Interesting Virginia Laws
04-13-2007, 12:45 PM
#11
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 337
RE: Interesting Virginia Laws
Being a life-long resident, I think I can state without hesitation that the Virginia state legislature has never seen a law or regulation that they did not like. Like all bureaucracies dictate, once enacted, laws and regulations are seldom if ever repealed, even when they are bad laws and regs. Usually, the way bureaucracies deal with bad laws is to pass even more laws. So if you are lucky enough to reside in a state that has yet to overburden it's citizens with excessive rules and regulations, you should fight like hell to keep it that way.
By the way, since there seems to be some confusion on the VA tint law, I just looked it up on the VA DMV site. For standard passenger vehicles, it is 50% on the front side windows, 35% on the rear side windows and 35% on the rear window. You can get a medical waiver to darken the tints but you have to get a doctor toattest to your medical requirement to avoid all bright light.
By the way, since there seems to be some confusion on the VA tint law, I just looked it up on the VA DMV site. For standard passenger vehicles, it is 50% on the front side windows, 35% on the rear side windows and 35% on the rear window. You can get a medical waiver to darken the tints but you have to get a doctor toattest to your medical requirement to avoid all bright light.
04-13-2007, 01:02 PM
#12
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location:
Posts: 169
RE: Interesting Virginia Laws
One thing I have always tried to do is state facts and not make sh*t up, but since my comments were in doubt, I went and found them again, these facts can be verified thru website below, and these are Virginia STATE laws and not county/city laws. I tried to pick out the ones that were in question and highlighted them below. To the guy that had his radar detector confiscated, it appears the trooper was in the wrong, or at least he should have gotten it back,see below.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...10000000000000
ยง 46.2-1047. Muffler cutout, etc., illegal.
It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any (i) muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or (ii) gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter equipped with a gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust.
(Code 1950, ยง 46-306; 1950, p. 54; 1958, c. 541, ยง 46.1-302; 1964, c. 628; 1989, c. 727; 2006, cc. 529, 538.)
C. Except as provided in ยง 46.2-1053, but notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of the vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear of such vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed in accordance with the following:
1. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduce the total light transmittance of such window to less than 35 percent;
2. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduce total light transmittance of such window to less than 50 percent;
ยง 46.2-1079. Radar detectors; demerit points not to be awarded.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth when such vehicle is equipped with any device or mechanism, passive or active, to detect or purposefully interfere with or diminish the measurement capabilities of any radar, laser, or other device or mechanism employed by law-enforcement personnel to measure the speed of motor vehicles on the highways of the Commonwealth for law-enforcement purposes. It shall be unlawful to use any such device or mechanism on any such motor vehicle on the highways. It shall be unlawful to sell any such device or mechanism in the Commonwealth. However, provisions of this section shall not apply to any receiver of radio waves utilized for lawful purposes to receive any signal from a frequency lawfully licensed by any state or federal agency.
This section shall not be construed to authorize the forfeiture to the Commonwealth of any such device or mechanism. Any such device or mechanism may be taken by the arresting officer if needed as evidence, and, when no longer needed, shall be returned to the person charged with a violation of this section, or at that person's request, and his expense, mailed to an address specified by him. Any unclaimed devices may be destroyed on court order after six months have elapsed from the final date for filing an appeal.
Except as provided in subsection B of this section, the presence of any such prohibited device or mechanism in or on a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section. The Commonwealth need not prove that the device or mechanism in question was in an operative condition or being operated.
B. A person shall not be guilty of a violation of this section when the device or mechanism in question, at the time of the alleged offense, had no power source and was not readily accessible for use by the driver or any passenger in the vehicle.
C. This section shall not apply to motor vehicles owned by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and used by law-enforcement officers in their official duties, nor to the sale of any such device or mechanism to law-enforcement agencies for use in their official duties.
D. No demerit points shall be awarded by the Commissioner for violations of this section. Any demerit points awarded by the Commissioner prior to July 1, 1992, for any violation of this section shall be rescinded and the driving record of any person awarded demerit points for a violation of this section shall be amended to reflect such rescission.
(1962, c. 125, ยง 46.1-198.1; 1975, c. 108; 1976, c. 90; 1978, cc. 87, 91; 1981, c. 303; 1989, c. 727; 1992, c. 825; 1998, c. 300.)
[hr]
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...10000000000000
ยง 46.2-1047. Muffler cutout, etc., illegal.
It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any (i) muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or (ii) gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways in the Commonwealth a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter equipped with a gutted muffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust.
(Code 1950, ยง 46-306; 1950, p. 54; 1958, c. 541, ยง 46.1-302; 1964, c. 628; 1989, c. 727; 2006, cc. 529, 538.)
