JAAulde
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Premium,MVM
join:2001-05-09
Hagerstown, MD
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| Errrm...speeding in VA is bad, mmkay?
Well, I got nailed in Southern VA back in late Dec--91mph in a 65mph zone.
Apparently this level of speeding is a Class I Misdemeanor and is not pre-payable. Speeding ticket not issued, rather a summons to a trial date with a form to sign and return if I wanted to plead guilty and be tried in absentia. So I signed and sent the form since the trial is about 6 hours form where I live and I was, indeed, guilty.
The trial took place Tuesday. So I looked up the disposition of the case online today and--holy crap! Fine: $650. Court Costs: $71. License suspension: 30 days. 
Man oh man, they got me good! The one thing that irritates me is that, while I was dead wrong and know it, why any speeding offense can be put into the highest level of misdemeanor the State has. I mean, speeding!? WTF are the other misdemeanor classes even for? Class I misdemeanors carry a possible $2500 fine and up to 12 months in jail. That's crazy man--speeding.
Anyway, the law is the law and I was doin' wrong so pay I will. 
One question, though: Since I am a MD resident with MD license, what does a suspended license in VA mean for me? Am I not allowed to drive in VA? Or are MD and VA in cahoots and I shouldn't be driving anywhere?
Ugh...wait til the insurance gets a load of this.
Jim
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No eat apple, eat cookie. Apple spoil dinner.
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Spiral
No Easy Way To Be Free.
Premium
join:2003-03-04
Baltimore, MD
| Sorry to hear about that, I'll sure watch myself down there!
said by JAAulde  :One question, though: Since I am a MD resident with MD license, what does a suspended license in VA mean for me? Am I not allowed to drive in VA? Or are MD and VA in cahoots and I shouldn't be driving anywhere? A couple of possible answers here...
»answers.yahoo.com/question/index···0AAMuULA |
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SixOfNine
Brake In A Ladylike Manner.
join:2001-08-30
Sterling, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to JAAulde
I suspect you'll be OK as long as you don't drive in Virginia, but I'm no expert and I don't know the details of reciprocity between VA and MD.
During the period of suspension don't lose your license or do anything else that would force you to deal with the Maryland DMV about your MD license. Trying to do something such as getting a lost license replaced would probably trigger a National Driver Registry (NDR) check, which would reveal your suspension and prevent you from getting a new or replacement license until your Virginia suspension is cleared.
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Verizon FIOS |
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seaquake
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD
clubs:  
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to JAAulde
91 in a 65? To me it sounds like you got off pretty light. I know people around here speed like fiends but you must have really stuck out for going that fast. Glad to hear you aren't making excuses.
From a friends previous experience, the speeding ticket he received in DE didn't cause him to accrue points in MD. This was back in 1991 and it sounded like their systems didn't talk to each other. Since 9/11, I'd almost be willing to bet that this is no longer the case.
If I were you, I'd seek immediate legal consul on your situation. At least find out how the penalty and loss of license may or may not affect you. |
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Da Geek Kid
join:2003-10-11
Mclean, VA
| reply to JAAulde
here's a link: »jalopnik.com/cars/rules-of-the-r···3826.php
in VA anything over 80 is reckless. Even if the speed limit is set to 75MPH. 80+ in this situation is NOT a 5+ over the speed limit.
your lucky you are not living in VA or you have been slapped 5K for being a VA resident... |
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pbvan
join:2003-02-09
Fairfax, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| said by Da Geek Kid :your lucky you are not living in VA or you have been slapped 5K for being a VA resident... He is right.
Last year a friend was driving in Maryland; got two tickets. One for speeding, one reckless driving. He did go to court and plead guilty before a judge and got hit with over $300.00 fines and points as well as Maryland suspending his Va license. Shortly after his court appearance he received a letter from VaDMV telling him to return his license as it was suspended for 90 days because of his guilty plea in Maryland.
Maryland and Virginia do have reciprocity, whether Maryland will honor the Va suspension is a question either a lawyer or Maryland DMV can answer.
