We’re excited to have Ryan Fitzgerald (everyone calls him “Fitz”) join our team to fight for YOU. Fitz has spent his career as a top notch prosecutor in Fairfax and Stafford Counties, known among colleagues as “the DUI guy.”

Now, he’s YOUR DUI guy. Fitz came to the defense side of the justice system to help regular people get through challenging problems.

You can read more about Fitz on his profile page.

Fitz was recently featured on WTOP regarding the quest for justice.

The post Partner Ryan Fitzgerald Featured on WTOP appeared first on Andrew Flusche.

I'm going to try something new here and use the books I read as a writing prompt. So this is not a book review. In The Yellow Lighted Bookshop, a memoir of a book-seller and an ode to bookstores in general, the author talks about how reading Steinbeck at age 14 was the spark that ignited his lifelong love of reading.

That got we thinking about what that spark was for me. The short answer is, I have no idea. I enjoyed reading at a very early age. Some of my earliest memories are of books such as Christopher's Parade, Joe Q McClutch, and a book about a zebra titled Alexander. Those were all books I read over and over before I even attended kindergarten. As I got into school, Danny and the Homework Machine, Encyclopedia Brown, the Hardy Boys series, and anything about baseball kept my nose in a book constantly. As I got into high school it was The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and countless other sci-fi and fantasy series. I read a lot of Piers Anthony in high school.

But there is not one book that I can pick out as the "the" book.

What about you? What was "the book" for you? Hit that comment via email link below and let me know.

Trips: 29
Nights: 92

Last Spring we were visiting friends in Raleigh NC and they asked if we had been to Rocky Mount Mills. It's a reclaimed cotton mill on the banks of the river that now houses a variety of restaurants and breweries, event spaces, offices, and loft apartments, including a start up incubator for breweries.

They had me at start up incubator for breweries.

So plans were made and we met those same friends at Rocky Mount Mills yesterday. We pulled the camper and stayed at a KOA just outside of town. At a little over 2 hours from the north side of Richmond it's a feasible day trip, if you have a designated driver.

We started right around noon with lunch at TBC Taproom and Tacos. Clearly, whoever thought to combine a brewery with a taco shop is a genius. The tacos were fabulous, and the 3.7% light lager I had came with a surprising amount of character for such a light beer.

Then we moved on to Spaceway Brewery, which seems to be very much one of those start up breweries. They were having some operational issues with the kegs, but when they finally managed to pour my Honey Saison is was a very well crafted beer. Spaceway appears to be an African-American owned and run brewery, and if there is any industry that needs a shot of diversity it is brewing, so I'm rooting for them.

Third was Koi Pond Brewing, which was also having some operational issues in that they have no brewer at the moment so it was all guest taps. I had the Mocha Brown Ale from D9 Brewing. It's a brown ale, but really tasted and felt more like a mocha milk stout. It was good, just not what I was expecting when ordering a brown ale.

Rounding out the day was an Open Doors Hazy IPA from Hopfly brewing. Hopfly was the most established brewery there as they also have a location in Charlotte. The IPA was a solid representative of the style.

Rocky Mount Mills is quite nice. There are two other breweries we didn't get to. There is not a lot else happening in Rocky Mount though. It seems to be the classic southern manufacturing town that is still struggling to draw business and people with the factories all gone. The #4 attraction on Trip Advisor is the flea market. We stopped by, and it is not a particular impressive flea market. That said, the housing prices are really low and you can still buy a nice single family home for under $250K, so it's got that going for it.

That is pretty much it for the trip. We got to the KOA around 7:30 PM Friday night. It was oppressively hot and muggy but we still did the campfire and chill thing, but sat a good 20 feet from the fire. After day drinking on Saturday we stopped at Freddie's Steakburgers and Custard. I should probably call it a Steak and Shake clone, but the burgers and fries were so perfectly executed I'm going to call it a homage instead. The custard was fine, but it is no Carl's. A rather severe afternoon storm rolled through and pretty much flooded the campground. Our fire ring was holding 3 inches of water, so no campfire for us on Saturday night. It was games night instead. Sunday we got up, packed up, and were home by noon.

