Scary to get a ticket in Virginia

Virginia Introduces $3550 Speeding Ticket
Virginia legislator introduces new speeding ticket tax that boosts penalties beyond $3550, driving business to his traffic law firm.

Virginia motorists convicted of minor traffic violations will face a new, multi-year tax beginning July 1. Led by state Delegate David B. Albo (R-Springfield), lawmakers slipped a driver responsibility tax into a larger transportation funding bill signed by Governor Tim Kaine (D) in April. 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.

"The purpose of the civil remedial fees imposed in this section is to generate revenue," the new law states. (Virginia Code 46.2-206.1)

Driving as little as 15 MPH over the limit on an interstate highway now brings six license demerit points, a fine of up to $2500, up to one year in jail, and a new mandatory $1050 tax. The law also imposes an additional annual fee of up to $100 if a prior conviction leaves the motorist with a balance of eight demerit points, plus $75 for each additional point (up to $700 a year). The conviction in this example remains on the record for five years.

Other six-point convictions include "failing to give a proper signal," "passing a school bus" or "driving with an obstructed view." The same $1050 assessment applies, but the conviction remains on the record for eleven years.

Although the amount of the tax can add up quickly, the law forbids judges from reducing or suspending it in any way. The tax applies only to Virginia residents, so that out-of-state motorists only need to pay the regular ticket amount. Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Texas also impose a somewhat more modest driver responsibility tax which they apply to out-of-state residents.

The Virginia Supreme Court provides a full explanation of the new penalties for each traffic infraction in the 34k PDF file at the source link below. Update: View which legislators support a repeal, link to online petition.

Source: Civil Remedial Fees (Executive Secretary, Virginia Supreme Court, 6/21/2007)

LINKYS
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1818.asp
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1880.asp​

 

There goes the Virginia tourism industry!!! At least they are up front about the purpose of the civil remedial fees - and I thought speeding fines were all about road safety!

 

Holy Cow! I'm a police officer (Not in VA), and even I think those fines are extreme!!

 

Well I wont be doing the skyline drive along the Shenandoah Mts....ever again!! Great thing to do, but not so fun when you have to keep your eyes on your speedo, instead of the views. I heard about this awhile ago, but I heard it was only going to be for in-state residents only. Maybe I misunderstood. Guess I wont be going to Chincoteague Isle anymore either.
Man, that sucks!!

 

Virginia is a crooked, nazi state.......exCUSE ME!!! Commonwealth.


Lane

 

R.W.

I used to live in Maryland from 97 to 03, and I can tell you I never went 20 miles over the speed limit when I would go over to VA to ride. It was harsh back then and the VA troopers DID NOT cut you a break back then.

I was in managment for a large corporation and at our company meetings more than one employee had suffered the wrath of VA's speeding laws.

BZ

 

From the ridiculous to the sublime:

"Virginia: Bicyclist Hit With $1050 Abusive Driver Fee
A Newport News, Virginia court applies the abusive driver fees to a man riding a bicycle.

Virginia political leaders defended the civil remedial fee speeding ticket tax by insisting that they did not apply to minor offenses and only the "worst of drivers" had to worry about them. On January 10, the Newport News General District Court disagreed and imposed a $1050 fee on the driver of an 18-speed Huffy.


Bicyclist Kajuan Cornish, 19, has not accumulated a bad driving record because he does not own an automobile. That did not stop Newport News Police Officer George Evans for writing up Cornish as he pedaled down Warwick Boulevard near Denbigh Boulevard on December 27. Cornish was headed back to work after taking a lunch break.

"The officer who pulled me over said I was going too fast," Cornish told WAVY-TV. "He said it looked like I was in a rush."

A judge agreed with Officer Evans and now Cornish must either pay the fee or hire a traffic attorney and fight his case before a circuit court in February. State Delegate Dave Albo (R-Springfield), the architect of the fees -- and a traffic attorney -- says he is surprised that a judge would apply them to a bicyclist. Albo has offered a proposal to save the abusive driver fees despite bipartisan agreement among the governor and lieutenant governor to scrap them entirely.

 

Some times wonder if these guys really think these things through. (Yea, I know, stupid question) For a $200 ticket, I'll pull over and take my lumps. For $3500, the thought of taking off would certainly cross my mind!

 

READ!!!

They are screwing their citizens, not the tourists. The additional "fee" is only for Virginia drivers. This is why VARollon (bad spelling) sold his bike after his DUI... the fines, er fees killed him. So it only sucks if you are wearing Virginia plates.

Traffic on the DC beltway still is going 20-30mph over the 55mph limit when I travel on 95 for work.

Also note this is a fee on interstates, not the roads you'd like cruise on your VFR.

Maryland will likely be doing something like it next year if it generates money that would suck.

 

Maybe this Albo character needs to be impeached- it's obvious where his bias lies in supporting such corrupt legislation.

 

And the Va Supreme Court upheld this? What ever happened to the cruel and unusual clause? If this fee were applied to, say...making a death row inmate pay for his own execution...the world would come down around their ears. That's frakin crazy.

 

My understanding is that this only applies to Virginia resident drivers. Virginia never has been known for being lenient on traffic offenses. I've heard of Va troopers writing out-of state deputies for having a headlight out (during daylight hours no less) while enroute to pick up a prisioner for transportation back to court. I really hate that because they have some great roads and I'm only about 30 miles from the state line. They enacted a similar law last summer, I guess this one supercedes the old one, but I haven't riden in Va since. Eventhough THP has cracked down on the DRAGON, it would take 10 or more tickets to equal a Va citation. I'll stick to TN and NC now. Hows the riding in Northern GA?

 

Not that I make a habit of trying to speed.... but I know first hand about VA fines, got one back in 93 on my 87 VFR, had Pa. plates so I didnt pay, Pa suspended my Lisc.for not paying Va. fine. It was a mess to say the least. Va has some very nice roads mountains or coastline but Id still think twice about touring through that state again...

 

All but a very few states have reciprocating agreements, meaning if you fail to pay an out-of-state ticket , your home state will suspend you license. You then get to pay the original fine plus court cost and letigation fees to the originating state AND re-instatement fees to your home state.

 

Yeah, that was a lesson hard learned, better off to have made that mistake when I was young, knock on wood, my Driving record is a clean slate these days. Va fines are very expensive though nonetheless.

 

Then there was the time I had to forfeit my license and pay $150 because I was in Oklahoma, had an out of state plate (Colorado, dear me - those liberals!), and was clocked going 57 in a 55. That was in 1975 and I will never forget the Gestapo stosstrupp who tried his best to throw me in jail for being under 25.

 

Sepp - was you a long haired hippy type? :wink: $150 buck in 75 was a bucket full of money. Apparently they did not appreciate how hard you were working to leave their fine state.

 

Welcome to the "common wealth" state of VA.

 

Yep, that was me - 6 months away from commissioning in the US Army. I guess they did not appreciate my short haircut and the way I kept calling them "sir", and stuff.
Years later, as a colonel, I was happy to go 57 thru OK City, just to see they still enforced their laws equally.
Heh.

 

:biggrin: As much as I hate to say it.... Your dead on. for $3500 you'd have to catch me.:decision: