Do you believe that VA feels like a police state? (Poquoson: live in, move)

[swishplace]

Originally Posted by LilyLady

I don't feel that Virginia is even close to a true police state, especially considering we have the freedom to speak against the Virginia government if we want.

However, I DO feel we're more of a Nanny state which is defined as "a government or its policies are overprotective or interfering unduly with personal choice."
Nanny state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Forgot to add: Just ask the folks who have been cited for using profanity at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

i don't know how i completely feel about virginia yet. the reckless driving laws definitely feel unethical to me. they could have written that law in a way in which they used more logic. maryland does speeding laws more rationally in my opinion. aside from that, even though i'm not a habitual pot smoker, i don't like that it's illegal across the board there. maryland has decriminalized it to an extent, which i think is the right direction. i've also read that taxes are cheaper in virginia, but the car tax there again feels odd to me.

i like visiting virginia, but it just feels stricter to me overall. i'm not sure i'd want to live there, but it's a subjective thing. others may love their laws while i find some of them to be intrusive.

[Ecoleman24]

Originally Posted by Emigrations

When one looks at the VA forums, probably a third to half of the total posts are by people asking for help with traffic and law enforcement related issues.

I've never seen such a high ratio of people asking for legal assistance on any other state's forum. In VA, this seems to be a recurring theme.

I worked in Lebanon, VA for two years and have never seen as many pulled over anywhere else as I have on the twenty-five mile stretch of I-81 and Porterfield Highway I drove to work.

There were constantly VSP patrols and local sheriff's offices just wanting to nab someone. Unlike other places I've been, this doesn't seem to just one particular spot, a ticket-happy cop, or even a bad department - it seems to go on all over the state, and seems to be more about control and revenue than public safety.

I usually feel that the police are working in the interests of the public, but in VA, I can't say that. What do you feel?

The penalties are indeed stiff here in VA. I'm sure a few other states are as tough but not many. I personally have not had a problem with the cops but I know plenty of people who have. You can't go 5 miles on the interstate or highway without seeing someone pulled over. The general consensus is that you only get one chance in VA. If you mess up once you may very well be screwed for life.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by Ecoleman24

The penalties are indeed stiff here in VA. I'm sure a few other states are as tough but not many. I personally have not had a problem with the cops but I know plenty of people who have. You can't go 5 miles on the interstate or highway without seeing someone pulled over. The general consensus is that you only get one chance in VA. If you mess up once you may very well be screwed for life.

I think we all have different experiences. I drive from Manassas to Front Royal at least twice a week during the week and almost never see any officers in the median. Haymarket used to but they've lost the pull off due to construction. I see a trooper or Fauquier deputy maybe once a week at most. I also drive into Dunn Loring the other days and rarely see any along I 66. You see some at the start of HOV on 66 WB often though.

[Flamingo13]

Originally Posted by Ecoleman24

The penalties are indeed stiff here in VA. I'm sure a few other states are as tough but not many. I personally have not had a problem with the cops but I know plenty of people who have. You can't go 5 miles on the interstate or highway without seeing someone pulled over. The general consensus is that you only get one chance in VA. If you mess up once you may very well be screwed for life.

Screwed for life is certainly an exaggeration

[Poquoson7]

OMG....can you spell r-e-a-c-t-I-o-n-a-r-y.....

[Poquoson7]

I commute on I64 five days a week 20 miles door to door averaging between 70-80 mph (speed limit 65) and have never seen anyone pulled over nor have I been pulled over. I just don't get this handwringing at all!

[Serious Conversation]

I drove back through Lee County again on Saturday in broad daylight and surprisingly did not see anyone pulled over.

[tifflee92]

Ive gotten 4 speeding tickets in my life, 3 were in Virginia. The unwritten rule in NY metro is 15 miles above speed limit. Not so in Virginia, as i unfortunately found out 300$ later. The cops are *******s, with big smiles on their faces and a friendly warm manor, while at the same time crushing your day and handing you a fine for not driving at a snails pace when you have a 400 mile drive ahead of you

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by tifflee92

Ive gotten 4 speeding tickets in my life, 3 were in Virginia. The unwritten rule in NY metro is 15 miles above speed limit. Not so in Virginia, as i unfortunately found out 300$ later. The cops are *******s, with big smiles on their faces and a friendly warm manor, while at the same time crushing your day and handing you a fine for not driving at a snails pace when you have a 400 mile drive ahead of you

You've been to their mansions? They must really be nice in VA as you've said.

4 speeding tickets and they are the *******s? Might need to look in the mirror on this one. If you've received 3 speeding tickets in VA then you must really drive with a lead foot. The chances of being cited for speeding is pretty darn small and you've hit the jackpot 3 times. Someone needs to reexamine their driving habits and determine who the big dummy really is.

[Beenaroundabit]

The unwritten rule in NY metro is 15 miles above speed limit.

Perhaps that's why I feel as if I'm risking my life when driving through the NY metro area and prefer to spend an extra day to go completely around it .