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I've been making the drive down I-95 from Northern Virginia to Richmond for many years now. I saw something Friday I've never seen before.

Usually, the stretch of I-95 south of Fredericksburg (mm 130) to Richmond (around mm 88) is a no holds barred speedway. Not last Friday.

There were 15 State Police units out collecting revenue from mm 130 to mm 90. One every 2.6 miles, and they were collecting revenue with apparent vigor. Add 5 more between Petersburg and Richmond, just as icing on the cake.

So beware if you're on that stretch during the week. Weekends, it's back to mob rule, so you you can speed to your heart's content.

And no, I didn't get caught.

Yea that was the CA-91 yesterday in Corona... except more for unsafe lane changes, etc

Sounds like HWY 71 between Austin and Columbus today. There were more DPS Troopers out than I've ever seen.



Slightly off-topic but I'm now 400-0 when it comes to my radar detector going off (Ka, Lidar & K-band away from sliding doors).
Never been caught speeding or pulled-over for that matter.

However, for those who go flying past me when I hit the breaks and get pulled-over, maybe a $250 investment can pan out in the long run.

halls120 wrote:I've been making the drive down I-95 from Northern Virginia to Richmond for many years now. I saw something Friday I've never seen before.

Usually, the stretch of I-95 south of Fredericksburg (mm 130) to Richmond (around mm 88) is a no holds barred speedway. Not last Friday.

There were 15 State Police units out collecting revenue from mm 130 to mm 90. One every 2.6 miles, and they were collecting revenue with apparent vigor. Add 5 more between Petersburg and Richmond, just as icing on the cake.

So beware if you're on that stretch during the week. Weekends, it's back to mob rule, so you you can speed to your heart's content.

And no, I didn't get caught.

Remember that stretch of I-95 quite well.

It was like the Indy 500 of NOVA. And you BETTER keep up with traffic or you'll get hammered. I'd commute to Pope AFB to see a woman - try to leave DC area @ 1500 on Friday. It was absolutely brutal. Definitely NOT the stretch of highway to forget to pay attention.


Occasionally the Virginia Staate Police would run a blockade like you describe above. Rarely saw them do it between Richmond and Petersburg though. After that it was balls to the wall all the way to the NC line!

Must be a big push throughout the state. I didn't count them, but there were a bunch more than the usual one or two radar zones on US Route 58 West from Hampton Roads to Emporia over the weekend, as well as I-64 between here and Richmond too!

Once speeding without impunity gets out of hand, it's pretty hard to get it back under control. Minnesota's been trying to get people to reduce their speed for years. There's been some success on certain stetches of road, but speeding is still rampant. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has always kept a tight lid on maximum allowed speeds. Residents have all but given up on even trying to go more than 5 over the limits on the freeways. So the troopers and deputies go after the out of state drivers.

Here is the information you were looking for Halls. Please note that this enforcement was paid with federal tax dollars. Taken from Virginia State Police Web Site
RICHMOND – For the third time in eight months, Operation Air, Land and Speed will focus on Interstate 95 and Interstate 81 for continued traffic safety enforcement. With the summer driving season underway, the safety initiative allows for an increased number of troopers to patrol the north-south interstate corridors to enhance enforcement and encourage responsible driving behavior on the highways. The latest Operation Air, Land and Speed project will begin Friday, July 10, and conclude Saturday, July 11, 2009.

BlueLion wrote:Here is the information you were looking for Halls. Please note that this enforcement was paid with federal tax dollars. Taken from Virginia State Police Web Site
RICHMOND – For the third time in eight months, Operation Air, Land and Speed will focus on Interstate 95 and Interstate 81 for continued traffic safety enforcement. With the summer driving season underway, the safety initiative allows for an increased number of troopers to patrol the north-south interstate corridors to enhance enforcement and encourage responsible driving behavior on the highways. The latest Operation Air, Land and Speed project will begin Friday, July 10, and conclude Saturday, July 11, 2009.

