Virginia State Police: 6,081 Cited In 2 Day Crackdown

Thousands Cited as Result of Air, Land and Speed


Thousands Cited as Result of Air, Land and Speed
Updated: 3:07 PM May 26, 2010

Richmond, Va.
A two-day traffic safety program by Virginia State Police troopers resulted in thousands of speeders and reckless drivers receiving citations as part of the Department’s Operation Air, Land and Speed initiative.

The enforcement effort began Sunday and concluded Monday. Troopers patrolled the north-south corridors of interstates 81 and 95 and there were no fatal traffic crashes reported on either interstate during the entire operation.

Virginia State Police cited 6,081 summonses and arrests between both I-81 and I-95 during the May enforcement blitz. Troopers stopped a total of 3,263 speeders, 557 reckless drivers and 16 drunk drivers.

The operation yielded 21 drug and felony arrests and there were 252 safety belt violations.

“With only two days from the start of a busy holiday travel weekend, it is disappointing to see the number of drivers issued summonses for speeding and driving recklessly,” says Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Remember, it only takes a second for a crash to occur. Don’t put yourself or the passengers in your car at risk by driving over the speed limit. Your best defense is to buckle up and slow down this holiday weekend and all year long.”

The May enforcement program was the 14th one conducted on I-81 and I-95 since its inception in 2006.

Including this latest operation, a total of 129,581 summonses and arrests have resulted from the 25 Operation Air, Land and Speed initiatives carried out in the Commonwealth.

Funds generated from summonses issued by state police go directly to court fees and the state’s Literary Fund, which benefits public school construction, technology funding and teacher retirement.

The comprehensive enforcement project utilized troopers, supervisors and motor carrier troopers. State police operational duties on other interstates, primary and secondary roads were not affected during the operation. Funding for the enforcement initiative was provided through federal highway safety monies.

I take it that they are not messing around.

Don't you guys feel safer now?

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Originally Posted by thx1138

Don't you guys feel safer now?

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I'd feel a lot safer if they never let VA drivers out of VA!!! It never fails when you run into a LLH doing 1 over the PSL taking 12 miles to pass someone, they are from VA or NC!!!

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Originally Posted by category4

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Originally Posted by thx1138

Don't you guys feel safer now?

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I'd feel a lot safer if they never let VA drivers out of VA!!! It never fails when you run into a LLH doing 1 over the PSL taking 12 miles to pass someone, they are from VA or NC!!!

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Cannot agree with you anymore. So god damn annoying. VA and NC drivers do this bull**** all the time. In MD they know their place most of the time though, all the way in the right lane getting blown past by everyone else. :D

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

Troopers stopped a total of 3,263 speeders, 557 reckless drivers

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Whoa boy, that's a lot of reckless drivers.

Except that that's probably just the number of speeders they caught going 80 or more. Which means an astonishing 2706 tickets written for less than 10 or 15 MPH over the limit, on the freaking interstate. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

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Originally Posted by category4

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Originally Posted by thx1138

Don't you guys feel safer now?

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I'd feel a lot safer if they never let VA drivers out of VA!!! It never fails when you run into a LLH doing 1 over the PSL taking 12 miles to pass someone, they are from VA or NC!!!

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Cannot agree with you anymore. So god damn annoying. VA and NC drivers do this bull**** all the time. In MD they know their place most of the time though, all the way in the right lane getting blown past by everyone else. :D

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One thing I've noticed is that if there's a car here that's hanging in the left lane going the same speed as the right, or just fooling around out there when the right lane is clear for 1/4 mile, it's probably someone from "the south" (which I consider anything below MD and WV.

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Originally Posted by supercowpowers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

Troopers stopped a total of 3,263 speeders, 557 reckless drivers

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Whoa boy, that's a lot of reckless drivers.

Except that that's probably just the number of speeders they caught going 80 or more. Which means an astonishing 2706 tickets written for less than 10 or 15 MPH over the limit, on the freaking interstate. :rolleyes:

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All you have to do is drive and sneeze in VA and they consider that reckless driving. I think there are some 20 categories of reckless driving in that Commonwealth.

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

“With only two days from the start of a busy holiday travel weekend, it is disappointing to see the number of drivers issued summonses for speeding and driving recklessly,” says Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent.

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Well, DUH! People speed because the speed limits are too low, and since you guys consider driving at a reasonable speed to be "reckless" in that state, no wonder there are so many violators.

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Originally Posted by Category4

I'd feel a lot safer if they never let VA drivers out of VA!!! It never fails when you run into a LLH doing 1 over the PSL taking 12 miles to pass someone, they are from VA or NC!!!

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And that's what overblown speed enforcement does, it makes for a bunch of wimpy drivers that impede the flow of traffic!

I'm glad I don't live in either of those two states.

