Virginia Speed Limit Increase: Potential Penalties & Call to Action

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of a recent bill in Virginia that increases the speed limit on rural interstate highways from 65 MPH to 70 MPH. Participants explore the potential penalties associated with reckless driving, particularly in the context of the new speed limit, and share personal experiences related to speeding and traffic laws.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern that the increase in speed limit does not correspondingly adjust the reckless driving thresholds, which could lead to penalties for safe driving practices in traffic.
  • Others argue that it is unnecessary to exceed the speed limit to safely pass slower vehicles, questioning the rationale behind needing to speed up to avoid causing danger to faster drivers.
  • A participant shares a personal anecdote about receiving a reckless driving charge, highlighting the anxiety associated with such legal repercussions.
  • Some participants suggest that traffic conditions should influence speed limits, advocating for a more flexible approach based on real-time conditions rather than fixed limits.
  • There is a discussion about the definition of reckless driving, with some asserting that driving at 80 MPH under certain conditions may not be reckless, while others emphasize that any speed over 80 MPH is defined as reckless in Virginia.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally do not reach a consensus, as multiple competing views remain regarding the appropriateness of current speed limits, the definition of reckless driving, and the implications of the new law on driver behavior.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the relationship between speed limits and safe driving practices, as well as the influence of traffic patterns and road conditions on the appropriateness of speed limits.

  • #31
Josh111 said:
Many people in the DC area do 60 anyway. Agree?

If the traffic isn't too bad, yeah. As I posted, the danger is generally going faster or slower than the flow of traffic, which is generally dictated by road design more than anything else.
 
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  • #32
FYI, "Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft" is not a bluff in VA. They actually do this, much to my surprise.
 
  • #33
DavidSnider said:
FYI, "Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft" is not a bluff in VA. They actually do this, much to my surprise.
Tell me about it. :-p

file.php?2,file=15383,filename=apache.jpg
 
  • #34
Borg said:
Tell me about it. :-p

file.php?2,file=15383,filename=apache.jpg

:smile:
 
  • #35
DavidSnider said:
FYI, "Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft" is not a bluff in VA. They actually do this, much to my surprise.

REALLY!? I always went :rolleyes: to those signs. Did you get a ticket from a helicopter/airplane? This I have to hear.
 
  • #36
Cyrus said:
REALLY!? I always went :rolleyes: to those signs. Did you get a ticket from a helicopter/airplane? This I have to hear.
I always considered it a bluff too: I can't imagine how many $100 fines an hour they would have to issue to pay for a light plane or helicopter!
 
  • #37
russ_watters said:
I always considered it a bluff too: I can't imagine how many $100 fines an hour they would have to issue to pay for a light plane or helicopter!

Duh, that's why they use spare hellfire rockets, then sieze your estate. :smile:
 
  • #38
Cyrus said:
REALLY!? I always went :rolleyes: to those signs. Did you get a ticket from a helicopter/airplane? This I have to hear.

No a friend did. The planes radio down to a group of around 10 cops down the road who are waiting to actually issue the tickets.
 
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  • #39
DavidSnider said:
No a friend did. The planes radio down to a group of around 10 cops down the road who are waiting to actually issue the tickets.

That is badass.
 
  • #40
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/03/AR2007010301725.html

Signs warning drivers about speed-detecting aircraft are planted along the region's interstates. But the unit had only nine missions resulting in 111 tickets statewide in 2004, compared with 48 missions and almost 70 tickets when aerial enforcement began in 2002. From January to October 2006, the unit flew 31 missions and issued 437 tickets, not including the 23 reckless driving citations issued on a recent Saturday when only those traveling faster than 80 mph were targeted.
 
  • #41
russ_watters said:
I always considered it a bluff too: I can't imagine how many $100 fines an hour they would have to issue to pay for a light plane or helicopter!

About two or three, per hour!
 
  • #42
DavidSnider said:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/03/AR2007010301725.html

I fight your source, with a counter source!

At its peak, Virginia State Police issued around 2,145 tickets per year as a result of the aerial enforcement program. However, since then, the numbers have been declining. As it costs about $90/hour to keep the Cessnas staffed and maintained, Virginia has decided to suspend the aerial enforcement program as a result of millions of dollars in budget cuts which have also forced the closure of the Manassas, Virginia airport and the sale of one of its planes.

http://www.vapersonalinjuryaccidentattorney.com/library/virginia-ends-aerial-speed-enforcement-program.cfm
 
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