Moving to Virginia and could use some advice

alex3610

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Give the VSP a break. They are a great LE agency. As much as seeing the grey ghost seems a drag (if you are speeding), their efforts save lives, especially their holiday awareness campaigns.

VSP is not the problem. They are merely doing their jobs. I work with them all the time and can't fault them one bit. As someone else posted, a self serving state law maker is largely to blame for the ridiculous speeding laws here. While this is all done allegedly in the name of safety, I wonder if our deaths per mile or however they are calculated are any different than any other states with less draconian speeding laws. I highly suspect that they aren't. While speed may be a factor in some accidents, I think it pales in comparison to inattentive/ distracted driving.
 

silver03svt

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I drive down to VA all the time for the holidays since my in laws live there. LE hid in between the cuts of I-64 and especially route 13 near the cheesapeake bay bridge. One advice I could give that everyone mentioned is do not speed. I wonder why its so strict down there. This is only state that really presses on it. I remember years ago that NJST got pulled over riding through VA with there lights and sirens to help victims of hurricane Katrina by Virginia troopers. All in it was giant mess lol.

Let me briefly respond to this, and there is ONE BIG misconception to this. The incident happened on I-81, and they were not heading TO help the Katrina disaster victims....they were HEADED HOME from there, they were running lights and sirens up the interstate, passing on the shoulders, etc.....endangering many innocent lives just to save time off of their travels......
 

silver03svt

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Let's clear the air up a bit on the Virginia speeding laws. MANY years ago, back when the max speed limits were 55 or 60, the Reckless Driving by Speed law was:
1. Anything 20 MPH or more over the posted limit, except in a posted 35 MPH zone where 60 MPH or more was Reckless.
2. Any speed in excess of 80MPH, regardless of the speed zone.


As the laws changed, and the speed limits were raised to 65, and eventually 70, lawmakers changed the Reckless Driving statute to say that Reckless Driving was ANYTHING 20 MPH or more over the posted limit.

LAWMAKERS NEVER CHANGED THE "ANYTHING IN EXCESS OF 80 MPH" phrasing, therefore 81 and above in a 65 or 70 MPH speed zone is still considered recklessness. People do not understand that I, as an LEO, do not have a choice in how I write that UNLESS the judge in each particular jurisdiction says otherwise.

Are we, as LEO's in Virginia really hard on that? Depends on who you ask. Are we particularly strict on holiday travel times? Absolutely. With massive amounts of travelling public out during these times, we are more aware of people's driving habits. It is no secret in Virginia that police officers are out in force on holiday periods, as we put out MANY PSA in all forms of media. People make their own choice on driving habits, and I, for one, have no issues doing my job strictly in order to help others arrive at their destinations safely.
 

NasteeNate

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Let me briefly respond to this, and there is ONE BIG misconception to this. The incident happened on I-81, and they were not heading TO help the Katrina disaster victims....they were HEADED HOME from there, they were running lights and sirens up the interstate, passing on the shoulders, etc.....endangering many innocent lives just to save time off of their travels......

Hmmm. If that is the case that is pretty bad on there part.
 

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