M. Park seeing if it wants to impound the unlicensed
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By Kipp Hanley
Published: August 20, 2008
The town of Herndon has had enough with people driving without operators' licenses and wants the General Assembly to do something about it.
One of Herndon's 2009 legislative requests is to amend Virginia code to allow authorities to impound vehicles when police catch people who drive without licenses.
Exceptions would be for those under 18, those whose licenses have been suspended for less than a year and those that get caught for the first time without a license, Virginia code states.
Manassas Park is considering following suit.
Manassas Park has seen increases in unlicensed drivers. In a city of less than 12,000, there were 505 citations written for driving without a license and another 272 written for driving on a suspended license.
That's an increase of 202 citations for driving without a license from 2005 to 2006.
In the city of Manassas, there were 296 citations for driving without a license and 409 citations for driving on a suspended or revoked license in the last fiscal year.
People cited for driving on a suspended or revoked license could have their vehicle impounded for 30 days. This isn't the case with those caught for driving without a license, according to Virginia code.
Driving without a license is a Class 2 misdemeanor and carries a penalty of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles Web site. Those previously cited could face jail time, said Maj. Mark Mathews of the Manassas Park Police Station.
A letter from the Town of Herndon to Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones, dated July 23, stated that changing the code of Virginia for those driving without a license would "equalize treatment ... and restore a sense of gravity and respect for this important law."
Based on suggestions from council, Manassas Park will be sending a return letter to Herndon seeking specifics before making a decision on officially endorsing the legislative request.
Councilman Keith Miller said he would support the request.
"We are all required to have a valid driver's license in order operate a vehicle," Miller said. "... Everyone should obey that same law."
Del. Jackson H. Miller, R-50th District, said over the course of his 16 years in law enforcement, he has seen this issue become more of a problem lately but has no statistics to prove this other than anecdotal evidence.
Miller supports House Bill 104, which would place those caught driving without a license under arrest while impounding their vehicle for 30 days. HB 104 was left in House Courts of Justice Committee last February.
Miller is a member of that committee.
Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on August 26, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Phdee those are some of the biggest grammatical mistakes i have seen any human being write in an informal forum where grammar is not even remotely important. As for your opinion about racism and me, it is just that. I have many friends black, white, Hispanic, whatever. You can cast your dispersions however you may but you are still an illegal coddler and apologist as well as being discriminatory towards legal immigrants. Nothing has changed with you. Let me guess you believe Hillary Clinton isn’t a racist either? Or her hubby “Slick Willie”. Facts are facts ESOL is down 14000 or more, hasn’t been updated in a while as well as mysteriously large bumps up in new enrollments in Fairfax and Maryland as reported in the Washington Post today and on other occasions as well. P.G county new enrollments have risen as well. You sir are a professional racist just from your comments here. LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( phdee ) on August 23, 2008 at 5:51 pm
ZCX, it doesn’t matter who you have as friends or family, their origin, etc.; you are racist. They could be too, but I know nothing about them or who they are. Your “association” with them is irrelevant to your being a racist.
Where are your FACTS on 14000 ESOL departures from PWC. Why that 10-15% of total student body. And all since 2007 and 03/08 resolution. More anti
lies. With those savings as as anti’s allege, soon the county will be sending checks to the taxpayers as tax refunds. You are hilarious.
You fail to mention crime stats - dropoffs as you allege. Nor what kind of crimes? Or are you confused or ignorant of the difference between a crime and misdemeanor. Sure seems the papers continue to be full of crime. How mucg of crime dropoff can or is attributed to non-hispanics robbing Hispanics? Used to be tons of the, even some went unreported.
How do you know for a “fact” that ESOL increases inother NVA counties is because of the resolution? You don’t—as a FACT. Your bigoted miniscule mind likes to think that.
Agfain: you’re sort on facts, but big on ignorance, and devoid of logic.—
And pleqase read a 3rd grade English grammar book (or go to and ESOL class) to thearn the difference between “their”, “they’re”, and “there”; you constamntly incorrectly use these - it’s not a typo.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on August 23, 2008 at 3:30 pm
01b0bnot. I basically agree with you. You never - very rarely - win in traffic court. It is just a way to raise money, and the “connected” get favorable treatment,
I personally did win one in Alexandria. A Va. trooper was parked on the side of the 395 Interstate to stop driver in rush hour who drove on the shoulder to get to an exit to avoid slow or stopped traffic. I and my passenger were just crreping along in the poke lane, were not exiting at theat exit in any event, and when we got near the trooper he stepped out of his car and motioned for me to pull over. He said I drove on the shoulder, which simply never happened. Sitting in his car, looking inrear view mirrors, he must have gotten the wrong car for he sure didn’t se me. Anyway, since I had to go to court, I decided to plead “not guilty” and represent myself. I asked the trooper under oath where did he see me get on the shoulder, and he didn’t know. I got off. —- Traffic court is so depressing. You really see some pathetic people there. Everyone should just go visit once.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on August 23, 2008 at 3:21 pm
ZCX et al, with regard to impounding vehicles, I point out that a driver’s license is issued that allows a person to DRIVE a car, whether it is licensed, inspected, or whatever. A car is titled and licensed to the OWNER, not to a driver. If we let + means legal and - mean illegal, then for “driver-vehicle” being legal or illegal, we have ++, +-, -+,—. (i.e. driver legal, vehicle legal, etc.). My point is it is two separate matters. And an illegal driver doesn’t even have to own the car. Can the owner of a car (legal) that is impounded because of a driver (illegal) bring legal action against the impounding party?