Hope all goes well for ya. |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
 ·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
edit:
February 14th, @11:54PM
| reply to JAAulde
Depending on your insurance company, you can expect a phone call within about thirty days notifying you that your policy has been suspended/cancelled. It all depends on how plugged-in they are to the various agencies' computers. Even if they don't cancel you, your rates are gonna go stratospheric.
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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell |
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Smokey
I'm so much cooler offline
Premium
join:2003-05-20
Va Beach
clubs:
| reply to JAAulde
Your driving privileges in the commonwealth is suspended for 30 days, and the VA DMV will notify MD DMV that you have been convicted of reckless speeding/driving and will leave it to MD to suspended your license in MD.
What this means is that effective the date of your conviction, you can not operate a vehicle in VA. Effective the date MD issues a suspension (at their discretion, but most states will suspended your license when they are notified) you will be suspended in MD as well. Normally this would only be for the duration of the VA suspension but that is a MD DMV issue.
Now here is a kicker... Even after your 30 days are up, you will still be suspended in VA until you pay a reinstatement fee to the VA DMV. Right now that fee is $87. When your 30 days is up, contact VA DMV to be reinstated.
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Para Bellum!! |
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Smokey
I'm so much cooler offline
Premium
join:2003-05-20
Va Beach
clubs: | reply to Da Geek Kid
He would have been hit with $1,050 fee. Reckless driving is 350 per year for three years. $350 upon conviction, 350 14 months after conviction and 350 within 26 months of conviction.
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Para Bellum!! |
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AquaBlaze
Premium
join:2004-02-02
Encino, CA
| reply to seaquake
said by seaquake :From a friends previous experience, the speeding ticket he received in DE didn't cause him to accrue points in MD. This was back in 1991 and it sounded like their systems didn't talk to each other. Since 9/11, I'd almost be willing to bet that this is no longer the case. They still don't...for normal speeding tickets. For those bumped into the class of a misdemeanor, I'm not sure.
I got busted in MN for doing 75 in a 65 MPH zone, and I never saw any points translated back to my license in CA. |
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moopenguin32
join:2003-11-02
Raleigh, NC
| reply to JAAulde
I feel your pain. In 2003, I was caught doing 82 in a 65. I too was given a court summons rather than a ticket. VA has some of the worst traffic laws. It's even worse if you live there because they can actually slap some ridiculous fine on you. Other states don't observe this, so VA can only do this to those that live there. |
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Smokey
I'm so much cooler offline
Premium
join:2003-05-20
Va Beach
clubs:
| Just a lil note... All "tickets" are summons in VA. Some allow you to prepay, some do not. The reason you were not allowed to prepay is because your speed was above 80 mph, automatically making it a class 1 misdemeanor.
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Para Bellum!! |
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JAAulde
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Premium,MVM
join:2001-05-09
Hagerstown, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| I see. I appreciate your insight here.
I'll repeat that I do know I was wrong, and knew it at the time. The context (which I won't go into here) makes the offense more understandable in my opinion, but I violated the statutes and the officer did his job. No anger at him at all.
What I don't get is why the citizens of VA allow their government to get away with this level of punishment over such a petty thing. Repeated offenses are a different case as well as causing death, injury, damage, etc. But to be this harsh to a first time offender for something like speeding--and even harsher to your own residents--is over the top. The citizens of VA should really stand up against that. It is clear that the govt of VA has gone beyond trying to protect the public and is involved in a cash grab. In other circumstances, the law would call this extortion.
Oh well. Dealing with the consequences of my own stupidity. The fees I can deal with, and if MD suspends my license it will suck, but I can deal with that for the small amount of time too. But if my insurance drops me I am screwed. /me learns a hard lesson on this one.
Jim |
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seaquake
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
| said by JAAulde :What I don't get is why the citizens of VA allow their government to get away with this level of punishment over such a petty thing. Repeated offenses are a different case as well as causing death, injury, damage, etc. But to be this harsh to a first time offender for something like speeding--and even harsher to your own residents--is over the top. This is where I disagree. The speed limit laws are in place for a reason. Getting caught only once is no more wrong than getting caught multiple times. In all honesty, speed limits are a joke in the bulk of this country. They aren't well enforced and the penalties aren't harsh enough from people taking the "risk" in breaking them.
