessments of up to $3000 in addition to an annual point tax that tops out at $700 a year for as long as the points remain."

American politicians at their best!
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Old 07-26-2007, 08:07 AM
LLD
 
Location: Fairfax County, VA
654 posts, read 3,073,055 times
Reputation: 224
Is there a link to an article or something that gives the exact details of the laws, who they apply to, how they will be enforced and when they go into effect etc.?
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Old 07-26-2007, 08:25 AM
 
31 posts, read 116,181 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LLD View Post
Is there a link to an article or something that gives the exact details of the laws, who they apply to, how they will be enforced and when they go into effect etc.?
There is a PDF file at the end of this article.

Virginia Introduces $3550 Speeding Ticket
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Old 07-26-2007, 08:41 AM
 
Location: Jersey City
7,055 posts, read 19,318,865 times
Reputation: 6917
WOW. What happened to punishment fitting the crime? Cruel and unusual? Maybe.

The thing is these fines are attached to offenses that are so arbitrarily enforced. I forget specifics and can't find a link, but I've seen studies where the average American driver makes a ticketable infraction once every two miles or something like that. Even those of you who claim to be "safe" drivers make these offenses from time to time, often without even realizing it at the time. If a cop just happens to be there to see it and pulls you over you get one of these whopping fines!!

I don't know about you guys but I'd rather have the gas tax and tolls. At least the burden is fairly distributed among ALL users of the highways that they are raising funds for, and you don't have to live with the paranoia of hoping a cop doesn't witness your slip-ups.

I wonder what the fine for cruising in the left lane is in VA now. They could make a KILLING by enforcing that one, especially on 64 between Newport News and Richmond!
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Old 07-26-2007, 08:53 AM
 
31 posts, read 116,181 times
Reputation: 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by lammius View Post
WOW. What happened to punishment fitting the crime? Cruel and unusual? Maybe.

The thing is these fines are attached to offenses that are so arbitrarily enforced. I forget specifics and can't find a link, but I've seen studies where the average American driver makes a ticketable infraction once every two miles or something like that. Even those of you who claim to be "safe" drivers make these offenses from time to time, often without even realizing it at the time. If a cop just happens to be there to see it and pulls you over you get one of these whopping fines!!

I don't know about you guys but I'd rather have the gas tax and tolls. At least the burden is fairly distributed among ALL users of the highways that they are raising funds for, and you don't have to live with the paranoia of hoping a cop doesn't witness your slip-ups.

I wonder what the fine for cruising in the left lane is in VA now. They could make a KILLING by enforcing that one, especially on 64 between Newport News and Richmond!
Your first sentence is very key! Catch a cop on a bad day and take a big hit to your wallet. Why not just go after DUI cases with these outrageous fines? I say $100,000 fine for your first DUI. Think that might curb drunk driving? As the law is written it is only a few thousand more for a DUI than a say 'no blinker' infraction. How is that fair? Absurd if you ask me.
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Old 07-26-2007, 09:24 AM
ERR
 
Location: Richmond
4 posts, read 13,030 times
Reputation: 10
Default Waiting and watching

I have a wreck less court date coming up. An I have not had a ticket in like 4-5 years. My question would be who decides if you are a habitual offender? That supposed to be who it is for right. An what ever happened to all that toll money that was raised with the Pay as you go project? That seemed to fizzle out. I also saw on here that someone was saying a tax on gas increase would work. I read in one of the papers the other day. That a .01 cent tax increase would collect very close to the amount that they are expecting from this "fine/tax/whatever you want to call it". As much as gas has jumped up and down the last two years. They could have gotten money for themselves and still got the roads fixed. An as far as this being for safety. I will continue to drive as the traffic is flowing. I do not want to get hit doing my 65 while someone from out of state is hauling ass up behind me with nowhere to go. Because we are all (Va. drivers) stuck in a little pack. Like feeder fish. To those who drive so wonderful all the time and never do anything wrong. PLEASE post your view again when you get caught running to the store to pick up milk and did not grab your license off the counter. Even though the store was right up the street.
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Old 07-26-2007, 09:40 AM
LLD
 
Location: Fairfax County, VA
654 posts, read 3,073,055 times
Reputation: 224
Hmm... okay I read the article and also the attached bill. The majority of the big penalties are all for repeat offenders and for felony convictions not 1st timers or misdemeanors. In those cases the fines are like $2-300. And I think fines for excessive speed, drinking, drugs etc should be hefty. What I don't get is why this stuff only applies to residents of Virginia. Seems to me that if you are driving on Virginia roads you are subjet to Virgnia laws. That is a major problem I see with the legality and also I think there do need to be some adjustments made in a few places. I would also like to see more strict assessment and not let this just be the independent judgment of some cop. And I think the issue of not letting judges reduce things or assess things differently is not right either.

I expect some of this to be challenged because of undue burden and unfair burden. Now don't shoot me for this but I had to chuckle that it was a Republican that introduced this bill and a lawyer whose firm will BENEFIT from this bill.

I think there are some definite problems here on several issues and I expect there will be some loud protest, some possible lawsuits, and hopefully some eventual adjustments made to this bill to make things a bit more fair and equitable.
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Old 07-26-2007, 09:44 AM
 
6,565 posts, read 14,301,541 times
Reputation: 3229
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deb in VA View Post
Thought I'd bring this back to the top as something very interesting is happening in our town as a protest against these huge fines. Our Town Manager has proposed striking the unpopular fee law from the town code and one of our Councilmen is predicting that other localities will soon be doing the same thing. Now mind you our town has a population of about 13,000 so we're not talking about a huge area here but I'd be pretty proud of our Town Council if they succeed in making this happen. Any comments?
Deb

If you're referring to Front Royal, they were going to challenge the law by striking it from the town code but voted 4-3 a few days ago to table the notion until more is known about what affect this law will have.....

Needless to say I was a bit disappointed, if for no other reason than it put Front Royal in the spotlight which it could use for once....
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Old 07-27-2007, 12:56 PM
 
Location: Somewhere in the middle
599 posts, read 1,261,273 times
Reputation: 333
Quote:
Originally Posted by VAFury View Post
If you're referring to Front Royal, they were going to challenge the law by striking it from the town code but voted 4-3 a few days ago to table the notion until more is known about what affect this law will have.....

Needless to say I was a bit disappointed, if for no other reason than it put Front Royal in the spotlight which it could use for once....
Ya I saw that in the paper yesterday....daggone. Sure was hoping we could cause a ruckus and put our little town on the map!

Deb
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