Motorists vent to Kaine about bad-driver fees

Why aren't they treated the same as locals? They drive just as bad and should have to pay the fine if they do.

If we don't impose some type of fine or punishment for these people, then our laws are ineffective. Why should we allow these people to continually break the law? However, I think that out-of-state drivers should be subject to the same fines. Why can't the state work with the feds to enforce our laws? Some, but not all, of these out-of-staters are military related. A lot are vacationers. We can still fine them and report them to their home state DMV. We need more cooperation with other states. Also, if the tourists come back to or through our state, then make it a criminal offense. I'm tired of obeying the law and getting run over by inconsiderate drivers from other states.

how about we fine those idiots that go 15-20 when the speed limit is 55? People like that are really what holds traffic up.

It's time to get out of Virginia and stay out.

For those who say the solution is not to speed or drive drunk, I have news for you! In late February I was pulled over in Virginia Beach. I got off the interstate to avoid the people driving like maniacs in the bad weather. A cop pulled me over and said I was speeding. In fact, he said I was going 13 miles over which was a blatant lie. I was going exactly the speed limit. I told him he must have pulled the wrong car and he said he clocked me. He didn't bother running my license to see that I am a good driver. He immediately issued a ticket. I got my car calibrated and missed work for court. In court, he admitted he did not have me on radar and I presented the judge with my calibration and driver improvement class cert. The judge said guilty

I like the fees and the HRTA as well. I look forward to this Governor punishing the working middle class further ... it will prove what I told voters a long time ago .. don't vote for this idiot as your Governor. Now I can rub it in :)

If we really want to gain revenue for road construction, just post a few troopers on 264 between 4 and 6 when the far left lane in designated for HOV. I drive this route everyday and can tell you that 70% of the people in the HOV lane do not qualify to be there! I guarantee that in one week the city will generate enough revenue to fix any roads in the city!!! Maybe even post officers on the corner of Rosemont and Virginia Beach Blvd where between 3 and 6 there is no right turn on red! These 2 areas will generate all the revenue needed! The new fines are crazy!!

I find it interesting that the sponsor of the bill, David Albo, is a lawyer who's firm specializes in traffic court. Maybe if the state fine is $3000 we won't mind paying him $2000 to beat it in court. And what about all of the military personnel in Tidewater who are registered out of state and go 120 mph on street bikes and hot rods endangering us all? Their fines remain unchanged. If penalties are going to increase, then the laws need to be reevaluated. The reason there has been no civic uproar over the ridiculously low 55 mph speed limit on 264 or the endless speed traps on 460 and 58 is because of lenient enforcement and fair penalties. Unreasonable laws combined with severe penalties are not the traits of a free society.

How can this be going on right under the noses of the public who elect these officials. To allow the state governement to stick their greedy hands in the pockets of the people who pay their wages and continue to rip us off is ridiculous. If they want impose these type of penalties it should be across the board for anyone who drives in VA. what about those folks who live near VA borders and have out of state licenses but drive daily through the state of VA or in the locales near the VA state borders. Like folks who reside in NC but work at the shipyards in Hampton Roads? What an unbelievable disgrace I am ashamed for having voted for some these incredible idiots. I think if you want to increase funding for roads come up with a better way,

These fines are a joke, and not all of them relate to speeding or DUI. Forget to use your turn signal and you will see the real meaning of being ripped off. If the state learns to manage money and not issue highway contracts to shade tree constructions company that can't build a simple highway correctly, then the tax payers wouldn't mind supporting a real highway bill. But since I64 took almost 9 years to build,went way way over budget and is still filled with pot holes, speed bumps and woppie doos; its no wonder no one wants to support the state in its effort raise and possibly blow more money on a poor highway construction job. Now if they had a jacked up fine for talking on the cell phone while driving I could support that one.

Fines are supposed to be a punishment commensurate with the infraction involved, it is NOT supposed to be a method of generating revenue. What Kaine and the legislature have done is now incentivized the police to create more speed traps.

Were the constituents or Virginians at large given an opportunity to comment? Anything that is passed without our knowledge, consent or approval, for the benefit of the political machine is wrong. "Virginia's constitution earmarks all court fines to be spent on school construction and teacher retirement benefits". So was the VA Lottery and see the disarray it's in. In it's infancy and already rediected to road maintenance, yeah right!!!

Read the bill as it is written. These fees are on every driving violation. If you change lanes without using your turn signal, if you roll through a stop sign if you are going 5mph over the limit, you are paying an additional civic penalty fee. This is just the state legislators way of picking our pockets. I agree with the other post here, these people need to be voted out the next election cycle. Especially any of them that had anything to do with creating the Hampton
Roads Transportation Authority. A simple mistake like failure to use a turn signal, doesn't make you a bad driver, and shouldn't cost you two weeks pay. I can't help but wonder if we can give the PD tickets for their bad driving. If so a lot of cops are out big bucks.

The really disturbing thing here is that the legislature has put law enforcement officers in the position of being revenue producers. These fines are there for the express purpose of raising cash, not to protect the public. How much revenue will a trooper need to generate to keep his job?

the legislators are desperate to find money to fund much needed road projects. No one wants an across the board tax such as a gas tax or another increase in vehicle registration fees so they found a way to make money; on the backs of drivers unfortunate enough to be convicted of one of the qualifying offenses. The remedy is simple: don't speed, don't drink & drive and keep your license privileges in good standing.

Bad drivers should pay for the roads and even for our gas!!!! Think about a single accident on 64 during rush hour. The traffic ties up for miles, the person at fault for the accident should pay heavily for their carelessness. I say the fines are not high enough. If you dont like the fines, do not drink and drive and do not drive reckless, it is that simple. A "momentary lapse in judgement" can lead to someones death. Maybe with these fines people will think twice.

If the legislators were passing bills for road safety it would be one thing, passing this bill as a revenue producer is something totally different. This bill puts a burden on the average everyday driver who makes a simple mistake. The current penalty and fine is more than enough of a deterrent for most people. Our legislators seem to think our paychecks should be sent to them and they'll decide what they want to give to us after they take what they want. It's time to vote out everyone of these tax and spend complacent clowns. I have lived here all my life and am now looking at houses in NC to escape from the high tax and wasteful spending of these legislators. Chris Jones and all with his mind set need to be voted out next election.

I am concerned that this will marginalise many young / poor people. A single DWI or reckless driving incident, for example, will saddle an individual with a large amount of debt, and at the same time make him or her unable to drive, and therefore to work to pay off the debt, unless they break the law again, driving on a suspended license, incurring more fines and so on.
Middle and upper class people will be able to cope with these sums of money, but I suspect that poorer and younger people will not be able to pay and will end up with any hope of improving their lives dashed, and perhaps in jail, as a result of a momentary lapse of judgement.
A great mistake that was made in creating this regional taxing authority.