Virginia State Police - Get a life please!

[Booster_RL]

I need to vent a little bit...

I just drove back from a little vacation near Virginia Beach and I really think I'm just going to stay out of Virginia for a little while because the state just sucks that badly. Well actually, VA is fine but apparently in these times of economic uncertainties generating revenue through a gauntlet of State Police tickets is a sure bet. This is really not news but it always makes me laugh everytime I drive down I-95 between the Capital Beltway in DC and the Richmond, VA beltway.

I did some fun and simple math this time, normally I just drive it and laugh but I was more bored than usual.

It is a 88.5 mile trip between the two points, the end of the Capital Beltway and the beginning of the Richmond beltway on I-95.

On both sides of the highway in that stretch of road I counted 17 State Police cruisers engaged in traffic stops. I am not talking about super speeders either, these dudes will clip you for less than 10mph over because I watched them collar a couple guys driving very close to me. (75 in a 65 will get you pulled)

Math---> 88.5 / 17 = One state trooper every 5.2 miles

This by the way is in the middle of the day. If they were out at night trying to catch unsavory elements I could even get with it a -little- bit. This is a revenue generation device, period.

Do not take this as me hating on police, quite the opposite. Three of my best friends are wearing badges. 2 Secret Service uniformed division guys, 1 a local sheriff down south and I would lay down in traffic for any of them and vica versa. HOWEVER, they are like, ahh, doing actual police work. *smacks head* Catching bad guys, you know how it works...

So let me say it again and summarize - Virginia State Police. Get a life. There must be a way to transfer you to the mean streets of DC up my way where you can actually do some police work and keep people safe. *hugs Virginia State Police*

[SkyBaby]

I agree with you 100%... There seems to be alot of that going on all over the USA... guess they gotta keep busy somehow... I am sure we could help them out with a few suggestion... SkyBaby

[SR819]

travel these roads everyday. 74 in a 65 and not been pulled since i moved here. pass at least 3 cops a day

[kwayne]

I backed out of a parking stall yesterday- a car passed behind me and I hit it (with the SKY); I got mostly his tire and paint on my car, his has some paint scratches-NO DENTS. The other driver calls the cops(we're in my town). It was in a parking lot-other driver was ok-"accidents happen." Well the cop gives me a careless driving ticket: 2 points & $85 if I let it stand.....but it goes on insurance record....
I thought parking lots were private property.
Cop said he HAS to write a citation for every call......

[Hap]

Originally Posted by kwayne

I backed out of a parking stall yesterday- a car passed behind me and I hit it (with the SKY); I got mostly his tire and paint on my car, his has some paint scratches-NO DENTS. The other driver calls the cops(we're in my town). It was in a parking lot-other driver was ok-"accidents happen." Well the cop gives me a careless driving ticket: 2 points & $85 if I let it stand.....but it goes on insurance record....
I thought parking lots were private property.
Cop said he HAS to write a citation for every call......

I hope I never have to pass by you in a parking lot. Yes, it's careless driving.

[Sky_Pilot]

Heh heh, just the opposite out here in SoCal. The California vehicle codes are a big frickin' joke, especially the recent one dealing with cell phone usage. What the h#!! good are laws if, a) they aren't not obeyed, and b) are never enforced? Not sure what police do out here in SoCal, but I assure you it's not what they should or need to be doing. I've sat numerous times right next to some of OC's finest at a light only to have someone run a red light right in front of us and they did nothing. In two cases I even honked and pointed, they still did nothing. WTF? Feel fortunate. I'd easily give up this ostensibly lawless envirnonment for one where police actually do their job, even if it means defending myself on bogus citations in traffic court.

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by kwayne

I thought parking lots were private property.

Depends on who owns it.

[Bogie]

In VA, speed isn't the primary problem. It's drivers NOT USING THEIR TURN SIGNALS!!!!

[SteveSky67]

Originally Posted by Booster_RL

So let me say it again and summarize - Virginia State Police. Get a life. There must be a way to transfer you to the mean streets of DC up my way where you can actually do some police work and keep people safe. *hugs Virginia State Police*

Maybe they don't have many doughnut shops and they need to be somewhere....End of Line

[SteveSky67]

Originally Posted by kwayne

I backed out of a parking stall yesterday- a car passed behind me and I hit it (with the SKY); I got mostly his tire and paint on my car, his has some paint scratches-NO DENTS. The other driver calls the cops(we're in my town). It was in a parking lot-other driver was ok-"accidents happen." Well the cop gives me a careless driving ticket: 2 points & $85 if I let it stand.....but it goes on insurance record....
I thought parking lots were private property.
Cop said he HAS to write a citation for every call......

Sorry to hear about your misfortune....End of Line

[skyradr]

Originally Posted by Sky_Pilot

Heh heh, just the opposite out here in SoCal. The California vehicle codes are a big frickin' joke, especially the recent one dealing with cell phone usage. What the h#!! good are laws if, a) they aren't not obeyed, and b) are never enforced? Not sure what police do out here in SoCal, but I assure you it's not what they should or need to be doing. I've sat numerous times right next to some of OC's finest at a light only to have someone run a red light right in front of us and they did nothing. In two cases I even honked and pointed, they still did nothing. WTF? Feel fortunate. I'd easily give up this ostensibly lawless envirnonment for one where police actually do their job, even if it means defending myself on bogus citations in traffic court.

Wow, maybe this thread should be titled cop haters, because the tone went from just venting to basically, cops don't do their jobs! Some will say laws like cell phone use while driving or running red lights are a big joke because they are not enforced, yet when the cop does enforce those laws, they are slammed for not "going after the real criminals." Can't have it both ways. I'm not saying that there aren't lazy cops, because I know there are, they are human and some humans are just plain lazy in what ever they do; but don't lump all of them in one basket until you have spent a day in their shoes. By the way, they don't eat doughnuts, scones and starbucks now

[idkfa]

It's just this weekend. There have been commercials all week about 81 and 95 being high-focus areas.

That said, I'm still planning on picking up a BEL STi detector.

[xmicro_Redline]

Its all about the money, and it is NOT just VA. NY is getting harder and harder to commute in as well. They are now plucking people out in RUSH HOUR traffic that are driving with the flow.............makes me sick how the STate and local governments have been reduced to harassing the working man.

[MidniteBlues]

Also keep in mind that is was the end of the month.. AND those that have NOT met their "quotas" were scolded and told to get their asses out there and write some tickets by their supers..

Over all, I don't have a problem with having police/sheriffs and troopers around.. If it were not for them being available & around, I can only imagine how many dimwits, criminal and creeps I would of shot & killed already..

[DaleF]

Originally Posted by Bogie

In VA, speed isn't the primary problem. It's drivers NOT USING THEIR TURN SIGNALS!!!!

The biggest problem on the highways in No. Va. are the drivers from Maryland.