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[ST] blue ridge fines



In case you haven't heard For all you BRP fans. Be aware!

 > New fines aimed at Parkway speeders
 > By Becky Johnson
 >
 > Speeders on the Blue Ridge Parkway are in for
 > steeper fines - now $500
 > up from $150 - if park rangers deem the drivers were
 > causing a serious
 > risk to themselves or others.
 >
 > Tim Francis, district ranger for the southern
 > portion of the Blue Ridge
 > Parkway, said the new fine is a much-needed
 > deterrent. Sport bikes are
 > too frequently clocked going "triple digit speeds"
 > on curvy stretches,
 > Francis said. The top speed Francis recalls is 120
 > mph.
 >
 > "Not only were they wrecking, but it was ruining
 > other people's
 > experience who were trying to take a casual drive,"
 > Francis said.
 >
 > Last year, rangers were battling a group of
 > professional riders who had
 > a standing challenge to fellow bikers: take the
 > Parkway from Asheville
 > to Swain County, ride the notorious Dragon's Tail in
 > Graham County, and
 > return via the Parkway as quickly as possible.
 >
 > One speeder Francis ticketed for $150 replied it was
 > "worth it" for the
 > ride he just took.
 >
 > "They were looking at it as the cost of an admission
 > ticket," Francis
 > said. "Some of these guys are good riders and could
 > do it, but it was
 > ruining other people's experience. Visitors come
 > from all over the
 > country for nice leisurely rides, not to watch the
 > races."
 >
 > These excessive speeders pose threats to bicyclists,
 > backpackers,
 > pedestrians taking pictures near overlooks and
 > wildlife foraging along
 > the roadside, Francis said
 >
 > When the $150 fine seemed too lenient given the
 > speed, rangers required
 > the speeder to appear in court, where a steeper fine
 > could be levied.
 >
 > The federal judges were consistently "handing down
 > $500 tickets for
 > aggravated speeding," said John Garrison, chief
 > ranger for the Parkway.
 > So this month, U.S. Chief District Court Judge
 > Graham Mullen changed the
 > law, allowing rangers to write speeders up a $500
 > ticket per offense on
 > the spot.
 >
 > "We're recognizing the unique and high dangers
 > represented by these
 > aggressive driving behaviors," said Garrison.
 > Garrison said the amount
 > of the ticket will be based on the ranger's
 > discretion of the
 > circumstances - someone going 60 mph swerving and
 > doing wheelies could
 > be as grievous as another biker going 80 mph.
 >
 > Extremely risky driving could earn a $1,000 fine, as
 > rangers can levy
 > $500 for speeding and another $500 for the separate
 > offense of reckless
 > driving. In cases where $1,000 still doesn't seem
 > like enough, rangers
 > can continue to require the speeder to come to
 > court, Francis said.
 > Francis has taken a speeder to court and the judge
 > handed down a $1,500
 > fine.
 >
 > If the speeder wants to contest a fine, they always
 > have the option of
 > coming to court, Garrison said. Offenses on the
 > Parkway are heard in
 > federal court, as the Parkway is federal property. 


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