House Transportation Sub Committee 2 started promptly at 7 a.m., with Chairman Carrico stating that they had many bills to consider so he urged everyone to be brief and non-repetitive since he wasn’t above scheduling next week’s meeting for 6 a.m. if we didn’t clear today’s docket by 8:30.
First up was HB810 which increases the maximum length of TRIPLE SADDLE MOUNT combinations permitted on VA highways. After the patron explained that this was NOT Triple Trailers, and that such a rig was used primarily by manufacturers such as Volvo to transport multiple tractors and chassis to distributors, and was permitted by the Federal Dept. of Transportation, the bill was REPORTED unanimously.
A little later came HB 752, which was being pushed strongly by the Motorcycle Assn., that would permit motorcycles, bicycles, and mopeds to proceed cautiously through a red light which didn’t turn green after two cycles or 2 minutes. Despite strong support by the motorcycle reps, and moderate support by me, the bill was opposed by the State Police, VDOT, AAA, Fairfax County Transportation Dept., Nationwide Insurance , and several members of the sub committee, primarily on the basis that autos and trucks would be led to proceed through the red light if their drivers saw the motorcycle going through, and that this would cause an increase in T-Bone collisions. At length, it was unanimously agreed to Refer the bill to the Commission on Transportation Accountability for their review, which sounds like one step removed from being passed by indefinitely. The motorcycle advocates were not pleased.
Then two rather lengthy discussions, the first on HB 674 repealing the prohibition on use of radar detectors in motor vehicles. It was ably patroned by Del. Joe May, the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, so received a little more deferential treatment than normal. He cited a recent case where a customer of his came down to see him from PA, was stopped, had his radar detector confiscated, and was ticketed and paid a $250 fine. When invited to come back, he will not do so, and has invited Del. May to come to PA to meet with him. VA is apparently the only state in the country to prohibit radar detectors, so Del. May feels that we ought to join the other 49 states and repeal the ban. After heavy opposition by the State Police, the State Sheriff’s Assn., Nationwide Insurance, and several of the sub committee members, and with the bill in danger of being killed, Del. May suggested that the sub committee might want to Report the bill, WITHOUT Recommendation, which was unanimously agreed to. SubCom Chair Carrico (a retired State Policeman) then jokingly said, “the next thing we’ll be seeing is a bill to legalize the carrying of burglary tools in a vehicle.”
Lastly, Del. Carrico turned over the gavel to Del. Oder (vice chair of the sub com) so Carrico could patron HB856, at the request of the Governor’s Office, which will permit the increasing of the maximum speed limit from 65 to 70 on highways in the state, after a VDOT Engineering Study has determined that segment is suitable for that speed limit. Del. Morrissey’s bill HB 176, which would permit the increasing of the speed limit from 65 to 70 only on certain segments of I-95 & I-295 in the Richmond area, was withdrawn in favor of this bill.
It was stated that VA already has a 70 mph speed limit on I-85 from the NC border 60 miles north to a point in Dinwiddie county, without any increase in crashes or severity of injuries so far. Del. Cox (the president of a trucking company) would exclude trucks with a maximum gross weight in excess of 26,000 lbs. since they use a lot more fuel over 65 mph, and many of them have governors to hold them at that speed. Del. Carrico was strongly opposed to split speed limits. Nationwide Insurance spoke on the increased severity of injuries from crashes at higher speeds. Sierra Club spoke against higher speeds on the basis of using more fuel and increased costs to change the signage. As 8:30 approached, the bill was REPORTED, 4-2, and Del. Carrico announced that next week’s meeting would remain at 7 a.m.
