Cheaters

They need to ticket the actual driver, not the owner of the car. They need electronic ticket machines, like the parking people have. Swipe their license, hit a few buttons, send them on their way.

That is because they have almost no enforcement. Although the whole program should be generating plenty of money the state has decided to let folks get a pass. Its shameful, hurts the entire program and really drives people crazy.

I got the email below from Bud.Cox@vsp.virginia.gov was and the regional office was VSPDiv7@vsp.virginia.gov. As follow up to complaints. I have corresponded with Albo before, he has written State police at my request on this issue but it sure isn't going to change until the state police make it a real priority.



Dear Mr. :
Lieutenant Colonel E.A. Stockton, Director of the Bureau of Field Operations for the Virginia State Police has asked me to thank you for and respond to e-mail of October 5, 2010, regarding HOV violators and enforcement.

We certainly understand your concerns regarding those motorists who flagrantly violate the HOV lane restrictions.

It may interest you to know that during 2009, troopers issued 26,221 summonses for HOV violations. You may be assured that we will continue to address the problems you identified and ensure our available resources are effectively and efficiently utilized.

There are approximately 950 troopers who have patrol responsibility for 95 counties and nearly 65,000 miles of highway in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A manpower allocation study recently completed indicates that approximately 350 additional troopers are needed to provide the professional level of service expected of the Virginia State Police.

Please be assured we are using every resource we have available to effectively address these violations on our roads and enforce the other laws we are charged with enforcing.

I am also forwarding a copy of your e-mail to Captain T.S. Russillo our Division Commander in Fairfax for her information and attention to the problems you identified.

Thank you for your concern for highway safety.

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

Every so often, when this topic comes up, invariably the comment comes up that the increased enforcement would pay for itself from the increase in collected fines. Maybe someone who has more spare time than I do can check this out, but it is my understanding from various newspaper articles, etc that by law the fines collected from HOV violators go to fund Virginia education, not to the VA State Police.

But if they would just do their enforcing at the top of the ramps in the am and pm then the morons that hit the brakes every time they even think they see a state trooper vehicle won't see them, hence no traffic tie-ups. Just takes a little bit of common sense.

Flyby