FTA: The committee also struck a provision ensuring that the reckless penalty is not applied to infractions detected by a red light camera.

Nothing about the year in jail for fighting the ticket. It doesn't qualify it at all.

Failmitter

A law like that would bankrupt all of St. Louis County in a month..

Hell, most drivers don't even attempt to stop when confronted with a red light here in Vegas... worst place ever to drive, within the contiguous US.

Oh noes, that was my fail. Apologies.

/time to brew a pot

Most Virginians will be clueless to this new law. ANd many will get nipped by the police. Profit!

You have to read between the lines: Seizure of property if you get out early for good behavior. Loss of citizenship if you don't donate to their political campaigns. Public executions for those who try to get the law repealed.

Oh great, another law to drain the masses of their hard earned money. My beloved state seems to find new and better ways to describe reckless driving. Of course it's for the protection of public and not for the money.

/Fun fact. Virginia has raised it's speed limit to 70mph on most Interstates, however it is still a reckless driving infraction if you are caught doing 80 mph or more in a posted 70mph zone

Doesn't everyone have the right to represent themselves in the court of law? I didn't read the article, but is the fine for just showing up to fight it, or if you lose the argument?

/idiotic law is idiotic
//herp derp politicians

We used to think of liberty as an inalienable right. Used to.

Wouldn't it be a lot easier if they just set-up police road blocks and take money from citizens at gun point?

Didn't they already try to do this with speeding tickets? Then to try to address the predictable outrage, they said the tickets would only be issued to drivers from out of state...then sadly realized that's illegal.

This is what you ask for when you demand tax cuts and no service cuts.

Ah Virgina. Becoming more and more fascist like Kalifornia.

Subby or attention where? You decide.

tankjr: FTA: The committee also struck a provision ensuring that the reckless penalty is not applied to infractions detected by a red light camera.

Nothing about the year in jail for fighting the ticket. It doesn't qualify it at all.

Failmitter

And you fail. It's a maximum one year in jail for non-exempted times (no camera based infraction.) Realistically nobody would get even close to that, but it is the maximum penalty if one were to take it to trial.

therealpope - I like the cut of your jib, sir.

lajimi: YOU vote for these people, YOU are responsible for their inane behavior.

What about those of us who didn't vote for these people?

This won't make one bit of difference here in Charlottesville. The city and county cops here just don't bother enforcing traffic laws.

tankjr: Nothing about the year in jail for fighting the ticket. It doesn't qualify it at all.

FTA: In practice, the state uses the reckless charge to discourage motorists from challenging citations by forcing a plea bargain that is favorable to the state.

So, you want to fight your red-light camera ticket? No problem, here's a misdemeanor reckless driving to go with it!

It's sad that the bed-wetters are taking over at all levels.

40yoVirgin: Hell, most drivers don't even attempt to stop when confronted with a red light here in Vegas... worst place ever to drive, within the contiguous US.

You know how I know you've never driven in the New York or Boston area?

Turn signals only give your enemy clues to your intentions. Anyone else on the road is to be considered your mortal enemy who is on his way to rape your mother and you HAVE to get there before he does.

This crap is ridiculous, these politicians are just scum. Someone should follow them around with a hidden camera and film them committing these 'crimes'. A rolling right on red is not usually reckless, nor is going 10mph over on the interstate.

I'm dumbfounded at the drivers who stop at red lights and make illegal left turns while the light is still red. Idiots. Right up there with some idiot I saw overtake a driver stopped at a stop sign.

the state uses the reckless charge to discourage motorists from challenging citations by forcing a plea bargain that is favorable to the state.


Nothing says Justice like forcing your residents into submission. I hope they all get struck down.

I thought everyone knew that you had to stop before turning to make a right on a red. It's right there in the handbook. There's nothing sneaky about this.

tarheel07: I'm dumbfounded at the drivers who stop at red lights and make illegal left turns while the light is still red

I've been honked at for not doing that.

Bye bye freedoms.

s1ugg0: 40yoVirgin: Hell, most drivers don't even attempt to stop when confronted with a red light here in Vegas... worst place ever to drive, within the contiguous US.

You know how I know you've never driven in the New York or Boston area?

Turn signals only give your enemy clues to your intentions. Anyone else on the road is to be considered your mortal enemy who is on his way to rape your mother and you HAVE to get there before he does.

After all, this is Virginia we are talkin' about and who wants sloppy seconds with their own kin?

I'm currently hiring a lawyer to fight an 80/70 ticket I got in Virginia a couple of weeks ago, so I'm getting a hell of a kick out of these replies.

Lucky for me, the officer did not write it as a reckless driving ticket, which he could have done for the 80MPH speed. My favorite part is that the lawyer is sure he can reduce it to an improper equipment charge (basically, busted tail light) because the fine for that is more than the fine for my speeding charge. Just proves that speeding laws are all in the name of safety!

gridlocksammy
Oh great, another law to drain the masses of their hard earned money. My beloved state seems to find new and better ways to describe reckless driving. Of course it's for the protection of public and not for the money.

/Fun fact. Virginia has raised it's speed limit to 70mph on most Interstates, however it is still a reckless driving infraction if you are caught doing 80 mph or more in a posted 70mph zone

Got burned by this exact thing year before last. Middle of the night... not a car in sight... trooper hidden on the median.

