Community Chat

[stevieb]

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said: I hear you all. At first, I approved of them because we were told they would be used near schools and work areas. But when they realized how profitable they are, they installed them everywhere. My governor has raised taxes in one form or another 40 times since 2007. Speed cameras were listed as one of them.

And wasn't the recent gubernatorial choice, which was at least in part about those taxes, rather telling...?

It was, especially when you saw them listed in black and white. No wonder my state is listed as one of least affordable in which to retire.

I worked there for many years, but never lived there and that was a big part of the reason why. Across the river is only minimally better, but it is at least a little less glaring! Also telling that businesses have been abandoning the 'Free State' (wow, what a misnomer) in droves... Still, speed cams are not the solution to revenue issues...

I thought you lived across the river. We lived there when we first got married, and most of our close friends live there. I like Virginia a lot. Our favorite restaurant is in Merryfield, near Fairfax Hospital.

What's that? I used to live there! I moved closer in to Alexandria a few years ago, but still go out to the old homestead to eat on occasion because there was a nice choice of eateries out there I got used to!

The Sweetwater Tavern. They have good food, and very nice atmosphere. We drive over there a couple of times a month on Saturday nights. You can look at their menu online to see if it's a place you think you might like.

I know it well... Good place for a nice dinner! The same company owns and runs several other restaurants in No. Va. and they are nice too. Used to go to another in their group called "Artie's" fairly often. I lived not five minutes away from Sweetwater!

[stevieb]

On 11/6/2014 Chalcedony said: That's a fun restaurant, wookie. There are now many good restaurants in the Merrifield area with the addition/revamping of the Mosaic and Halstead areas. (My office is just across the street from Fairfax Hospital.)

Gosh, lots of us around here! You must work at Mobile or in one of the other health care buidings...

[NoelSeven]

They're around here in smaller cities and seem to be a trap for a lucrative cash flow.

One not far from the city is $500 for not making a complete stop well before a right turn.

Five hundred dollars

It's a set-up because it's at a red light/green light controlled T stop, but if you're behind a truck and follow it through, you can't see the red light. They've made beaucoup bucks that way, but it's being challenged now.

[Chalcedony]

I don't work in health care, stevieb.

[sidsmom]

I shocked to see the # of people that feel it's OK to break the law. That's very telling...VERY telling. Just don't run into me.

[Say Nay]

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 MomTo2Dogs said:

We used to have 21 red light cameras set up in various intersections and they were removed last year. One of the cameras was located in a main intersection by San Diego Harbor and giving tickets to tourists didn't reflect well on San Diego's image as a friendly city. Fines were $500 and travelers weren't happy coming home to a ticket in their mailbox. Some said the cameras didn't reduce accidents but they had been placed in areas where accidents weren't prevalent anyway. The whole process seemed disorganized from the start. I doubt many drivers were sad to see them go.

Wow! Five bills! And in areas that weren't problems! Now that was pretty clearly done for other reasons...

The camera at that intersection was installed in the late 90's. A decade later a study found only one accident had occurred in that spot. The city probably found it wasn't profitable as they hoped since tourists passing through normally don't pay traffic fines.

[Surfnturf]

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said: I hear you all. At first, I approved of them because we were told they would be used near schools and work areas. But when they realized how profitable they are, they installed them everywhere. My governor has raised taxes in one form or another 40 times since 2007. Speed cameras were listed as one of them.

And wasn't the recent gubernatorial choice, which was at least in part about those taxes, rather telling...?

It was, especially when you saw them listed in black and white. No wonder my state is listed as one of least affordable in which to retire.

I worked there for many years, but never lived there and that was a big part of the reason why. Across the river is only minimally better, but it is at least a little less glaring! Also telling that businesses have been abandoning the 'Free State' (wow, what a misnomer) in droves... Still, speed cams are not the solution to revenue issues...

I thought you lived across the river. We lived there when we first got married, and most of our close friends live there. I like Virginia a lot. Our favorite restaurant is in Merryfield, near Fairfax Hospital.

What's that? I used to live there! I moved closer in to Alexandria a few years ago, but still go out to the old homestead to eat on occasion because there was a nice choice of eateries out there I got used to!

The Sweetwater Tavern. They have good food, and very nice atmosphere. We drive over there a couple of times a month on Saturday nights. You can look at their menu online to see if it's a place you think you might like.

I know it well... Good place for a nice dinner! The same company owns and runs several other restaurants in No. Va. and they are nice too. Used to go to another in their group called "Artie's" fairly often. I lived not five minutes away from Sweetwater!

Wow, Stevieb, small world. I've also been to a couple of other restaurants the Group owns.

[stevieb]

On 11/6/2014 Chalcedony said: I don't work in health care, stevieb.

[Surfnturf]

On 11/6/2014 MomTo2Dogs said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 MomTo2Dogs said:

We used to have 21 red light cameras set up in various intersections and they were removed last year. One of the cameras was located in a main intersection by San Diego Harbor and giving tickets to tourists didn't reflect well on San Diego's image as a friendly city. Fines were $500 and travelers weren't happy coming home to a ticket in their mailbox. Some said the cameras didn't reduce accidents but they had been placed in areas where accidents weren't prevalent anyway. The whole process seemed disorganized from the start. I doubt many drivers were sad to see them go.

Wow! Five bills! And in areas that weren't problems! Now that was pretty clearly done for other reasons...

The camera at that intersection was installed in the late 90's. A decade later a study found only one accident had occurred in that spot. The city probably found it wasn't profitable as they hoped since tourists passing through normally don't pay traffic fines.

I've been to your beautiful city, and fell in love with it. I'd be pretty bummed if a ticket was waiting for me when I got home.

[stevieb]

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said:

On 11/6/2014 stevieb said:

On 11/6/2014 wookie said: I hear you all. At first, I approved of them because we were told they would be used near schools and work areas. But when they realized how profitable they are, they installed them everywhere. My governor has raised taxes in one form or another 40 times since 2007. Speed cameras were listed as one of them.

And wasn't the recent gubernatorial choice, which was at least in part about those taxes, rather telling...?

It was, especially when you saw them listed in black and white. No wonder my state is listed as one of least affordable in which to retire.

I worked there for many years, but never lived there and that was a big part of the reason why. Across the river is only minimally better, but it is at least a little less glaring! Also telling that businesses have been abandoning the 'Free State' (wow, what a misnomer) in droves... Still, speed cams are not the solution to revenue issues...

I thought you lived across the river. We lived there when we first got married, and most of our close friends live there. I like Virginia a lot. Our favorite restaurant is in Merryfield, near Fairfax Hospital.

What's that? I used to live there! I moved closer in to Alexandria a few years ago, but still go out to the old homestead to eat on occasion because there was a nice choice of eateries out there I got used to!

The Sweetwater Tavern. They have good food, and very nice atmosphere. We drive over there a couple of times a month on Saturday nights. You can look at their menu online to see if it's a place you think you might like.

I know it well... Good place for a nice dinner! The same company owns and runs several other restaurants in No. Va. and they are nice too. Used to go to another in their group called "Artie's" fairly often. I lived not five minutes away from Sweetwater!

Wow, Stevieb, small world. I've also been to a couple of other restaurants the Group owns.

Gosh, it really is a small world! I was just out that way a few days ago on business, so no opportunity to eat out, but I'll have to put it on my to do list!