[betarace]

Quick question...

Got pinched today in the Blue Ridge Parkway (Skyline Drive) in Virginia by a park cop (17 over), the fine was $101 which is fine. As this is a National Park, does anyone know if there are any points that will flow onto my VA drivers license?


BTW: passed a sweet 748 near Little Washington, and then a pack of 999s on 647 near flint hill... other than the ticket, was a kickin day!

 

[zooom]

don't you know to chill out on 211?....all the Ricky Racer kids make that area hot enough because they use Thornton's Gap as a free racetrack....anyway...off my horse for a minute....Federal land it may be...but the Park Police enforce the laws of the locality or municipality unless otherwise stated...so you'll get your summons for court from that county even though a Park Cop wrote the ticket....and yes...that means the points will go on your VA drivers liscence and will get reported to DMV unless you get lucky enough that the Judge just got a blow job by the court clerk and decides to give you a PBJ or something!

 

[kingcapt]

If your from VA Betarace, I bet too that you'll see the points for the speeding ticket. As to the "sweet 748", it wasn't yellow was it? If it was I was supposed to be ridin' the those guys. Was there a Blue ST2 (or 4...don't remember which), a Honda VFR, and the yellow 748?

By the way, there's at least some chance all them there triple 9's were coming back from the US Desmo meet in MT Airy, NC. -Capt

PS: I'm sure glad no one was clocking me when I came up the Ridge this morning...I may still be in the hoose cow!

 

[butch]

The Parkway is a federal road and the rabgers are federal, not state or local so there are no points. At least that is the deal in NC.

Good to hear that you had some decent riding today. We hit rain most of the way from Mount Airy to Asheville. It was cold and rainy all day, 220 miles of wet.

 

[betarace]

tix and ducs

Thanks for the ticket info, it seems inconclusive. I avoided a court date, but really trying to keep the points of my license (hence the federal park / jurisdiction question). Will let all know.


The 748 was a red one riding with what looked like a triumph ST. was at the intersection of 647 and 211 heading towards mountains.


The 999 gang (again all red) were on 647 heading to Lil Washington from Flint Hill, again on 647.


We were in the park and ranger rick was having a bad day.

 

[46Fan]

I avoid the Thornton Gap and subsequently the BRP like the plague (i stay away from 17 too for the same reason). I'll go the long way around thru Front Royal or drone down 81 or 11 if I need to be over that way even though I live not too far off of 211/29. The last time I went thru sperryville and up the hill, VSP was so close, I thought he was going to push me up the hill with his bumper. He's worried about me riding safely, yet this asshat was following ultra-close trying to get me to make a mistake.

 

[Dark_Daddy]

Beta,

If it was on a VA Uniform Summons it = points. If he wrote you a U.S. Govt. ticket then you should be ok unless we have a reciprocal agreement with the Park Police. I will try and ask one of the guys that works at Bull Run Battlefield for you. Your ticket should also have the address of the court. That would tell you if your case is to be heard in federal or local court.

 

[betarace]

the points hit my record

so I assume there is reciprocity. I took the online driver improvement program and had 5 points reduced from my record.

 

[gngsquared]

Can't tell you what the deal is with points, but I can say that 35 years ago they were real serious about paying the fine.

I had an Opel GT back in '72 and on my way back to FL from NJ I thought I would take some of the BRP. Got a ticket, it was preordained, for 85 in a 45. Since it was a Park Ranger, and I was young and stupid, I blew it off. About 6 weeks later, my father comes in my room and says that one of his fellow officers was at the door with a warrant for my arrest.

I had to go and explain my dumb-ass self to the judge, pay the fine and court costs, and then go home and face one pissed off LEO father. Jail might have been better.

 

[Cattivo]

Quick question...

Got pinched today in the Blue Ridge Parkway (Skyline Drive) in Virginia by a park cop (17 over), the fine was $101 which is fine. As this is a National Park, does anyone know if there are any points that will flow onto my VA drivers license?


BTW: passed a sweet 748 near Little Washington, and then a pack of 999s on 647 near flint hill... other than the ticket, was a kickin day!