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Originally Posted by supercowpowers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

Troopers stopped a total of 3,263 speeders, 557 reckless drivers

---

Whoa boy, that's a lot of reckless drivers.

Except that that's probably just the number of speeders they caught going 80 or more. Which means an astonishing 2706 tickets written for less than 10 or 15 MPH over the limit, on the freaking interstate. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

Quote:

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Originally Posted by category4

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thx1138

Don't you guys feel safer now?

---

I'd feel a lot safer if they never let VA drivers out of VA!!! It never fails when you run into a LLH doing 1 over the PSL taking 12 miles to pass someone, they are from VA or NC!!!

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Cannot agree with you anymore. So god damn annoying. VA and NC drivers do this bull**** all the time. In MD they know their place most of the time though, all the way in the right lane getting blown past by everyone else. :D

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One thing I've noticed is that if there's a car here that's hanging in the left lane going the same speed as the right, or just fooling around out there when the right lane is clear for 1/4 mile, it's probably someone from "the south" (which I consider anything below MD and WV.

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Come to Atlanta, just stay in the right lane unless you are running 85 or 90, don't want any Yankees getting run over their first day here.:D

In Georgia I noticed a lot of South Carolina drivers like to drive real slow and hog the left lane a lot.. :mad:

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Originally Posted by category4

[

Come to Atlanta, just stay in the right lane unless you are running 85 or 90, don't want any Yankees getting run over their first day here.:D

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Yeah your not kidding either! You HAVE TO follow the speed of traffic if you do not want to risk someone running into the back of you. :lol:

I wish they would crackdown that many in drug dealers... :rolleyes:

All that and only 16 drunk drivers?

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

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Originally Posted by category4

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thx1138

Don't you guys feel safer now?

---

I'd feel a lot safer if they never let VA drivers out of VA!!! It never fails when you run into a LLH doing 1 over the PSL taking 12 miles to pass someone, they are from VA or NC!!!

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Cannot agree with you anymore. So god damn annoying. VA and NC drivers do this bull**** all the time In MD they know their place most of the time though, all the way in the right lane getting blown past by everyone else . :D

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The most irritating technique(at least on my part of NC), if you do manage to pass on the left and the LLH gets back into the right lane they will speed up at least 10 to 15 MPH to keep you from passing them. This one usually pissed me off the most concerning my peeps from North Cackylacky.

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Originally Posted by supercowpowers

One thing I've noticed is that if there's a car here that's hanging in the left lane going the same speed as the right, or just fooling around out there when the right lane is clear for 1/4 mile, ] it's probably someone from "the south" (which I consider anything below MD and WV .

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RED = Historically inaccurate. ;)

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Originally Posted by category4

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thx1138

Don't you guys feel safer now?

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I'd feel a lot safer if they never let VA drivers out of VA!!! It never fails when you run into a LLH doing 1 over the PSL taking 12 miles to pass someone, they are from VA or NC!!!

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hey i like the left lane:p
ironically its the right lane i like to speed in:D - its the whole cosine thing, since the popo is always in the median to the left!

I'll speed in whatever lane I can get a clear shot in. Most often it's the left lane, since most of the PSL-lackeys hang out in the right lane. But, if the right lane is clear, that's where I go, since the rules of the road say "keep right except to pass!" :D

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Originally Posted by NissanA

In Georgia I noticed a lot of South Carolina drivers like to drive real slow and hog the left lane a lot.. :mad:

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For the most part people when i speed down i75 and such i just flash my lights and people gtfo of my way.....

they can get a ticket for going to slow in the left line will they? I'm sure not never heard of somebody getting that ticket like they should!!!

GA was enforcing the left lane law for a while. It seems one of the legislators got held up by a LLH and introduced a new bill to make it illegal to ride in the left lane of not passing. After all that uproar died down I have not heard much on it being enforced.

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Originally Posted by SpeedUp

Funds generated from summonses issued by state police go directly to court fees and the state’s Literary Fund, which benefits public school construction, technology funding and teacher retirement.

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Would be interesting to see the breakdown on this. At least they're admitting it is a tax.

I can attest to the increased presence 66 and 95 the last few days. They've been making my V1 work overtime the last few days.

Oh............and I finally hit 1000 posts http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...2006/woot2.gif

All I can say is WTF. I can't believe the people in VA continue to bend over and take it. 500 reckless drivers??? How the hell do you quantify that.... and arbitrary line in the sand for speed? Some person minding there own business at 81mph, is somehow magically in the same category as someone street racing?

Also simple math tells me at $300 a ticket (more, less? instate/out of state?) that works out to over 1.8 mil. So much for it being about safety... :rolleyes:

The real truth came out in that last sentence..... "for teacher retirements" ....f**k that. Next time I go through that state I'll make sure I don't even stop for gas.