Tips for traveling Va. highways, dealing with police
However, nothing can halt a great break like some flashing blue lights and a siren signaling you to pull to the shoulder.
You know what you did. But what you might not know is how to deal with it and why you do see more squad cars during holiday and other break weekends.
Public information officer for Salem/Roanoke Sgt. Robert Carpentieri, a member of the Virginia State Police for 20 years, and Sgt. Mike King, who has worked for VSP for almost 22 years and currently supervises officers in Montgomery county and others, gave their opinions on traffic issues, what to do if pulled over, and other oddities they've seen on the road.
No, they don't have quotas
Both Carpentieri and King confirmed that Virginia State troopers do not have quotas for the number of tickets they have to write. However, 75 percent of the entire squad in the state of Virginia is required to patrol the highways on weekends and holidays, when high-volume traffic is anticipated.
It's no surprise that you see more cars patrolling when we have our official breaks, either. According to King, it's part of a program called CARE, or Combined Accident Reduction Effect.
They know when breaks are and send more people out to patrol. Despite the fact that they don't have quotas, there will be more police out there, which means "each officer can write as many or as few tickets as they want. We're doing our job: to enforce the law," King said.
According to a press release on the VSP Web site, its Operation Air, Land & Speed, which took place the Sunday after Spring Break, March 9, and Monday, March 10, yielded a total of 8,844 summonses and arrests on both Interstates 81 and 95.
Excuses, Excuses
In the event that you are pulled over, don't invent something and think that you're being as slick as George Clooney. They've heard it all. Carpentieri commented that the most common excuses that people will give are that they didn't know the posted speed limit or had a "medical emergency."
Some of the ones that King mentioned included excuses as timeless as "my dog ate my homework," such as: they were late, had to go to the bathroom, had to pick up their kids or even had to get home to watch a TV show or movie.
The excuses also range to the outlandish, such as: they were trying to dry their newly washed car, or their car was overheating and they were trying to get more air into it.
Be kind
According to both Carpentieri and King, the type of punitive offense you receive is up to the officer's discretion. The officer can warn, summons, and even arrest you. The fines you are ordered to pay are set by the courts, so don't try arguing about how much you have to pay — it will get you nowhere.
The different violations that you can get fall into the categories of moving (such as speeding), equipment (if your tags are expired), and non-moving. You could get a traffic ticket if your tail light is out and the officer feels it's necessary. Carpentieri recommends, "Be kind, be courteous, and you'll tend to get a break."
The bizarre
King recalled three of weirdest things he had ever seen on the job. Once when he pulled someone over, people were literally dangling on the outside of a moving car.
He once was looking at a car containing a deer that had been hunted down. However, the deer wasn't dead just yet and started thrashing around. Another man was driving a Camaro that had "pot plants in the backseat of it, just like it was tomatoes," said King.
Trends
King commented that he sees more people using their seat belts than when he first started working for the VSP 22 years ago.
Both King and Carpentieri mentioned that many of the mistakes people make when they're driving are all related to driver inattention — which includes increased cell phone usage and text messaging.
King also brought up the fact that people try to do too much while driving — like going on the computer or putting on makeup. King mentioned he's seen an increase in DUIs in the past few years, and according to him, last year was a "record year" for fatalities in Virginia.
Close to Blacksburg
Maybe you weren't afforded the luxury of going home this weekend, or maybe you saw too much of your family over spring break and will stay in town. No doubt you've noticed that people are pulled over on campus roads from time to time. In 2007, "time to time" meant that, according to VT Police Department, records courtesy of Officer Geof Allen of VT PD Community Outreach Unit, a total of 2,255 people were pulled over. Out of all those pulled over, 761 were given citations.
There were a total of 124 reported crashes. All incidents occurred on campus, and it's important to note that VTPD does not have quotas for the number of people to whom they issue citations and do not receive a single cent from paid citations.
If you do get pulled over
Always pull to the right and pull over as far as you can go. Avoid placing your car next to guard rails or curves. The officer will try to wait until you are not at a curve or guard rail before they turn on their lights. Put your car in park, keep your seat belt on, roll down your left window, and place your hands on the steering wheel.