Campsite after the Saturday deluge

Tiny Home Village - they rent for $179/night

Campground cat the decided he(she?) liked us.

Rain, snow, and even road construction can drastically change road conditions on Virginia highways and streets.

Drivers need to understand that safety depends upon both the posted speed limit and the best speed for the road conditions at the time.

If a driver decides to zoom down the Beltway at the posted speed limit during a blizzard, they may be driving too fast for conditions on the road at the time.

If you are pulled over for driving too fast for conditions on Virginia roads, speak with a traffic ticket attorney right away.

Andrew Flusche, Attorney at Law, can help. I offer free consultations to help you understand your rights and protect your driving record.

Driving Under the Speed Limit Can Still Be Illegal in VA

If conditions on the roads are bad, an officer can consider driving at or under the speed limit to be reckless driving. Virginia police officers and highway patrol know that drivers need to pay attention to weather conditions and alter their driving accordingly.

Law enforcement has a great deal of experience identifying drivers who are driving too fast for road conditions.

What Does Driving Too Fast for Road Conditions in VA Mean?

The State of Virginia considers exceeding the reasonable speed for road conditions, regardless of the posted speed limit, to be reckless driving. Again, driving too fast for conditions is fact specific.

If you are charged with driving too fast for conditions, it is important to consult with a reckless driving attorney.

Andrew Flusche, Attorney at Law, and his legal team are here to help you maintain your driving privileges and save you money in the process.

What Are the Penalties for Driving Too Fast For Road Conditions in Virginia?

Driving too fast for road conditions means you can be charged for reckless driving. If you violate other traffic laws as well, such as following too closely or passing someone illegally, you could even be charged with aggressive driving.

These charges can be divided into penalties for misdemeanors or felonies—depending on how the State charged you.

Misdemeanor Penalties

If you are caught driving recklessly or aggressively in snow, ice, or through road construction zones, you can be punished.

Penalties can include jail, fines, license suspension, license demerit points, and even enrollment in the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) if the court determines that alcohol was a factor. 

For misdemeanor charges of driving too fast for road conditions in Virginia, you can face jail time of up to 12 months. You can also be punished with a fine of up to $2,500, and you will need to pay court costs.

The court may also order you into an aggressive driving diversion program, depending on the nature of your charges.

Additionally, anyone convicted of driving too fast for road conditions can face losing their driver’s license for up to six months.

You can also have your license restricted, which would permit you to drive to only specific locations like work or school during certain hours of the day.

Regardless of how fast you were going, if you’re convicted of driving too fast for road conditions, you will automatically receive six points on your license.

This conviction will also stay on your driving record for 11 years! And since driving too fast in poor road conditions is a criminal charge, this will go on your criminal record.

Don’t suffer major penalties for a minor mistake. Contact a Virginia traffic ticket lawyer as soon as possible after your citation, so we can help you navigate this process. 

Felony Penalties

Virginia drivers need to know that citations for driving too fast for road conditions can sometimes be felony charges.

While most aggressive or reckless driving charges are considered misdemeanors, there are circumstances where driving too fast for road conditions can be a felony.

For instance, if a driver is driving too fast for road conditions without a valid driver’s license, and they cause the death of another person, they will be charged with a Class 6 felony.

Felony reckless driving carries a variety of penalties depending upon the severity of the crime but includes a fine of at least $2,500 and license suspension or revocation for one year. 

If you are concerned you may be facing felony charges for driving too fast for road conditions, contact the law offices of Andrew Flusche, Attorney at law, today.

We’ve helped thousands of people protect themselves and their freedom. 

How an Experienced Reckless Driving Lawyer Can Help

In some counties in Virginia, a traffic ticket lawyer can appear in court on your behalf, sparing you the hassle and potential embarrassment of having to go to court yourself. A lawyer can also help you handle the process from the start.

In Virginia, defendants do not get a chance to expunge criminal convictions from their records. You only get one shot at handling your case correctly.