That's just great. Use my tax dollars to enforce local traffic laws in another State. Can somebody explain how this is a proper function of the Feds???

ANCFlyer wrote:Remember that stretch of I-95 quite well.

It was like the Indy 500 of NOVA. And you BETTER keep up with traffic or you'll get hammered. I'd commute to Pope AFB to see a woman - try to leave DC area @ 1500 on Friday. It was absolutely brutal. Definitely NOT the stretch of highway to forget to pay attention.


Occasionally the Virginia Staate Police would run a blockade like you describe above. Rarely saw them do it between Richmond and Petersburg though. After that it was balls to the wall all the way to the NC line!

Richmond to Petersburg used to be crawling with cops before they built that bypass around Richmond. I'm talking the 70's though. I drove through there about six weeks ago and there were a few cops, but nothing like Halls is describing.

Going north above Richmond, I-95 was like a parking lot, so nobody was getting tickets.

On the way back, coming south on I-95 everyone is a little over the limit until you hit Georgia, then people really start hauling ass. If you do 75 everybody passes you...

They're doing that in a stretch of the FLA Turnpike that a go through on my way home. I am smoking a cigar on the way home, so I am just cruising, not scud running. A giveaway is all the cars flashing their high beams in the opposite direction.

Every damn LE agency in my neck of the woods is giving away tickets like they're going out of style.

New Alaska State Trooper Highway Patrol Division is in my grid square this week.

Chargers and Explorers. Unmarked of course.

Anyone 5 over the limit is getting hammered. Oh, and all the dumb ass tourists that have more than 5 vehicles tied up behind them cause they're going 30mph in the Monoco Coach Battleship (they are too old to operate anyway) are getting a $200 hammering also.

Hey Pep, who would you pull over? Just curious.

The front car, second car with a radar detector, the third car who is tailgating or the last car. All four cars are going 85 in a 70.

CO777ER wrote:Hey Pep, who would you pull over? Just curious.

The front car, second car with a radar detector, the third car who is tailgating or the last car. All four cars are going 85 in a 70.

Speaking from experience. the 3rd car. 85 in a 65 on I-91 near Hartford

BlueLion wrote:Here is the information you were looking for Halls. Please note that this enforcement was paid with federal tax dollars. Taken from Virginia State Police Web Site
RICHMOND – For the third time in eight months, Operation Air, Land and Speed will focus on Interstate 95 and Interstate 81 for continued traffic safety enforcement. With the summer driving season underway, the safety initiative allows for an increased number of troopers to patrol the north-south interstate corridors to enhance enforcement and encourage responsible driving behavior on the highways. The latest Operation Air, Land and Speed project will begin Friday, July 10, and conclude Saturday, July 11, 2009.

thanks.

Other than making money for the Commonwealth, it had little impact. On Sunday speeds were back to normal - well in excess of the posted limit.

Reminds me of the old line about the guy who was pulled over one time by a state trooper for speeding. The trooper asks him, "do you know why I stopped you?".....to which the driver replies, "I was the only one you could catch?!".

Doesnt VA have those crazy $1000 speeding fines too?

At least you have live cops in cruisers over there. Revenue enhancement over here comes in a red flash. In Zürich going 4 Km/h over the limit will get you a 40 franc fine. The fines accelerate rather alarmingly and 35 Km/h over will get you a short stay as a guest of the Kanton - when they let you go you apparently get a bill for room and board.

Of course this does nothing for the other bad habits such as tailgating, passing on the right etc which cause the accidents.

No wonder this is a popular video

http://www.20min.ch/news/kreuz_und_quer/story/30406697

Speed camera CHF 400K
Tram CHF 1 million
Length of chain CHF50

Put them together - priceless!!

(another speed camera got destroyed with C4 - the front plate went about 70m. I suppose that's one side effect of teaching people how to use explosives in the Militar.)

Cadet57 wrote:Doesnt VA have those crazy $1000 speeding fines too?

Nah - I think it's three dollars per mile over the limit, plus court costs, which vary by locale - typically under $100.00.