I try to stay within a few MPH of the speed limit. I do 61 in a 55 on the way to work. Why don't I do 55? Because my ass would get run over in a heartbeat and I'm not comfortable doing 55 when the bulk of the traffic is doing 70 or so. I just set my cruise control, sit in the right lane and let everyone pass left...State and County police included. Hence my mention about enforcement being a joke.
Speeding tickets are nothing more than a money maker. Exceed the speed limit by 20 or other magical number, it becomes a bigger money maker. It shouldn't be that way. If they really wanted to get people to drive the speed limit, they'd enforce the laws and use suspension of licenses instead of fines as punishment.
OK, after reading my thoughts, it sound like I do agree with you to a degree  |
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madrhino
join:2004-07-03
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
edit:
February 15th, @09:04AM
| reply to JAAulde
said by JAAulde :What I don't get is why the citizens of VA allow their government to get away with this level of punishment over such a petty thing. Repeated offenses are a different case as well as causing death, injury, damage, etc. But to be this harsh to a first time offender for something like speeding--and even harsher to your own residents--is over the top. The citizens of VA should really stand up against that. It is clear that the govt of VA has gone beyond trying to protect the public and is involved in a cash grab. In other circumstances, the law would call this extortion. It's because Virginia is politician scums dream state.They have 2 distinct factions- the yuppie tree huggers who move to NOVA from the other 49 states to serve their scum masters in Congress and steal from their fellow citizens via defense contracts , and the normal people who in the rest of the state and want to live their lives the way they want, the way Virginians have forever.
The politicians are experts at pitting these 2 factions against each other, splitting the vote and placing candidates that can screw 'em all.
While Va does have reciprocity laws with Md and DC so the y can more effectively rape and pillage all who enter the state, they do not have reciprocity laws when it comes to the plundering of the Chesapeake bay. They plunder the menhaden population(the primary baitfish) and starve the rockfish and bluefish as a result.
The attitude of the VA government is screw 'em all and steal their stuff,whether they live here or not. |
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JAAulde
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Premium,MVM
join:2001-05-09
Hagerstown, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to seaquake
said by seaquake :This is where I disagree. The speed limit laws are in place for a reason. Getting caught only once is no more wrong than getting caught multiple times. In all honesty, speed limits are a joke in the bulk of this country. They aren't well enforced and the penalties aren't harsh enough from people taking the "risk" in breaking them. Well, I won't argue too hard with you here as I am no moral relativist and agree that wrong is wrong and needs punishment. I'm just feeling the pain of a much larger punishment than I ever expected.
said by seaquake :I try to stay within a few MPH of the speed limit. I do 61 in a 55 on the way to work. Why don't I do 55? Because my ass would get run over in a heartbeat and I'm not comfortable doing 55 when the bulk of the traffic is doing 70 or so. This is where I'll say that while you aren't speeding as much, you're still speeding and using the same argument that everyone on those roads uses. The excuse is, IMO, thin and flimsy and leads to relativism. That aside, what if you did get pulled at 61 in a 55 and were issued a $500 ticket with many other "crap rolls down hill" repercussions? I mean, you were speeding, right?
said by seaquake :OK, after reading my thoughts, it sound like I do agree with you to a degree Heh, yeah, I guess we both have some mixed feelings on the issue. And again, my feelings ar e little stronger right now given my predicament (which I got myself into, so I should shutup  ).
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No eat apple, eat cookie. Apple spoil dinner.
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Da Geek Kid
join:2003-10-11
Mclean, VA
| The problem in the ENTIRE US is Education, period. Neither the Police nor the folks know how to drive and most know very little about rules of the road. Police only know what the rules are and how to charge ANYONE for breaking ANY law. I have nothing against the Police, since they are here to protect ME!!!