C. Except as provided in ยง 46.2-1053, but notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of the vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear of such vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed in accordance with the following:
1. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduce the total light transmittance of such window to less than 35 percent;
2. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduce total light transmittance of such window to less than 50 percent;
ยง 46.2-1079. Radar detectors; demerit points not to be awarded.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth when such vehicle is equipped with any device or mechanism, passive or active, to detect or purposefully interfere with or diminish the measurement capabilities of any radar, laser, or other device or mechanism employed by law-enforcement personnel to measure the speed of motor vehicles on the highways of the Commonwealth for law-enforcement purposes. It shall be unlawful to use any such device or mechanism on any such motor vehicle on the highways. It shall be unlawful to sell any such device or mechanism in the Commonwealth. However, provisions of this section shall not apply to any receiver of radio waves utilized for lawful purposes to receive any signal from a frequency lawfully licensed by any state or federal agency.
This section shall not be construed to authorize the forfeiture to the Commonwealth of any such device or mechanism. Any such device or mechanism may be taken by the arresting officer if needed as evidence, and, when no longer needed, shall be returned to the person charged with a violation of this section, or at that person's request, and his expense, mailed to an address specified by him. Any unclaimed devices may be destroyed on court order after six months have elapsed from the final date for filing an appeal.
Except as provided in subsection B of this section, the presence of any such prohibited device or mechanism in or on a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section. The Commonwealth need not prove that the device or mechanism in question was in an operative condition or being operated.
B. A person shall not be guilty of a violation of this section when the device or mechanism in question, at the time of the alleged offense, had no power source and was not readily accessible for use by the driver or any passenger in the vehicle.
C. This section shall not apply to motor vehicles owned by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and used by law-enforcement officers in their official duties, nor to the sale of any such device or mechanism to law-enforcement agencies for use in their official duties.
D. No demerit points shall be awarded by the Commissioner for violations of this section. Any demerit points awarded by the Commissioner prior to July 1, 1992, for any violation of this section shall be rescinded and the driving record of any person awarded demerit points for a violation of this section shall be amended to reflect such rescission.
(1962, c. 125, ยง 46.1-198.1; 1975, c. 108; 1976, c. 90; 1978, cc. 87, 91; 1981, c. 303; 1989, c. 727; 1992, c. 825; 1998, c. 300.)
[hr]
04-13-2007, 07:02 PM
#14
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location:
Posts: 215
RE: Interesting Virginia Laws
armour845: I think the trooper was half right at least. His argument was that even though it had now power source, it violated the "and must not be accessible" part. It isn't an and/or situation, it has to be both. He was definitely wrong for taking it, but at the time we were in high school and he (rightfully) figured that he wasn't going to fight it.
And yes, it is one of the last 2 places that they are illegal by government law. VA and DC are the only places. Military bases are by instruction (directive) only its just that all services have made that move. Similarly its not illegal to drive while talking on a cell phone here in Texas but the Secretary of the Navy first decided that it would be up to base CO's then later decided to issue an instruction saying that it's not allowed. You're not subject to some sort of state traffic law, but you can be punished within the jurisdiction of the Navy for it.
And yes, it is one of the last 2 places that they are illegal by government law. VA and DC are the only places. Military bases are by instruction (directive) only its just that all services have made that move. Similarly its not illegal to drive while talking on a cell phone here in Texas but the Secretary of the Navy first decided that it would be up to base CO's then later decided to issue an instruction saying that it's not allowed. You're not subject to some sort of state traffic law, but you can be punished within the jurisdiction of the Navy for it.
04-13-2007, 08:32 PM
#15
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 501
RE: Interesting Virginia Laws
Every state or county has some kind of law towards our cars, some cops will enforce it and some don't care. the ones that don't care either dig your car or has a muscle car of their own.
I know at Shaw AFB, and probably others, you can't talk on your cell phone while driving, it has to be hands free.
I know at Shaw AFB, and probably others, you can't talk on your cell phone while driving, it has to be hands free.
04-14-2007, 09:45 AM
#16
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location:
Posts: 124
RE: Interesting Virginia Laws
I have only one comment about Va laws They Suck And if you drive and are a Illegal person (if you know what I mean) they don't do a damn thing about it ask my brother who got in a accident and total loss his car due to a mexican driving on 3 times suspended license.He went to court, should have thrown him in jail but they did not. Va Sucks and so do the laws.
04-14-2007, 01:32 PM
#20
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 1,459
RE: Interesting Virginia Laws
I believe VA can also make you remove your tint if it is more than the legal limit even if your car is registered in another state. I have 35% tint which is legal in MD, but if a cop in VA was being an a$$ about it, they could write me a ticket and force me to have it removed since the limit is 50% in VA on the front doors.
And SLP's say they are 49-50 (can't remember which) state legal because they probably meet the requirement for the maximum amount of noise they can produce, not necessarily that replacing the stock ones with SLP's is legal. The state can say any after market is illegal but as long as SLP meets the states laws for noise production, they can say they are legal, just not legal to put on :-P
And SLP's say they are 49-50 (can't remember which) state legal because they probably meet the requirement for the maximum amount of noise they can produce, not necessarily that replacing the stock ones with SLP's is legal. The state can say any after market is illegal but as long as SLP meets the states laws for noise production, they can say they are legal, just not legal to put on :-P