Bam... $500 ticket.

I don't think that I want to ever go to Virginia.

I thought everyone knew that you had to stop before turning to make a right on a red. It's right there in the handbook. There's nothing sneaky about this.

The penalty is the complaint, and to justify it by calling the infraction reckless driving is ridiculous, reckless diving is generally unsafe passing, extremely aggressive driving, driving well over the speed limit, etc.

s1ugg0: 40yoVirgin: Hell, most drivers don't even attempt to stop when confronted with a red light here in Vegas... worst place ever to drive, within the contiguous US.

You know how I know you've never driven in the New York or Boston area?

Turn signals only give your enemy clues to your intentions. Anyone else on the road is to be considered your mortal enemy who is on his way to rape your mother and you HAVE to get there before he does.

There are parts of Utah where they believe in GOD and drive like it.

I spent an entire afternoon sitting with a friend on his back deck that you could see a major intersection from one winter. The spped limit was 45 on the road. Sure enough, despite compact snow and ice and it still snowing, peeps were doing 50 plus. (Read the blotter the next day).

After the first wreck, cops showed up with lights on etc etc. 10 minutes later, his parked cruiser with lights on was rear ended. 15 after that, the tanker fire truck that responded to the second wreck got hit. We could see several blocks down the street, and noone was slowing down at all for the weather or the emrgency vehicles with lights flashing.

/we took a shot for every person in car at time of crash (had binos)
//opened a beer for everyone that ended in ditch from last minute brake slamming
///dear god I got so trashed so fast

Always get a ride or hire a cab/driver when in Virginia. CHECK.

Thanks for the tip!

Section 46.2-860 of the state code allows police to cite motorists who fail to use a turn signal with reckless driving.

I am a person who gets really really annoyed at people who fail to signal. Consider it one of my pet peeves. Yet even I think it's going overboard to call that "reckless driving." Just rude. Really frickin' rude.

ArmanTanzarian: gridlocksammy
Oh great, another law to drain the masses of their hard earned money. My beloved state seems to find new and better ways to describe reckless driving. Of course it's for the protection of public and not for the money.

/Fun fact. Virginia has raised it's speed limit to 70mph on most Interstates, however it is still a reckless driving infraction if you are caught doing 80 mph or more in a posted 70mph zone

Got burned by this exact thing year before last. Middle of the night... not a car in sight... trooper hidden on the median.

Bam... $500 ticket.

I hate the Fuzz as much as anyone, but speeding more than 10 over is just silly, on any road, and asking for a ticket. You save yourself a few minutes in travel time sure. For $500 and increased insurance rates?

DrRatchet: Virginia legislature:
Speaker of the House William Howell, (R) since 2003
President of the Senate Bill Bolling, (R) since 2008

Virginia is a Red state. Despite all the lip service paid to "freedom" my conservatives, they don't really like it. They like to feel the boot on their neck.

Most Americans love to lick the boot of their masters, no matter what side of the major party they support.

1 year in jail for not fully stopping for a red light right turn? Jesus Christ are they serious?

mekki: I thought everyone knew that you had to stop before turning to make a right on a red. It's right there in the handbook. There's nothing sneaky about this.

No one's saying that it should be legal to not stop on a red. They're commenting on the egregiousness of the penalty, and the Constitutional violation of being punished when you try to have your say in court.

/did I just feed the troll?

Sin_City_Superhero: 40yoVirgin: Hell, most drivers don't even attempt to stop when confronted with a red light here in Vegas... worst place ever to drive, within the contiguous US.

While I agree that motorists here in Vegas suck, I do feel the need to point out that SoCal is far worse.

No place I'd rather NOT drive than Miami. Eesh.

Luminaro: 1 year in jail for not fully stopping for a red light right turn? Jesus Christ are they serious?

They also spend tons of money going after people who make sport bets. They even have their SWAT teams serve warrants for gambling.

Virgina is not for lovers, unless you are into BDSM.

YOU didn't shoot these people, YOU are responsible for their fascist behavior.

AnimateThis:
No place I'd rather NOT drive be than Miami. Eesh.

FTFY

DrRatchet: Virginia legislature:
Speaker of the House William Howell, (R) since 2003
President of the Senate Bill Bolling, (R) since 2008

Virginia is a Red state. Despite all the lip service paid to "freedom" my conservatives, they don't really like it. They like to feel the boot on their neck.

Aren't they the ones always yelling about government intrusion and wanting smaller government?

mekki: I thought everyone knew that you had to stop before turning to make a right on a red. It's right there in the handbook. There's nothing sneaky about this.

That wasn't the issue. The issue lies with the infractions levied against us if when I violate it which is quite often.

It will be stricken eventually.

DrRatchet: Virginia is a Red state. Despite all the lip service paid to "freedom" my conservatives, they don't really like it. They like to feel the boot on their neck.

The neckboot is on the state flag, after all.

Unofficial state motto: 'Knock you down, take your crown'

DigitalCoffee: Aren't they the ones always yelling about government intrusion and wanting smaller government?

Liberal = less restrictions on individuals, more on corporations
Conservative = more on individuals, less on corporations
Libertarian = less on both
Authoritarian = more on both