If you get no points, I think you'd be lucky. You're also lucky if you don't or didn't get sited for reckless driving. I happen to know first hand that anything over 80 MPH or 15 MPH over regardless of the posted speed limit is considered reckless driving in VA. Before court, I took the online course, and pleaded with the judge. He reduced it to just speeding and gave me a fine of about $100. Good luck!

 

[betarace]

dont know how this popped up

the ticket was a long time ago... but anyway it was 2 points and $87


case closed

 

[Dark_Daddy]

Virginia is 20 mph over for reckless except in a 35 MPH zone where its 60.
I did receive a ticket for 85 in a 55 near Tucson and the trooper changed it waisting a natural resource (AZ) as a courtesy. Then it came back as a reckless here in VA which was f'ed as the Trooper was trying to help a fellow GI out.

 

[B_Cebrian]

Found this on another board.
***************************************************

Well you might be already aware of this since the change was made in 2004:

http://news.motorcycle.com/article.motml?sid=2783

"New fines aimed at Parkway speeders
By Becky Johnson


Speeders on the Blue Ridge Parkway are in for steeper fines - now
$500 up from $150 - if park rangers deem the drivers were causing a
serious risk to themselves or others.

Tim Francis, district ranger for the southern portion of the Blue
Ridge Parkway, said the new fine is a much-needed deterrent. Sport
bikes are too frequently clocked going "triple digit speeds" on
curvy stretches, Francis said. The top speed Francis recalls is 120
mph.

"Not only were they wrecking, but it was ruining other people's
experience who were trying to take a casual drive," Francis said.

Last year, rangers were battling a group of professional riders who
had a standing challenge to fellow bikers: take the Parkway from
Asheville to Swain County, ride the notorious Dragon's Tail in
Graham County, and return via the Parkway as quickly as possible.

One speeder Francis ticketed for $150 replied it was "worth it" for
the ride he just took.

"They were looking at it as the cost of an admission ticket,"
Francis said. "Some of these guys are good riders and could do it,
but it was ruining other people's experience. Visitors come from all
over the country for nice leisurely rides, not to watch the races."

These excessive speeders pose threats to bicyclists, backpackers,
pedestrians taking pictures near overlooks and wildlife foraging
along the roadside, Francis said

When the $150 fine seemed too lenient given the speed, rangers
required the speeder to appear in court, where a steeper fine could
be levied.

The federal judges were consistently "handing down $500 tickets for
aggravated speeding," said John Garrison, chief ranger for the
Parkway. So this month, U.S. Chief District Court Judge Graham
Mullen changed the law, allowing rangers to write speeders up a $500
ticket per offense on the spot.

"We're recognizing the unique and high dangers represented by these
aggressive driving behaviors," said Garrison. Garrison said the
amount of the ticket will be based on the ranger's discretion of the
circumstances - someone going 60 mph swerving and doing wheelies
could be as grievous as another biker going 80 mph.

Extremely risky driving could earn a $1,000 fine, as rangers can
levy $500 for speeding and another $500 for the separate offense of
reckless driving. In cases where $1,000 still doesn't seem like
enough, rangers can continue to require the speeder to come to
court, Francis said. Francis has taken a speeder to court and the
judge handed down a $1,500 fine.

If the speeder wants to contest a fine, they always have the option
of coming to court, Garrison said. Offenses on the Parkway are heard
in federal court, as the Parkway is federal property"

 

[John]

Always a few squids ruining it. The park police should know Ducati riders are not inclined to ride recklessly, fast sometimes but not reckless.

 

[Cattivo]

Virginia is 20 mph over for reckless except in a 35 MPH zone where its 60.
I did receive a ticket for 85 in a 55 near Tucson and the trooper changed it waisting a natural resource (AZ) as a courtesy. Then it came back as a reckless here in VA which was f'ed as the Trooper was trying to help a fellow GI out.

Ah yes, you're right. I was reckless for going over 80 (81). No 1 MPH break for me that day.