what laws gives cops the right to issue tickets for not fully stopping at stop signs in a PRIVATE PARKING LOT? (deserted parking lot on a sunday morning)

Please tell us the code you were charged with.

i thought the owners of the "private" lot were allowed to give jurisdiction?

A Fairfax Cop once told me that private parking lots signs and such do not meet the Uniform Traffice Device Code (or something authoritative like that), so that they (the police) will not enforce the signage and regulations. Too often, the owners erect signs to suit their own purposes which are not in conformity with regulations.

was it a stop sign prior to entering the roadway? Maybe a locality placed sign.....

bdimag Wrote:
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> i thought the owners of the "private" lot were
> allowed to give jurisdiction?


That's correct. Our HOA authorizes FCPD to treat traffic violations on our private roads as though they were on public roads. The same applies for shopping centers.

It has to be by written request, otherwise, the police will do nothing.

If you do something stupid enough the police can charge you with this section anywhere on private property, with or without written requests or permission.

§ 46.2-864. Reckless driving on parking lots, etc.

A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who operates any motor vehicle at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person:

1. On any driveway or premises of a church, school, recreational facility, or business property open to the public; or

2. On the premises of any industrial establishment providing parking space for customers, patrons, or employees; or

3. On any highway under construction or not yet open to the public.

Confused said the charge was failure to stop, or something of that order, not reckless driving. He did not say whether there was an accident or collision, which could change things.

Look at the stop sign.

Is there a sticker on the back of it, that says something about vdot or fairfax county.

If there is, the county put it there or approved it. and the county enforces it.

By approve, I mean , It has to be the correct size and height..etc etc.

shuckinchuck Wrote:
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> Confused said the charge was failure to stop, or
> something of that order, not reckless driving. He
> did not say whether there was an accident or
> collision, which could change things.


Reckless driving can be just about anything. The following are the important words in the code: "or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person."

This can pretty much apply to anything, even running a stop sign. I assure you the threshold for endangering property is much lower than endangering life or limb. Sorry if it's not what you want to hear.

I realize that the definition is broad enough to encompass almost anything. I just doubt that it would ordinarily be applied to a simple failure to obey a sign. Maybe there is something more to what happened that Confused is telling us. Reckless would theoretically cover about 85% of the driving behavior in Northern Virginia.

You are correct that "Confused" is likely omitting something. This is Fairfax Underground. It's practically a requirement.

He asked what laws gave the police the "right" to issue tickets for not stopping at stop signs on a private parking lot and I provided that information. If the signs were private and there is no prior agreement with the property owner and police, then any possible charge would have to be filed under this broad code section. If a prior agreement between the property owner and the police exists, then the full range of the vehicle code would apply on that property and a more specific code could be utilized.

The moral of the story is that you can be charged with just about any motor vehicle-related offense on private property.

I know that for example owners of apartment buildings allow the police to ticket cars parked in their private parking lot, for just about anything they can ticket you for on the street. I assume this would also hold true for malls and other private parking lots.

the signe was half the size of normal stop signs.

in addition, it was made out of wood, not steel.

and the color was green background with white letters.


looks like I'll have to take this to court... :(

Until the OP tells the code he was charged with all this pratter is useless.

He was charged with a new code. It's 43.234556. The short term is MIP. Moron In Public.

Officers are authorized to use deadly force on subjects in violation of this code.

you can only charge dui, reckless, and hit and run on private property.

Didn't you know that Fairfax County Cops can do what ever they please!

They became cops not to protect us, but to bully people around so they could have that CONTROL!

They have a macho problem and being a cop is the only thing that will make them feel better. They figure everyone will listen to them since they have so much control over people.

Instead of protecting Fairfax COunty they think eating donuts,getting discounts at restaurants, drinking coffee is making them TOUGH.
Wohoooo Hope Fairfax County Cops are happy that they have a bad rep.
Should be out getting hte people speeding on Little river Turnpike, turning without a signal light, running lights, and getting hte spanish that are hanging all over 236 harrasing people, and making it impossible to walk that area instead of bullying innocent people.

LOL- anyone else here think this new "Mary" lady is a long lost relative of Spunky?

TheMeeper Wrote:
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> LOL- anyone else here think this new "Mary" lady
> is a long lost relative of Spunky?


I was wondering the same thing.....LOL