Having a great lawyer by your side can mean the difference between high fines and jail time or walking away unscathed. 

We Can Help!

My name is Andrew Flusche, and I am a reckless driving criminal defense lawyer in Virginia.

I limit my practice to representing individuals facing traffic charges—so I can say that I know the law in this area very well, and I am especially qualified to help you!

I have years of experience representing clients in similar situations. Through these years of experience, I have developed an in-depth knowledge of reckless driving charges—so much so that I have written a book on the subject.

When your freedom and driving privileges are in jeopardy, you want a reckless driving criminal defense attorney who has a tremendous amount of experience defending similar cases and securing favorable outcomes. I am that lawyer.

Contact my office today, so I can review your case.

The post Driving Too Fast for Traffic Conditions in Virginia appeared first on Andrew Flusche.

Trips: 28
Nights: 90

Our third year in a row beach camping at First Landing State park. This year it was combined with a mini high school reunion as a classmate lives at VA Beach and several other couples road tripped for the weekend. This will be a shorter update. What happens at the beach stays at the beach.

We got into town Thursday afternoon and after some afternoon beach time changed in something approaching "beach nice" for our anniversary dinner, one night early. Our actual anniversary was Friday, but we'd be hanging out with my high school friends Friday night, so we dined out for seafood in Thursday night at Hot Tuna, which is an unassuming locals pub with good food. We are not fancy restaurant people. I'll choose the local dive any day.

Not bad for 31 years together

Friday we started with a hike through the mangrove forest and then spent the first half of the day lounging surf side, meeting up with my friends in the afternoon where we hung out on the beach until the sun went down.

The forecast for Saturday was bad. All day rainout bad. I woke up at 6 PM to rain pounding the camper. I looked at the weather app on my phone and saw the storm was mostly offshore, and that we were just catching the western edge that would pass by 9 AM. Sure enough, the all day rainout turned into 80F with breezy blue skies - the perfect beach day. And we spend that day on the beach.

Spend all day on the beach and party at night with friends. Repeat the next day. Pretty much the recipe for a perfect weekend.

Tara grew up the 7th child of an rabidly christian nationalist Mormon family in rural Idaho. Not allowed to go to school or read any books that weren't the Bible or the Book of Mormon, she grows up with little knowledge of the real world. Her dad is a Y2K prepper who falls into a depression when he doesn't wake up on 1/1/2001 as the only person in town prepared for the apocalypse. Her mom defers to dad in all things, just as a good Mormon wife should. Books, doctors, public schools, clothes that show a little ankle, vaccinations, and just about anything else not directly supplied by him are works of the devil. Several family members suffer debilitating injuries from his carelessness in his construction and scrapyard business, but it's all God's will so 3rd degree burns, severe concussions, and dangerous pregnancies are treated at home. One brother is violently abusive but the parents refuse to acknowledge it or do anything to protect the kids or his eventual wife.

Somehow, Tara (and 2 of her brothers) manage to teach themselves enough while hiding in the basement to get into college, and all three end up with PhDs. Tara starts at BYU, where she first learns about the Holocaust. Yet she manages to graduate and ultimately ends up with her doctorate from Cambridge. Through it all, she continues to crave acceptance from her father, who is not going to give it to an ungodly woman showing a little shoulder and getting herself educated. The book ends with her acceptance of her estrangement from her family, with the exception of the two educated brothers.

This book hit a little close to home with the homeschooling angle. We, or course, were more of liberal hippie unschoolers, but we certainly knew people that trended this way. It is a bit of a testament to the power of self-directed learning that a kid that could only do basic math and who had never seen a science book at age 15 could get a 28 on the ACT two years later to get into BYU and the out from under dad's eye. Or maybe it's more of a testament to desperation. It is also a testament to the power of family in that she was about 28 before she finally stopped trying to fix her relationship with mom and dad and just let go to live her life. Finally, it's a testament to the power of story (hi JJ!) as she entire book is really the story of Tara struggling to gain power over her story.

It's a powerful, emotional book.

