New GA driving laws

[dalebert]

Looks like I'm jumping ship just in time!


Nicholas P. Smith
Staff Attorney
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
Staff Attorneys' Office
56 Forsyth Street, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
NEW STATE DRIVING LAWS. . .AS OF JULY 1, 2007

PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING NEW STATE DRIVING LAWS THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT WILL BE ENFORCING AS OF JULY 1, 2007.  YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE
A
WARNING FOR MOST OFFENSES.  PLEASE PASS THESE ON TO OTHERS (print and
keep
a copy in your car!!) :

1. MISUSE OF THE CAR-POOL LANE (HOV) - FIRST TIME $1068.50 STARTING
7-1-07
(THE $271 POSTED ON THE HIGHWAY IS OLD). SECOND OFFENSE IS DOUBLED.
THIRD
OFFENSE IS TRIPLED AND FOURTH OFFENSE IS LICENSE SUSPENSION.
THEREAFTER,
THE DRIVER MAY BE JAILED.

2. INCORRECT LANE CHANGE - $380. Don't cross the lane on solid lines or
intersections.

3. BLOCKING AN INTERSECTION- $485

4. DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER (EMERGENCY LANE ON HIGHWAY) - $450

5. CELL PHONE USE IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE - THE FINE HAS BEEN DOUBLED AS
OF
7-01-07. CELL PHONE USE MUST BE "HANDS FREE" WHILE DRIVING (Use your
earpiece!!  That's what you have them for!!).

6. PASSENGERS OVER 18 NOT USING A SEATBELT - PASSENGERS AND DRIVER WILL
GET A TICKET!!

7. SPEEDING:  YOU'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO GO 3 MILES ABOVE THE POSTED SPEED
LIMIT.

8. DUI = JAIL! (THIS STAYS ON YOUR DRIVING RECORD FOR 10 YEARS)

9. AS OF 7-01-07 CELL PHONE USE MUST BE "HANDS FREE" WHILE DRIVING.
TICKET
IS $285.

[mappchik]

I'm pretty sure that's the beginning (or reworking) of an urban legend.
None of that was actually passed in the 2007 Georgia session.

Not that getting out of the state isn't still one heck of a good idea.

[KBCraig]

Yeah, I got the same email, except supposedly about Texas.

Except not only did these not pass in Texas, there are no Texas laws that start on July 1 (they all take effect September 1).

[burnthebeautiful]

The speed limit thing doesn't make any sense. Why would you be allowed to go 3 miles over the speed limit? Why not just raise the speed limit by 3 miles and then not allow people to go over the speed limit at all?

[penguins4me]

I wonder if those hoax emails originated with this kernel of truth: http://www.theagitator.com/archives/027900.php

Virgnia (where I live) just passed a tough new transportation bill. The bill funds a 41 percent increase in state transportation spending by dramatically raising fines for many traffic offenses (scathing Washington Times editorial here). The indispensable website TheNewspaper.com gives the dirty details:

    Driving as little as 15 MPH over the limit on an interstate highway now brings six license demerit points, a fine of up to $2500, up to one year in jail, and a new mandatory $1050 tax. The law also imposes an additional annual fee of up to $100 if a prior conviction leaves the motorist with a balance of eight demerit points, plus $75 for each additional point (up to $700 a year). The conviction in this example remains on the record for five years.

    Other six-point convictions include "failing to give a proper signal," "passing a school bus" or "driving with an obstructed view." The same $1050 assessment applies, but the conviction remains on the record for eleven years.

[KBCraig]

I wonder if those hoax emails originated with this kernel of truth: http://www.theagitator.com/archives/027900.php

Possibly.

And... dayummm! I thought your karma got reset. What happened?

You've obviously got a stalker even more determined than Maine Shark's karma bandit. At least his stops at -6.

[penguins4me]

Pointing out politically-correct fallacies about a certain rumored-to-be-peaceful religion can be hazardous to your arbitrary numbers.

I'm sure that being snarky doesn't help, either.

[KurtDaBear]

That is a bogus list of "laws."  The thing was circulated in Calif. a month or so ago and caused such a furor that the head of the Calif. Highway Patrol made public statements debunking it.  Even the one or two items listed that are true for Calif. laws, i.e., the hands-free cellphone requirement, have the wrong effective dates on them.