[CGTRWK]

Right on. Highway speed limits as typically enforced are nothing more than a driving tax - and an inconsistent and unevenly applied tax at that. If they need the revenue that badly, raise the gas tax 10 cents.

All those troopers camped out by the highway making 70 in a 55 revenue stops could be cracking down on dangerous driving instead. Or better yet, fired and working a private sector job that has customers instead of victims.

[tenthirteen]

Speaking of a driving tax...it galls me that some states (here in Florida, for example) insist on abetting the bicycle riding groups at the expense of the pay-as-you-go drivers. There are signs all over the state for "share the road" with bicycles, and the legislature keeps passing laws supporting these freeloaders. Numerous tax supported bike trails are constructed, yet these bikes are allowed to stay on the roadways with cars.

No one has ever convinced me why I as a tax paying motorist should share any road with a freeloading bike rider who contibutes NOTHING to the construction or upkeep of those roads. NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING do they contribute.

[gracesdad]

“If they need the revenue that badly, raise the gas tax 10 cents.”

This is absolutely right, although it doesn’t even need to be 10 cents. This is a user fee. You use the roads, you pay to use them. You use them a lot, you pay more. You don’t use the roads, you don’t pay. To me, that’s conservative. However, the legislators in Virginia, a Republican majority, won’t go there.

“All those troopers camped out by the highway making 70 in a 55 revenue stops...”

In Virginia, if you stay under that 15 mph over the speed limit on highways, you generally won’t get a ticket. Not a guarantee of course, but 9 times out of 10. And in most parts of Virginia, if you’re going more than 15 over, you’re a menace and deserve a ticket.