Faster Than a Speeding Bullet

It seems that the authorities in Fairfax County, Virginia, are looking to show that their stance on speeding is toughening up and if the current proposals to the law hold true, I think we'll see a lot more drivers slowing down in the area. According to the newest rules in Fairfax, judges have the ability to throw you in jail if you are in flagrant violation of the speed limit. In the surrounding areas, going anything significant above the speed limit (usually around 20 or more miles per hour) then you will likely get a speeding ticket and potentially points on your license. In Fairfax County, if you are caught going 80 miles per hour you will be charged with reckless driving (which is a misdemeanor). If you're caught doing 90 (or more) you can go to jail.

Now in seeing traffic in the area over the past few years I can tell you that it is a change that needs to be made and hopefully it will help effect change in the driving habits of drivers around the area. But what I think is lacking more than the need to follow the speed limit is the ability of the majority of drivers to drive sanely. What I mean by this is that many a time we are left to try and figure out what other drivers are thinking about doing in terms of lane changes since many drivers out there seem to think of an indicator signal as a pretty light on the side of the car. With problems like tailgating, reckless driving (in terms of cutting people off or becoming an impediment in the road by driving well below the speed limit) are all part of the problem.

I think the addition of jail time to the consequences of speeding on the area highways is enough to inspire many drivers to reduce the amount of lead in their feet and invest in some tin. I know that I can be a bit heavy footed on the accelerator when driving but I try to keep it within reason, or within the speed of the cars surrounding me. Now of course, the decision whether or not to throw someone in jail for speeding is something a judge will decide but generally if you are pulled over for speeding that much, you will have to appear in court anyways. However, I think the impression that is being formed in the way this news is being reported is meant to make people think that if you are speeding enough to fall into this category, police will haul you away on the spot.

And perhaps that will be the case. Perhaps police will indeed arrest you on the spot if you are driving so recklessly but still, I think it would have be a very extreme case for that to happen that quickly. Still, I'd rather avoid being the one who tests that theory or finds out if it's true or not. I also think that this is meant to not only drive the seriousness of the point home to experienced drivers but younger drivers as well. I think kids who have grown up watching movies like "The Fast and the Furious" and such and see speed as a relatively cheap thrill (now that fuel prices are back down a bit) that they speed to their heart's content but if they end up with jail time as a result of their speedy ways then perhaps they'll also realize the consequences of not following the rules. I guess until we see how this new rule is enforced, we'll find out just how effective it will be.