Virginia Traffic Tickets

I think we have all made our points, so I'll let this debate die off. I still believe it's quite possible to mistakenly break this law without even realizing it. Sometimes you are new to an area, and don't know what the speed limit is. Plenty of times, there's not adequate signage. In most major cities, you have decent signage throughout. However, it's ussually in smaller "towns" that prey on drivers and bring out the really unethical stuff. I definitely don't routinely drive over 20 mph over the speedlimit. However if I ever do make that mistake, I don't want to get strapped with extreme penalties and insurance increases. Over the course of a life time of driving, it's entirely possible to happen to me at least once. It's also possible it could happen to you. And personally, I don't want to have to rely on a cop (who might be having a bad day) to do the right thing. And judge's are powerless to reduce or change the level of fine, even if it makes sense to do so. We shouldn't even put in a position of enduring a penalty is not proportional to the offense.

This is the land of the free, and penalties should be in proportion to the offense. Unlike other countries, we don't cut off hands for stealing. We don't beat people with canes. The concept of "cruel and unussual punishment" is a critical part of the foundation that our forefathers built this country on, along with questioning our government and speaking out against it when we believe them to be wrong. And I believe that extends to having punishments that fit the crime, and not having punishments designed as taxes instead of for the public safety.

And call all of my protests "conspiracy theories," but without the spirit of questioning the status quo, America would never have been formed. And on that note, I'll end by quoting Thomas Jefferson. There were many in his day who thought he was crazy and should just blindly follow the law. But without him, we wouldn't have one of the greatest documents in US history that ultimately became the start of the United States of America.

“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny”
Thomas Jefferson