Trips: 27
Nights: 87

This was our 2nd trip to Cave Mountain Lake Campground. It's managed by the National Forest Service. Large, private, level sites with no hookups, but there is a modern bathhouse with showers. No cell service either. We stayed in site 24 and I will definitely try to get that site again. We barely knew we had neighbors.

On arrival Friday evening we set up camp, had dinner, and went for a walk around the campground. The lake has a small sandy beach if you are so inclined. Then we relaxed around the campfire before going to bed. Kind of a perfect camping night.

On Saturday I had a hike planned, Apple Orchard Falls. Google Maps said we could get there from the campground without going all the way to the Blue Ridge Pwky. Google lied. The trail head is a slow 4-mile downhill drive on Forest Service roads from an overlook on the Blue Ridge Pkwy. At mile 3 of that trip my brakes overheated and my brake pedal went all the way to the floor without doing a whole lot of braking. Luckily it was flattening out at that point and I was able to get us to the trail head in first gear. After the hike the brakes had cooled and were fine. I had my mechanic flush the brake fluid when we got home (it was probably past due anyway) and he reported the brakes were fine. After the hike we went over to Peaks of Otter Lodge where we set up our chairs at the lake under a tree and relaxed with books in the 70F sunny day. We eventually made our way back to campground and after dinner and an early campfire spent some time playing board games in the camper before retiring early. The hike was short but we both did have COVID at the end of July, so maybe that is why we were so tired.

On Sunday we stopped in Staunton (pronounced Stan-ton for you non locals) and had lunch in the cute downtown area that they block off from traffic on the weekends. While eating local pizza an older guy commented on my Purdue hat and we ended up chatting for about 15 minutes. That kind of thing never happens in the big city. He retired to the area from Northern VA so I was asking a lot of questions as I was still holding out hope we might move to the mountains, but I think we've decided to just stay in Richmond. It's hard to beat 90 minutes to the beach and 90 minutes to the ocean.

If you are a Virginia driver or frequently pass through the state, you may have noticed “HOV lanes” lining the sides of the major highways.

These lanes—designated for high occupancy vehicles only—always seem to allow traffic to move speedily along, while solo drivers tend to stand still in traffic.

Today we’ll discuss the importance of respecting the rules of HOV lanes and what could happen if you violate them. 

If you do find yourself in trouble for giving in to temptation and cruising in the HOV lanes when you’re driving alone, we can help.

At Andrew Flusche, Attorney at Law, PLC, we specialize in resolving motor vehicle violations just like yours. Read on to learn more about Virginia’s HOV lanes and how we can help you if you get into a jam.

HOV Lane Rules in Virginia

HOV lane rules vary depending on what part of Virginia you’re driving through.

For example, during HOV-restricted periods, HOV-2 lanes require at least two people per passenger vehicle. HOV-3 lanes require three people in the car to use those lanes.

Other HOV lanes, like express lanes, can require not only a certain number of passengers in your car but also toll payment by EZ Pass. And some vehicles, like hybrids, have exemptions and can use almost any lane at any time. 

Look for the HOV symbols above the HOV lanes. These signs will tell you the hours the lanes are HOV-restricted and how many passengers must be in your car for you to use the lane.

During non-HOV hours, HOV lanes are generally open to all passenger vehicles, except when the reversible lanes are closed.

Each major highway in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and other major population centers in Virginia have different rules regarding their HOV or express lanes. Some are HOV-2, some are HOV-3, and some are a mix of these types of lanes.

nd while some major highways also have express and reversible lanes, each has different rules for use. These rules frequently change, especially with different seasons and construction projects.

Both the VADOT and commuter advocacy pages provide good information about how to navigate the changing landscape.

HOV Lane Rules on Holidays

You may be tempted to think that HOV lane rules and requirements are not valid on weekends or national holidays. Throughout Virginia, the law suspends HOV lane rules on major holidays. The list of holidays where HOV lane rules do not apply includes:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day,
• Presidents’ Day,
• Memorial Day,
• Juneteenth,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Columbus Day,
• Veterans Day,
• Thanksgiving Day, and 
• Christmas Day. 

