As a Virginian, I have no problem with these new fines. Seems to me, unless you are either a bad driver or an habitual offender, you won’t have anything to worry about. Drastic actions mean drastic measures. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive recklessly. Don’t drive on a suspended license. HELLO!!!
I too think it is a great idea. Drive safely and responsibly, this doesn’t affect you. Don’t drive responsibly, pay the fine. However, I would be interested to see if the number of infractions “coincidentally” increases now that repeat offenders can be fined. Great way to generate revenue, so long as it is not abused. Would that ever happen?
Seems to me you haven’t bothered to find out what the outrage is actually about. Sure, higher fines are great…problem is it doesn’t apply to everyone, therefore it will have little effect. It’s a cash grab, pure and simple; the Commonwealth can’t use increased fines for pet projects, but these ‘fees’ (they aren’t fines) they can use for all sorts of things. They can’t charge the ‘fees’ (only fines)to out of state motorists, therefore we get hung out to dry. Interstates 95, 64 and 81 continue to resemble a restart at the Daytona 500, since a large percentage of the traffic doesn’t have to give this program a second thought. Do you feel safer? You shouldn’t…
Come on! The courts have continually said that driving is a privilege, not a right. A privilege afforded to each resident by THEIR state. So, fees for not abiding by the rules would be warranted. If I lived in VA and I was a repeat violator, VA should charge me fees for my inability to follow the rules and the added costs my bad behavior causes the rest of the state. If I live in MD, and get caught in VA, my home state should be responsible for my fees, which are in excess of the fines I am still responsible to pay in VA.
So, maybe all of the states will eventually enact such wonderful fee structures, so we can all benefit.
As for the statement made in the article that this was hard on poor people, I am sorry to say it is true, but just because someone makes less money, shouldn’t mean they have less responsibility to follow rules or act within societal norms! Poverty is not an excuse for bad driving!!!
The next time I get pulled over I’m going to try this “I had no idea” defense and see if it flys.
This guy had no idea of the fines, he had no idea his court date was moved, he probably had no idea his license was suspended (on his 5th conviction).
I’ve got an idea… let the state charge him the $1000 then use that money to buy him a bus pass.
Then he could afford the fine since he wouldn’t have to pay for gas or insurance… oh yeah, he probably wasn’t aware he’d need insurance.
As a Virginian, I have no problem with these new fines. Seems to me, unless you are either a bad driver or an habitual offender, you won’t have anything to worry about. Drastic actions mean drastic measures. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive recklessly. Don’t drive on a suspended license. HELLO!!!
I too think it is a great idea. Drive safely and responsibly, this doesn’t affect you. Don’t drive responsibly, pay the fine. However, I would be interested to see if the number of infractions “coincidentally” increases now that repeat offenders can be fined. Great way to generate revenue, so long as it is not abused. Would that ever happen?
Seems to me you haven’t bothered to find out what the outrage is actually about. Sure, higher fines are great…problem is it doesn’t apply to everyone, therefore it will have little effect. It’s a cash grab, pure and simple; the Commonwealth can’t use increased fines for pet projects, but these ‘fees’ (they aren’t fines) they can use for all sorts of things. They can’t charge the ‘fees’ (only fines)to out of state motorists, therefore we get hung out to dry. Interstates 95, 64 and 81 continue to resemble a restart at the Daytona 500, since a large percentage of the traffic doesn’t have to give this program a second thought. Do you feel safer? You shouldn’t…
Come on! The courts have continually said that driving is a privilege, not a right. A privilege afforded to each resident by THEIR state. So, fees for not abiding by the rules would be warranted. If I lived in VA and I was a repeat violator, VA should charge me fees for my inability to follow the rules and the added costs my bad behavior causes the rest of the state. If I live in MD, and get caught in VA, my home state should be responsible for my fees, which are in excess of the fines I am still responsible to pay in VA.
So, maybe all of the states will eventually enact such wonderful fee structures, so we can all benefit.
As for the statement made in the article that this was hard on poor people, I am sorry to say it is true, but just because someone makes less money, shouldn’t mean they have less responsibility to follow rules or act within societal norms! Poverty is not an excuse for bad driving!!!