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Posted by ( litehouse08 ) on August 22, 2008 at 9:01 am
if it is just driving without a license, impound until they can show proof of license. if it happens to be someone who is here illegally and driving illegally, impound permanently and deport. it is really not that hard. it’s just hard trying to be politically correct all the time. people need to get a backbone in this country and quit letting these liberal nuts tell us what to do. use our brains and do the right things. but that is too easy.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on August 21, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Your claims of racism on me are so far off the mark phdee, i can’t even begin to laugh. I have friends of many races, Ghanian, Indian, as well as multiple latin countries as well as a mixed family. So go peddle your love of illegals elsewhere. Facts once again phdee as reported in the WAPO and Potomac News, almost 14000 ESOLS have left PWC since the unofficial word of the Resolution in 2007 and then the beginning enforcement of said Resolution in March 2008. Then their is the matter of the significant drop in crime since the unofficial beginning draft of the Resolution in July 2007 particularly the sharp dropoff in the second half of 2007. Too much proof for you yet? Let me conclude with the unusual rise in illegals signing up for public schools in Fairfax, Alexandria, Md as reported in the WAPO. LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( 01Bobnot ) on August 21, 2008 at 2:46 pm
This is a bunch of crap! It’s not just illegals being affected by this bull. I’m a US citizen born and raised here and have been driving safely (no accidents) for over 30 years. A year or so ago I found out how fair and just our legal system is and it’s anything but that. I was pulled over for driving 77 mph on a major expressway posted 55 mph early in the morning. Traffic was light and moving smoothly when we (group of cars) approached the police officer who was still in motion pulling to the side of the road. I was unfortunately at the front of the group but all the vehicles around me were traveling the same speed and had been safely doing so for about six miles. This is an express way with no provisions for pedestrians, there were none around, there were no animals around, and the weather was dry and clear. Long story short since I didn’t play the game and hire a lawyer I was stuck with a reckless driving charge and my license was suspended for 3 months. The judge was beyond arrogant and since I didn’t have legal council I guess he took it personally as an insult, which after the fact I hope he did because it was a total railroading. A fine would have been sufficient, reckless driving and suspension of my license for driving down a wide open expressway while paying attention and being in control was a complete travesty of justice and it goes on everyday. Speeding tickets alone should not be grounds for a person losing their license! Speeding tickets are nothing but an easy way to collect money short and sweet! If speed were the problem everyone could set their cruise controls and there would be no more accidents, pretty idiotic isn’t it? And now with our economy in the sad shape it’s in taking a person’s license because they are unable to pay a fine is just as much of a joke. Going home that evening I was almost ran off the road by some idiot talking on a cell phone who was definitely driving recklessly and not paying the least bit of attention, the true problem on our roads. Speed didn’t have anything to do with that and I wouldn’t be surprised if that drivers record was crystal clear. Driving a certain speed doesn’t make a person safe and it doesn’t make them unsafe, there is a lot more involved than that. Anyone with the slightest bit of intelligence should realize that to take someone’s drivers license is pretty much taking away their means of survival. When you put someone in that position what choice do they have? If anything, that is a punishment that far exceeds the violation. This is just typical of our arrogant power system, if you’re a politician, judge, lawyer, police officer, or family member or friend you can get out of quite a lot, if you’re not, you’re screwed. That sounds like a fair legal system doesn’t it? Twenty years or so ago my best friend at the time tried to talk me into becoming a police officer but I couldn’t see myself being such a hypocrite. A lot of people sure don’t seem to have that problem do they?
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Posted by ( phdee ) on August 21, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Cobra, the person who is driving without a license is anyone who doesn’t have or who needs one/ The illegals allegedly are gone - so the anti-immigration folks like you claim - that the resolution is working. Is that just one of those racist folks lie by chance?
And racist ZCX is back, on the whoopie cushion psssing gas like Cobra. “With a lot of illegals gone” - what is this based upom, i.e. what facts? And to show you do always think discrimination, why do you signle out just the illegals? Isn’t it illegal for ANYONE to drive without a license? AND TO THINK YOU ANTI BOYS CLAIM “LEGAL IS LEGAL” (or “illegal is illegal”). Can’t make up your mind, huh? Xhow how phony and bigoted you are. Like kook Cobra, you haven’t gotten over the US Supreme court in 1967 in Loving v. Virgi ia overturing as unconstitutional its miscgenetation law for White supremacy, where blacks, and others could not marry, cohabit, date, etc. whites, outside their race. Even the 1935-45 Nazi era borrowed the law. Va. and its racists decided to fight it, even though the 1057 Brown v. Board desegration decision had soiunded the deathj of that institution. Of course Va. decided to “maasive resit”, and once more got another royal “treatment”. You’re just a fossil from the heartbrak of that era in racist Va.‘s rich, racist, history. Get a life!!!
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Posted by ( cobra ) on August 21, 2008 at 9:22 am
Hmm,
I wonder just who is driving without a license?
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on August 20, 2008 at 9:11 pm
With a lot of illegals driving without licenses shouldn’t the state impound their vehicles permanently. I mean come on they aren’t even supposed to be in the country another crime. Probably driving to work another crime. End the farce impound those vehicles. LOL Chris Cummings
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