Be sure to consult the calendar and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VADOT) to confirm the dates on which these holidays are observed. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Virginia HOV Lanes

How Do I Get Virginia Clean Special Fuel License Plates for My Hybrid Car, so I Can Drive in the HOV Lanes Even If I’m Driving Alone?

All hybrids can qualify for the Clean Special Fuel plates. These plates cost $25 annually, and you must apply for them through DMV. 

Can I Use My Out-of-State Hybrid Vehicle and Clean Fuel Plates in the Virginia HOV lanes?

No, you must have the special Virginia plates. Virginia does not currently have any reciprocal agreements with any other states regarding HOV lanes and hybrid cars. Therefore, if you drive in the HOV lanes in your out-of-state hybrid car, you can be subject to serious fines.

Does a Pregnant Person Count as One or Two People?

For HOV purposes, everyone has to have their own seat. A baby in a car seat counts as a separate person. A baby in your belly stupidly does not.

I Entered the HOV Lanes Before the HOV Restrictions Went into Effect and Got a Ticket. Can they do that?

You need to have the minimum required number of people in your car once HOV hours begin if you want to use the HOV lanes. It does not matter if you were already traveling in those lanes once HOV hours begin. Officers can and will ticket you for an HOV violation.

It is frustrating to drivers who play by the rules when they see solo drivers cruising by them in the HOV lanes. However, even during inclement weather, HOV restrictions stay in place.

VADOT takes enforcement of HOV lane rules seriously. Rest assured that following the rules can save you a bundle in fines, fees, and court costs!

Penalties for Violating HOV Lane Rules

The penalties for violating HOV lane rules can be steep, with higher penalties assessed in the Northern Virginia area than in the rest of the state. In the Hampton Roads area, fines are $100 for each offense.

In Northern Virginia, fines are as follows: 

• First offense: $125;
• Second offense: $250 plus three points on your driver’s license;
• Third offense: $500 plus three points on your driver’s license; and
• Fourth offense: $1,000 plus three points on your driver’s license.

As you can see, violating HOV lane rules can get expensive fast. But a good traffic ticket attorney can help you navigate these issues. Don’t try to handle them on your own. Andrew Flusche, Attorney at Law, is here to help.

The Andrew Flusche, Attorney At Law Difference

My name is Andrew Flusche, and I am a reckless driving criminal defense lawyer in Virginia. I exclusively represent individuals facing traffic and misdemeanor charges.

I have an in-depth knowledge of reckless driving charges—so much so that I have written a book on the subject.

When the government charges you with a traffic crime, I work closely with you to help achieve the desired outcome.

When your freedom and driving privileges are in jeopardy, you want a reckless driving criminal defense attorney who has defended similar cases before and secured favorable outcomes for his clients. I can help you advocate to get your charges reduced or dismissed altogether, depending on the facts of the situation.

Contact my office today to set up a case review.

The post Rules & FAQs for High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes in Virginia appeared first on Andrew Flusche.

I haven’t written about music for a while, so I'll fix that right now.

A few weeks ago, the Dan Baird account on Facebook was promoting a Warner Hodges tour in the UK this fall with an opening act named Ryan Hamilton. I had never heard of Ryan Hamilton, but if he was opening for Warner Hodges, it was highly likely I would be into it.

“Into it” does not really do my reaction justice. Ryan’s music hits that perfect sweet spot of rockier power pop where Watershed or Butch Walker lives. Being from Texas, Ryan absolutely knows how to work a little twang into his tunes too, which is never a bad thing. I spent that particular day streaming his catalog as I worked, and after a couple more days of earning him fractional pennies on Pandora I went ahead and bought 3 album downloads, as I knew he would be in permanent heavy rotation for a while.

