"8 Mile Backup" ?

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Originally posted by koakui
[br]Well I got my response to my email. They were pretty quick. Here it is:

Lieutenant Colonel E.A. Stockton, Director of the Bureau of Field Operations for the Virginia State Police asked that I thank you for and respond to your e-mail of August 18, 2005 concerning HOV enforcement.
I regret your displeasure with the State Police regarding HOV enforcement.

Please be assured that it is not the intent of the State Police to impede the flow of traffic, or disrupt the commute for law abiding motorists in the HOV lanes.

In response to growing public complaints and an increased frequency of HOV violations we implemented a program to increase enforcement and visibility on the HOV lanes to address those violators who routinely use the HOV lanes for their commute. This enforcement initiative has been effective, and well received in the Northern Virginia region by motorists who legally utilize the HOV lanes routinely.

I am forwarding a copy of your e-mail to our Division Headquarters in Fairfax to make them aware of your concerns regarding the enforcement methodology utilized to identify violators.

Bud Cox
Business Manager
Virginia State Police
804-674-2127
Bud.Cox@vsp.virginia.gov

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What enforcement initiative is he referring to: causing 8 mile backups which brought this morning's commute to a standstill and cost businesses $1,000s in lost productivity. Certainly not something, I, as a commuter, would laud them for.

They should simply change the law to say that the entrance ramps are, actually, the HOV lanes. Then they can enfore on the entrance ramps.

But I find it hard to believe the statute wasn't written to include attempted HOV violation, which a person would be guilty of if they were on an enclosed, one way entrance ramp without 3 riders or the requisite hybrid plates.

I agree with you cdatkins. They should change it. There was no reason for what happened today. 122 has a point though, the boys in blue aren't the smartest bunch and I think he would know!

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Originally posted by msticaries
[br]Look at it this way, every time I want to kill one of my kids, it could be argued that I INTEND to kill them, but until I acutally do. . . thus one must be in the HOV Lanes before being ticketed.

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Nice analogy...and to be quite honest, a little scary.[B)]

ShahedC seems to understand exactly what I was saying. Once you hit those ramps you have no choice but to enter the HOV lanes and therefore you ARE in violation.

Spotsy, you checked the VDOT website re: fines?

Moody: If you have kids tell me you have NEVER once thought of killing the little boogers. not that I ever would. :)