Personally, I think they should have on-the-spot-executions for poking along in the left lane. To hell with fines!

Isn't it funny that a bunch of lahyers came up with this damned civil fine business?! Well, there's a revolt going on now. We N Virginians seem to put up with a lot of crap, but there are limits to everything!

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I've been lamenting my beloved Commonwealth's newly enacted punitive fines, but maybe if more people have Tom's attitude, it won't be so darn crowded around here.

I attribute these odd new fines to the GOP's fiscal foolishness going back a decade or so to when George "Macacca Man" Allen was Governor. He went on a spending spree on prisons and, of course, opposed any efforts to raise more revenue (ie taxes). He was followed by the ludicrous Governor Jim Gilmore who ran on a No Car Tax platform. His administration nearly cost Virginia its bond rating. Fortunately Mark Warner came along and righted the ship. Virginia is now back at the top of the list of business-friendly, well managed states, which is not necessarily all to the good.

These new fines are an effort to raise highway money without having to enact responsible tax laws. While it originated in the GOP-controlled General Assembly, our Democratic Governor Tim Kaine signed off on it, so there is blame to go around.

Hey, I agree! As a non-resident property owner, the fines work out great for me! Ever spend much time around the York River and see how they pay for that bridge?

You mean the Route 17 bridge? I haven't had much occasion to take that route. I've been through West Point a few times and down I-64 a bunch, but not up Route 17 a whole lot. The police handing out a few tickets around there, are they?

Two of the biggest money makers around here have to be I-95 and I-81. Both of those roads have endless streams of foreigners passing through, 24-7.

West Point has a new bridge (non-toll) btw over the Mattaponi--some dmf drove his car off it during New Years and swam to shore (only to be arrested for dui).

No police to speak of on 17--it is a toll bridge and primarily commuters going to Newport News. They built it on the Elizabeth River in Nawfolk and floated it up the 'bay. The Coleman bridge. If I fly into RIC I go West Point to my house and if I fly into ORF I go Yorktown way.

I've spent much more time on the Northern Neck than I have on the Middle Peninsula, but I think I like the Middle Peninsula better.

Many states have this.

I love it all, but prefer the NNK, just because I am more familiar with the 'erea.' It is great taking the girls on twenty minutes each way to Geo. Washington's birthplace, RE Lee's house, Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg these days. I took it for granted growing up. The 400th Anniversary of Jamestown was spectacularly well-done in this post 9-11 climate.

The political problem with the car tax was that it was a big check that folks had to write every September. If it had been apportioned out somehow, or broken down into smaller amounts to be paid over multiple installments, it would not have been the political hot potato it was.

It is minimal now. Trying to recoup it through "civil fines" seems like an insult to the intelligence of Viginians. My real estate taxes have not gone down. Taxes WILL be collected, one way or another.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Boats are even worse--that is why you incorporate your boat in NC

That's all true, except I don't know how intelligent Virginians were in going along with Gilmore's No Car Tax mantra.

I don't know for sure but I think they are really losing out on a lot of revenue by not selling beer between the hours of 2 and 6 am.

I guess that the quest for a politically palatable way to raise revenues in VA will continue. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with next.

Our problem in N VA is that we pay most of the taxes that are collected in the state, but we get back very little of that money. Just drive thru the Washington suburbs and then drive south and compare the condition or the roads and the amount of traffic they carry.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Yup. Virginia is run by good 'ol Republican suthun boys out of Richmond. They take all the money out of the high-tech big bucks job engine ringing Democratic suburban DC, and otherwise show it little respect.

One reason VA is business-friendly is because workers have fewer options to bring complaints against employers. I was cheated out of my vacation payout when I left my company, and was told by several people that it would not be worth pursuing the $2000, considering the obstacles I would face.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

I heard Ohio has the death penatly for speeding.

__________________
Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired