South Hill, Virginia Speed Traps

Scenario: Out-of-state drivers get off of I85 to travel west on 58 to get to the Martinsville Speedway for a NASCAR race, such as myself, knowing the penchant of Virginia’s finest, resume cruise control speed of Exactly 65MPH (assuming posted I85 speed limit holds – see below). Before any readily evident posting to the contrary you round a curve (within 2 miles of I85) and there sits the local officer. He pulls you over and tells you that he has clocked you at 76 in what apparently is a 55 MPH zone. 76…even though the GPS record in the navigation system (shown to the officer) indicates that at no time (since leaving the hotel in Richmond earlier that morning) has the car exceeded 66MPH (apparently the speedometer/cruise control is off by about 1 or 2 MPH). Note re: speed change from Interstate to whatever 58 is: I researched speed limits before leaving home, again knowing the reputation of the local and state folks in uniform in Virginia, and learned that 58’s limit was 60MPH -so I felt that 65MPH would be ‘safe’ given the total lack of traffic and beautiful weather conditions of race day (April 1st) – and given that every other Civilized state in the union has adopted a ‘5 over or below, let it go’ attitude, due to Known speedometer errors. But clearly they know (happily, thanks to the fairly new revenue sharing arrangement between state and local agencies on state or interstate highways) that a driver in a new red convertible with the top down, with out-of-state tags is most likely Not going to make the effort to appear in court, and the Reckless Driving bit – driven by being, conveniently, more than 20 over – adds a handsome amount to the already stiff fine. To reiterate, it was a glorious, traffic-free, early Sunday morning on a limited-access, endless stretch of traffic light-free highway…you do the math. I’ve since learned that on that road they will hit you for one (1) MPH over. I have incontrovertible Proof that I was not doing 70-anything, and the officer did not want to be in any way confused by the facts – certifiably calibrated yes, but starting with a zero (0) really at 10 MPH, or the like. Yes, it’s a great one and I am in the process of exploring the percent of out-of-state tickets that account for the Massive increase in issued citations that has occurred since the enacted revenue sharing law, and particularly on days when tourists, you know – the kinds of people you WANT to come to your state and leave their money behind – are there for things like NASCAR races, this year’s big 400th Jamestown anniversary events, etc. After a little time spent at Colonial Williamsburg and the James River plantations during this trip, we had decided we would plan to return for some of that; not a chance! And we are telling anyone and everyone that will listen, read the blogs, etc., of this menace.

ﾤ 46.2-861. Driving too fast for highway and traffic conditions in Virginia

A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who exceeds a reasonable speed under the circumstances and traffic conditions existing at the time, regardless of any posted speed limit.

The Town of Lacrosse, just East of South Hill, maintains a posted 35MPH limit on US58, a four-lane divided highway. The Lacrosse Police regular patrol and set-up traps in this area. I travel through this area at least twice a week, every week and there is not a time that I do not see someone pulled over. The 35MPH is strictly enforced.

The first twenty miles or so of Interstate 85 as you go into Virginia from North Carolina has strict speed enforcement by the Highway Patrol. I have family that live in South Hill and for all my life it’s been a well known fact not to speed in this area. Well, being a dummy, I was travelling south in 85 at this location and got popped at 75 mph in a 65 mph zone. I know I was in the wrong. The trooper told me his allowance for speed was 5 mph over the limit. That’s it. He also said he had to come from 75 miles away to work that area that day, as a part the Governor’s task force. He was parked in the wide open in the mediun. So listen to the voice of expeience and slow down in that area.

Watch out folks for the South Hill Police.

I live in South Hill and frankly ashamed of the way our local and state law enforcement is "gold mining" this stretch of highway. Four lanes with extremely low posted limits are trapping unsuspecting motorists all day and all night. Heaviest concentraion is from the traffic light in Lacrosse to the I85 intersection in South Hill.