I was recently ticketed ($185 ) for doing 57 in a 35 along Skyline Drive, which is within a National Park. I asked the officer (US govt plates) if there would be any points, and he said he wasn't sure, but thought not, since it's Federal land and their info probably doesn't flow down to the states. Does anyone know for sure?

A related question is whether radar detectors can be used in National Parks. I had stowed mine away, thinking that I was in Virginia, but now I'm wondering if technically I wasn't in Virginia. One the one hand, there's the Federal part, but on the other hand the office said that exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 is considering reckless driving in Virginia, though he didn't ticket me for that. Maybe they're applying Virginia laws in this particular National Park?

 

i think the office may have been playing with you about not knowing if you would get points.. If he was a state trooper it would be a ticket issued by a representative of that state for breaking a law in that state.

 

Transfer of points vary by state. In NY for instance, speeding tickets points only transfer from Quebec (yes very random). Or if you don't pay them and they get reported to NY DMV. DWI, DUI points transfer from all states into NY. Best is to call a local traffic attorney and the VA DMV itself - they should give it to you straight. I would be surprised if it did but best check.

Re Virginia law in a National park -- no. It's federal land and only federal law applies. The state can't apply their own law there (Sovereignty Clause of Constitution) if it conflicts with the Federal law. Just ask all the medical marijuana farmers in CA who've had their doors kicked in by DEA agents who don't give a damn what CA law says. So the only question is whether Federal law allows detectors.

Speeding tickets and other National park violations are governed by a law enacted by Congress many years ago. The fines go to victims of domestic violence. I believe the judge sets the fine in all cases.

I was ticketed in a NV federal park last year, ended up with a $600 fine from the judge (90 in a 55).

Good luck!

 

He was definitely a Fed, not a state trooper. And it seemed like he was being honest about not knowing about the points.

Also, I should note that the ticket was in a flat, straight, open section, not a curvy part. A road like that would normally have a speed limit of 55.

 

interesting. i've never gotten a ticket from a federal officer before. i have from pretty much every other type

now i'm curious to see if you get points or not being that he was federal....have you called your lawyer yet?

 

Thanks for the detailed info. I did some Googling on using radar detectors in national parks and have found conflicting info so far.

One dumb thing I did was to stow my radar detector in the glove compartment, and I'm sure he saw it when I was fumbling to dig out my registration. He didn't say anything about it, but that couldn't have helped my case as far as getting any leniency.

 

Fortunately, I haven't gotten enough tickets to have ever gotten a lawyer for this kind of thing. How might it help in this case? Seems that I would have to appear in the Federal courthouse which is hours away, so I'd rather just pay the ticket if there are no points.

 

http://www.cvb.uscourts.gov/faq.html

Little info but not much

 

Thanks, it does say this:
I'll check with my DMV.

 

Yeah not much but its a start lol but most likely i think the points do transfer just tAke the points pay the fine and lay low if u dont want to go to court. Take a deffensive driving class and you will be fine. What state are you in

 

I'm in Maryland.

How does the defensive driving class fit in? Would the Porsche Driving School count?

 

Ask your insurance company you can even do it online i think and no p-class wouldnt work lol

 

Boy, I am always brought up short by the apparent hostility to radar detectors in some areas. Autre temps, autres moeurs, but my goodness. In our desert area, my only serious concern is to be sure that any fiddling isn't mistaken for bringing out a gun.

Gary

 

I had a friend get a parking ticket in a national park and blew off the ticket. Six months later a federal Marshall went to UK ,got his class schedule from the bursar since he was not in his dorm room, went to his class and took him out in shackles ! Sat in jail until a federal district court convened. The judges traveled because there was a shortage of federal judges. Make sure you don't forget to pay your ticket.

 

They deported him, huh? Wow. Any day now, Jeremy Clarkson will go off the air. He has blown off a wastebasket full of tickets in those trips they make "to the colony."

Of course, he's not a US citizen. Probably couldn't pry him out of UK territory for a few misdemeanor traffic violations.

Gary