THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 12, 1996 TAG: 9607110147
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Road Warrior
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: 111 lines
July is not only the month citizens celebrate America's birthday, it's also when a lot of new laws go into effect.
Here are a few of which you should be aware:
The fine for parking in a disabled spot can now be as high as $250. The infraction will also go on a driver's record.
Anyone driving solo in the HOV-2 lanes in Northern Virginia can be fined $50 to $500 on an incremental basis for each offense. Outside Northern Virginia, fines for two offenses or more will be at least $100.
Youngsters 15 years and 6 months who aren't in good academic standing will be prohibited from getting a learner's permit.
Also, the General Assembly authorized several special license plates. The plates will be issued once each sponsoring organization collects 350 applicants to initiate the process. The offerings include the Apple Blossom Festival ($10 annually), First Marine Division Association ($10), Veterans of Foreign Wars ($10), VA Future Farmers of America ($10), American Red Cross ($10), Virginians for the Arts (Commission on the Arts, $25), Virginia State Parks (Virginia State Parks Foundation, $25), Olympic Spirit (U.S. Olympic Committee, $25), 4-H Foundation ($25), Animal Friendly ($25), Virginia Donor Awareness (Virginia Transplant Council, $25).
The plates that cost $25 annually are revenue-sharing plates. Once 1,000 plates are sold, the sponsoring organization gets $15 each year of the $25 plate fee to promote its activities.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Beverly, a prior caller. You're right. The intersection I was talking about is SOUTH PLAZA and HOLLAND ROAD.
People in the right turn lane are going straight across. Wish you could get a cop out there or something.
RW: The signs that say the right turn lanes are for right turns only are there and erected. There are also pavement markings that show such a maneuver is illegal. If someone hits you pulling this stunt, they'll definitely be ticketed and, yes, plenty of cops give tickets in this area.
Bill, Hayqood. I'm concerned about this last phase of INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD that has been completed. The street lights have not been turned on.
I don't think me calling Virginia Power will get them to turn those lights on.
I would appreciate it if you would use your leverage to try and get the lights turned on. Thank you very much.
RW: C'mon, Bill. Have a little faith. The Virginia Power folks are right kind when you don't owe them money.
Road's checking on the switch date. Will let you know. That's if you don't see the lights first.
Steve Cohen,Lake Placid. If I come out and take a right and go down LONDON BRIDGE ROAD, I stay in the left lane as I approach GENERAL BOOTH BOULEVARD. There's no warning at all that that lane turns into a left turn only lane. Need to get those fiesty engineers out there to take a look at the painting and their signs.
RW: Engineers say there are overhead lane designation signs for this intersection however there may be a need for more markings. Either way, they're going to go check it out. Thanks, Steve.
Richard Baker, no address given. RW, regarding the four-way stop signs, my friend Charlie Hayes in Norfolk says when four drivers simultaneously arrive at a four-way stop sign ``ALL SHALL STOP AND NONE SHALL PROCEED UNTIL THE OTHER IS CLEAR.''
However, in Georgia, we just did it by maturity and simple courtesy.
The car on the right has the right of way. If in doubt, the first to arrive is the first to cross.
RW: Not bad logic, Rich. According to the Virginia Driver's Manual, ``Virginia law states that when two vehicles enter an uncontrolled intersection (one without a light signal) from different highways at the same time, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right. However, the law does not give the right-of-way to anyone. It only states who must yield.''
What's the big deal in saying the guy on the right has the right of
way? It's only three words but it essentially says what we all know anyway. The guy on the left yields to the guy on the right.
Marilyn Dembowski, Oceanfront. I wanted to share something I observed on Pennsylvania Turnpike. They had an electronic sign that determines your speed, as you pass it, it says you are going 62 mph. As each car passed, it changed. I thought that might be a good idea to let drivers actually know how fast they are going. Maybe they aren't aware of what they're doing?
RW: Yeah and bank robbers don't know they're robbing banks. Our variable message system used on the overhead signs on I64 and Route 44 are doing a decent job of telling us how things are going. Just last week, Road saw an accident warning heading east on Route 44.
Margaret Bailey, Ocean Lakes. Calling about the corner of LONDON BRIDGE ROAD and GENERAL BOOTH BOULEVARD. When you're on London Bridge heading into Red Mill at the stop light the straight green light skips and doesn't let you go straight across the intersection.
It used to do it about 4 or 5 p.m. and now it seems to be doing it about 11 a.m. or noon. RW: First thing we need to check is that you're not pulling beyond the stop bar, or stopping way before the bar because if that's the case, the loop will think no one's sitting there waiting to cross and won't cycle to your side.
Otherwise, it could be a bad loop detector. Engineers will check to see if it's working properly.
Jenny, Haygood Pointe. There's a lot of traffic on FIRST COURT ROAD trying to make a left on PLEASURE HOUSE ROAD. They need a traffic light there. I'm afraid there's going to be an accident.
RW: No doubt things have changed in the First Court area what with the new development and recreation center. Engineers say they'll go out and do a traffic count to see how many folks are using this road to see if it warrants a traffic signal or not. MEMO: Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get'em off
your chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message, dial
ROAD (7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1 again
to sign off.
Or, write: The Road Warrior, Virginia Beach Beacon, 4565 Virginia
Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va., 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood. by CNB