New Driving Penalities in Virginia
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This seems a bit excessive. I agree with it on local roads, like a 55 in a 35 is wrong, but on the highway? I dunno... I think speeding should have a sliding scale - i.e. 55 in a 35 is a higher penalty than 75 in a 55.
Here's the link:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insur...dingTicket.aspx
Copy and pasted the article here:
Virginia's new $3,550 speeding ticket
Traffic offenders face whopping additional fees that live on long after they've paid their fines. It's part of a growing 'driver responsibility' trend that targets chronic offenders.
By MSN Money staff and wires
Traffic patrols have long been known as roving tax collectors. But in Virginia, they really are collecting taxes.
Starting July 1, an array of traffic offenses, from expired licenses to speeding, come with a "civil remedial fee" attached. That means a motorist convicted of reckless driving (75 mph in a 55 zone would qualify) faces not only a fine of up to $2,500 and a year in jail, but a non-negotiable $350-a-year tax for three years. The law forbids judges from waiving or reducing the fee.
Many fees dwarf the fines. A driver who disobeys an officer's order to pull into a weigh station would be fined $35 and required to pay a $61 court processing fee. But the civil remedial fee would be $900 over three years.
Drunken driving? A fee of $1,000 a year for three years, plus fines and court costs. No insurance? That's $300 a year for three years, plus fines.
It doesn't stop there. Anyone unlucky enough to have 8 points or more on his license (reckless driving is good for 6 by itself) would pay an additional $100, plus $75 for any points over 8, up to $700 a year. (For a complete list of fee-carrying offenses, see this .pdf file.)
Such "driver responsibility programs" have become increasingly common for two reasons: Many states find that serial offenders make up the bulk of their cases, and they simply need the money. In fact, Virginia added a fee rather than increase fines because it wanted the money to improve its roads, and revenue from fines must go to public schools. The fees are expected to raise $200 million a year.
The sponsor of the law, David Albo, is a partner in one of Virginia's largest law firms; one of its specialties is traffic cases.
One twist that has Virginia drivers enraged is that the state can't charge fees on out-of-state drivers or revoke their licenses. For now, the fees apply only to residents.
Video: The hidden price of a traffic ticket
Virginia joins New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Texas in adopting "abusive-driver laws."
Here's a sampling of fees (information from TheNewspaper.com):
Michigan:
$100 a year for as long as the license has 7 points (plus $25 for each point over 7)
$1,000 x 2 years for DUI
$200 x 2 years for expired insurance
$150 x 2 years for an expired license
New Jersey:
$100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $25 for each point over 6)
$1,000 x 3 for DUI
$250 x 3 years for expired insurance
New York:
$100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $75 for each point over 6)
$250 x 3 years for DUI
Texas:
$100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $25 for each point over 6)
$1,000 x 3 years for DUI
$2,500 x 3 years for two DUIs
$250 x 3 years for expired insurance
$100 x 3 years for an expired license
Virginia:
$100 x 3 years for 8 points (plus $75 for each point over 8)
$750 x 3 years for DUI
$250 x 3 years for an expired license
$250 x 3 years expired insurance
Here's the link:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insur...dingTicket.aspx
Copy and pasted the article here:
Virginia's new $3,550 speeding ticket
Traffic offenders face whopping additional fees that live on long after they've paid their fines. It's part of a growing 'driver responsibility' trend that targets chronic offenders.
By MSN Money staff and wires
Traffic patrols have long been known as roving tax collectors. But in Virginia, they really are collecting taxes.
Starting July 1, an array of traffic offenses, from expired licenses to speeding, come with a "civil remedial fee" attached. That means a motorist convicted of reckless driving (75 mph in a 55 zone would qualify) faces not only a fine of up to $2,500 and a year in jail, but a non-negotiable $350-a-year tax for three years. The law forbids judges from waiving or reducing the fee.
Many fees dwarf the fines. A driver who disobeys an officer's order to pull into a weigh station would be fined $35 and required to pay a $61 court processing fee. But the civil remedial fee would be $900 over three years.
Drunken driving? A fee of $1,000 a year for three years, plus fines and court costs. No insurance? That's $300 a year for three years, plus fines.
It doesn't stop there. Anyone unlucky enough to have 8 points or more on his license (reckless driving is good for 6 by itself) would pay an additional $100, plus $75 for any points over 8, up to $700 a year. (For a complete list of fee-carrying offenses, see this .pdf file.)
Such "driver responsibility programs" have become increasingly common for two reasons: Many states find that serial offenders make up the bulk of their cases, and they simply need the money. In fact, Virginia added a fee rather than increase fines because it wanted the money to improve its roads, and revenue from fines must go to public schools. The fees are expected to raise $200 million a year.
The sponsor of the law, David Albo, is a partner in one of Virginia's largest law firms; one of its specialties is traffic cases.
One twist that has Virginia drivers enraged is that the state can't charge fees on out-of-state drivers or revoke their licenses. For now, the fees apply only to residents.
Video: The hidden price of a traffic ticket
Virginia joins New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Texas in adopting "abusive-driver laws."
Here's a sampling of fees (information from TheNewspaper.com):
Michigan:
$100 a year for as long as the license has 7 points (plus $25 for each point over 7)
$1,000 x 2 years for DUI
$200 x 2 years for expired insurance
$150 x 2 years for an expired license
New Jersey:
$100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $25 for each point over 6)
$1,000 x 3 for DUI
$250 x 3 years for expired insurance
New York:
$100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $75 for each point over 6)
$250 x 3 years for DUI
Texas:
$100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $25 for each point over 6)
$1,000 x 3 years for DUI
$2,500 x 3 years for two DUIs
$250 x 3 years for expired insurance
$100 x 3 years for an expired license
Virginia:
$100 x 3 years for 8 points (plus $75 for each point over 8)
$750 x 3 years for DUI
$250 x 3 years for an expired license
$250 x 3 years expired insurance
#166
for Marcus (?) The Chinadian
#167
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Originally Posted by boogers_r_yummy,Jul 6 2007, 05:32 PM
You're asian. You're supposed to be on top of things. Tsk tsk. We all know about this.
Where have I been? - working 12 hours a day now.
Also, my disclaimer is that I'm only HALF asian.
-Marcus
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Originally Posted by PopTarts,Jun 25 2007, 01:56 PM
You'll have to excuse me... I'm just really tired of all the gay pride parades in Roanoke
Sorry dude, I know that was uncalled for...