Personally I see no reason why people speeding over 80 on these pot hole infested roads should not go to jail. Although we like to throw way to many people in jail and its on our economy. |
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seaquake
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to JAAulde
said by JAAulde :said by seaquake :I try to stay within a few MPH of the speed limit. I do 61 in a 55 on the way to work. Why don't I do 55? Because my ass would get run over in a heartbeat and I'm not comfortable doing 55 when the bulk of the traffic is doing 70 or so. This is where I'll say that while you aren't speeding as much, you're still speeding and using the same argument that everyone on those roads uses. The excuse is, IMO, thin and flimsy and leads to relativism. That aside, what if you did get pulled at 61 in a 55 and were issued a $500 ticket with many other "crap rolls down hill" repercussions? I mean, you were speeding, right? I suck at figuring out these quotes, so I apologize in advance...
Yep, I'm breaking the law by going 6MPH over the speed limit. We agree on that, no doubt. However, as everyone in this country comes to expect, you can exceed the speed limit by 5 to 7MPH in 98% of the areas out there and not expect ANY type of trouble with law enforcement...under normal circumstances. If they're out looking for quotas or DUI, 6MPH gives them a reason to pull you over.
So, I'm using the increased speed as a low-risk act of self preservation. I've seen people do 50 to 55 on this road and about get rear ended. That's why I won't do the speed limit. Now when I get on the interstate, I sit at 65MPH in the right lane because I'm closer to the normal flow of traffic speed. So I can actually do the speed limit and not fear being run over like a squirrel.
But, as you increase your speed over the limit, it's just going to draw attention to yourself. Someone doing 90+MPH on a road where the flow of traffic is normally 75 to 80 is going to be spotted by a police officer immediately and pulled over. That's why you are in your predicament right now. Were you any more wrong than those doing 80 around you? Technically, no. But you stuck out of the pack and that's why you got nailed. Those around you reduced their risk of being "caught" because they blended in with everyone else.
Hopefully I'm not coming off as criticizing you. Just trying to have a friendly discussion. I'll stop now. I will say I admire you for stepping up and taking responsibility for your actions and accepting your punishment. Of course you don't like it, but when did anyone in this world "Like" their punishment? |
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JAAulde
yum yum yum yum yum
Premium,MVM
join:2001-05-09
Hagerstown, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by seaquake :Hopefully I'm not coming off as criticizing you. Just trying to have a friendly discussion. I'll stop now. I will say I admire you for stepping up and taking responsibility for your actions and accepting your punishment. Of course you don't like it, but when did anyone in this world "Like" their punishment? No problem--I'm taking it in the spirit intended as you are with my comments. |
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StanHaymarkt
join:2002-08-17
Falls Church, VA
| reply to JAAulde
said by JAAulde :What I don't get is why the citizens of VA allow their government to get away with this level of punishment over such a petty thing. Repeated offenses are a different case as well as causing death, injury, damage, etc. But to be this harsh to a first time offender for something like speeding--and even harsher to your own residents--is over the top. The citizens of VA should really stand up against that. It is clear that the govt of VA has gone beyond trying to protect the public and is involved in a cash grab. In other circumstances, the law would call this extortion. Jim These crazy and stupid fees VA has tacked onto VA residents are being administered (collected) by the VA DMV so they can only force people with a VA license to pay them. These fines were added to offenses like speeding, reckless driving and DUI as a way to pay for road repairs because the politicians in Richmond won't pay for road improvements or maintenance in NO VA. Yes it is just a money grab. They enjoy taking tax money from NO VA but don't do much for spending it in NO VA. I think there are several challenges to these fees in court now but until they are decided VA politicians say charge them and they are. The law(s) allowing these fees were not voted on by the masses, only politicians. Attempts to add these fees to all persons via the courts was shot down by people in VA that vote.
We do elect some awful stupid or misguided or just plain crazy thinking people to office don't we? Look at Tom Davis and his let's fix baseball hearings, Gov Gilmore with his car tax cut (what a joke), Tom Rust with his "help the illegals because we like having VA look and feel and smell like downtown Tegucigalpa".......The list keeps going. |
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