Va. crackdown nets 6K tickets, arrests
A weekend enforcement effort by the Virginia State Police on Interstates 81 and 95 resulted in more than 6,000 summonses and arrests.
More than half of the tickets were for speeding. State police also reported stopping 628 reckless drivers and a dozen drunken drivers. A total of 248 safety belt violators were cited, and troopers made 15 drug and felony arrests.
The crackdown Saturday and Sunday was part of the department's "Operation Air, Land and Speed" initiative to saturate highly traveled highways and keep them safe. The program uses troopers in cruisers, on motorcycles and aviation teams.
-- Associated Press
By
Michael Bolden
| July 20, 2010; 9:19 AM ET
Categories:
Northern Virginia, Traffic Safety, Virginia
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Posted by: jiji1 | July 20, 2010 10:15 AM | Report abuse
"The program uses troopers in cruisers, on motorcycles and aviation teams."
Aviation...and how much did that cost?
Posted by: 123cartoon | July 20, 2010 10:26 AM | Report abuse
it was just a money grab on the busiest interstates (95 and 81) designed to ticket out of state drivers who would be most likely to just pay the fine and not bother returning to Virginia for a court hearing.
everyone speeds on those roads.
Posted by: MarilynManson | July 20, 2010 10:39 AM | Report abuse
Unless they're targeting people going 56, what's wrong with a money grab?
Posted by: jiji1 | July 20, 2010 10:48 AM | Report abuse
Unless they're targeting people going 56, what's wrong with a money grab?
Posted by: jiji1 | July 20, 2010 10:48 AM | Report abuse
Whats wrong is, if you are in a 55 mph zone, and most cars are doing 65-70, it's unsafe for you to drive 55 or even 60.
the fact that they ticketed 6,000 cars tells me that they probably pulled over drivers who were just keeping up with everyone else and driving safely for the situation.
Notice they also did it on a weekend, to avoid ticketing the local commuting traffic.
so it seems like they targeted the out of state drivers on virginia's biggest interstates on a weekend where most of these drivers were probably just keeping up with the flow of traffic.
it is also unsafe to be stuck in a pack of cars, where everyone is going the same speed. its good to pass or be passed or you increase the risk for accidents.
so this venture did nothing for public safety, it only raked in money from out of towners who wont have the time to come back to virginia to contest it in court.
(they probably wont want to come back to virginia for anything now anyway).
And people wonder why williamsburg attendence is down over 10% this year.
Posted by: MarilynManson | July 20, 2010 2:24 PM | Report abuse
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I wish they would release what speed the speeders were going given that the flow of traffic would probably mean everyone should get a ticket.