Tomorrow, 1/28, we have House Transportation at 8:30 a.m. (with all of the above bills that have been reported, plus a number of others, none of which are of great interest to me) and Senate Transportation at 2 p.m. with *SB 566 Following Too Closely & 3 Foot Passing on the docket. Now would be the time to contact your Senator if they are on Senate Transportation. In the Richmond area, that would be Henry Marsh (698-7516 or district16@senate.virginia.gov), Ryan McDougle (698-7504 or district04@senate.virginia.gov), & John Watkins (698-7510 or district10@senate.virginia.gov) Elsewhere, the committee includes Yvonne Miller — Chair, Houck, Newman, Puckett, Wagner, Blevins, Deeds,Ticer, Smith, J.C. Miller, Marsden, & McWaters.
(Find your legislators at the General Assembly’s Who’s My Legislator page, then see if your Senator is on the Transportation Committee.)
Looks like the companion bill in the House, HB1048 will be in Trans Sub Comm 2 next Wed. , Feb. 3 @ 7 a.m.
Let’s hit the Senators on Transportation with some calls & EMails, supporting 566.
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-ffAr_0M34f91E.gif\")
Comments on this entry are closed.
As you may know, Virginia is the only state that bans the use and sale of radar detectors. There is no evidence that the radar detector ban increases highway safety. Our nation’s fatality rates have fallen consistently for almost two decades. Virginia’s fatality rate has also fallen, but not any more dramatically than it has nationwide. Research has even shown that radar detector owners have a lower accident rate than motorists who do not own a detector.
Maintaining the ban is not in the best interest of Virginians or visitors to the state. I know and know of people that will not drive in Virginia due to this ban. Unjust enforcement practices are not unheard of, and radar detectors can keep safe motorists from being exploited by abusive speed traps. Likewise, the ban has a negative impact on Virginia’s business community. Electronic distributors lose business to neighboring states and Virginia misses out on valuable sales tax revenue.
Radar detector bans do not work. Research and experience show that radar detector bans do not result in lower accident rates, improved speed-limit compliance or reduce auto insurance expenditures.
• The Virginia radar detector ban is difficult and expensive to enforce. The Virginia ban diverts precious law enforcement resources from more important duties and this ban may be ILLEGAL.
• Radar detectors are legal in the rest of the nation, in all 49 other states. In fact, the first state to test a radar detector ban, Connecticut, repealed the law – it ruled the law was ineffective and unfair. It is time for our Virginia to join the rest of the nation.
• It has never been shown that radar detectors cause accidents or even encourage motorists to drive faster than they would otherwise. The Yankelovich – Clancy – Shulman Radar Detector Study conducted in 1987, showed that radar detector users drove an average of 34% further between accidents (233,933 miles versus 174,554 miles) than non radar detector users. The study also showed that they have much higher seat belt use compliance. If drivers with radar detectors have fewer accidents, it follows that they have reduced insurance costs – it is counterproductive to ban radar detectors.
• In a similar study performed in Great Britain by MORI in 2001 the summary reports that “Users (of radar detectors) appear to travel 50% further between accidents than non-users. In this survey the users interviewed traveling on average 217,353 miles between accidents compared to 143,401 miles between accidents of those non-users randomly drawn from the general public.” The MORI study also reported “Three quarters agree, perhaps unsurprisingly, that since purchasing a radar detector they have become more conscious about keeping to the speed limit…” and “Three in five detector users claim to have become a safer driver since purchasing a detector.”
• Modern radar detectors play a significant role in preventing accidents and laying the technology foundation for the Safety Warning System® (SWS). Radar detectors with SWS alert motorists to oncoming emergency vehicles, potential road hazards, and unusual traffic conditions. There are more than 10 million radar detectors with SWS in use nationwide. The federal government has earmarked $2.1 million for further study of the SWS over a three-year period of time. The U.S. Department of Transportation is administering grants to state and local governments to purchase the SWS system and study its effectiveness (for example, in the form of SWS transmitters for school buses and emergency vehicles). The drivers of Virginia deserve the right to the important safety benefits that SWS delivers.
Please sign this petition and help to repeal this ban and give drivers in Virginia the freedom to know if they are under surveillance and to use their property legally:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/repeal-the-virginia-radar-detector-ban