Ryan Hamilton - Do the Damage

Ryan Hamilton - Be Kind, Rewind

Also, this summer?Righteous Fool released the album they finished in 2012. Righteous Fool was a project with Reed Mullins and Mike Dean from Corrosion of Conformity, with a former coworker/ friend on lead guitar. So, I had owned several MP3s off the album since way back, but for whatever reason, they never released the record, even though it was done 10 years ago at the same time as the CoC “reunion” album. Righteous Fool is not power pop. It’s doom metal or sludge metal or whatever. It’s metal, and it’s good.

Righteous Fool - Edit of Worms

This week, Butch Walker was promoting the new Matt Nathanson record, which apparently he produced back before the pandemic started. Matt is a singer / songwriter and the record is very chill and cool.

Matt Nathanson - Sway

And speaking of Butch Walker, he announced a new album and tour this week. The closest to Richmond that he is coming is Raleigh. We have tickets. The new album is due out at the end of August. The first single is Holy Water Hangover, which has a strong 70s Elton John / Billy Joel vibe to it.

Also, Drivin' n Cryin' are playing Richmond this week. I was planning on attending, and still might. I tested positive for COVID on Monday, felt like I had a cold on Tuesday, a mild flu on Wednesday, then started improving. I'm feeling 90% today, so if I don't backtrack I should be reasonably safe from BA.5, right? I haven't found any data regarding BA.5 reinfections from itself. Probably just play it by ear and see how I'm feeling on Thursday. It's DnC on a weeknight in Richmond, there will be maybe 150 people at the show, 80 of which the band knows personally.

What good stuff have you been listening to?

Trips: 26
Nights: 85

75F is the normal high in mid-July in Boone, NC. I now want to reside there from June-August. We got into town Thursday evening, staying at the KOA because we were meeting my mother, who had driven up from Atlanta and had a cabin there. I’m not a fan of paying a lot to camp 18 inches from the next camper, and nothing that happened this weekend is changing my mind about that. If anything, I dislike KOAs even more now, even though our particular issue was with the other visitors. The KOA itself is what you expect, crowded, but well-kept with clean bathrooms. We did luck into the spot on the end of the row, and nobody was on the campsite on the other side of us on Thursday and Friday night.

The people at this KOA were something else. On Friday, while I was out hiking, a peeping tom decided to take a look in our camper, while my wife was there. As she was yelling at the guy to GFTO another guy walking by intervened and chased the creeper away. The next day, again while I was out hiking, a large camper in a hurry tried to pass a parked vehicle and would have taken the awning off our camper if the guy in the parked car hadn’t got out and screamed at the driver to stop. On Saturday night, Michelle was cat called by some guy driving by. Oh, and she witnessed two incidents of child abuse. People there are probably lucky we weren’t a little farther north, as Michelle is a mandatory reporter in Virginia. Also, it’s a small campground with about 60 sites. Nobody is more than a 5-minute walk from the bath house, put people felt the need to fire up their Ford F250s to drive the 150 yards to the bathrooms, from 6 AM to 1 AM. Needless to say, we’ll find somewhere to stay if we visit Boone again.

On Friday, I got up early and headed out to hike the Flat Top Mountain Trail at Moses Cone Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s more of a walk than a hike as you follow a gravel road 2.5 miles up the mountain and then back down. There is a tower at the top that you can climb for a 360 degree view from the top of the mountain. It’s a gorgeous hike, wildflowers were blooming everywhere, and the mountain views were sublime. You won’t be alone, as it’s a very popular hike.

Friday afternoon we went to Blowing Rock, North Carolina’s oldest tourist trap. There was no wind, so we didn’t get to see stuff float up when tossed off the rock. It’s not worth $9 per adult, but at the same time it’s totally worth $9 per adult. You know what I mean.

That's it. That is Blowing Rock.

We also checked out downtown Boone, which is kind of a cool little mountain town, with Appalachian State University right there in the center of town. We walked by a pub advertising $1 PBR tallboys on Wednesdays. I do miss drinking in a college town :) We found an old general store that has been there for well over 100 years, and we totally got sucked into the ”buy old tyme candy by the pound” scam. A pound of candy is not nearly as much as you think it’ll be, especially at $11.99 a pound. They even had candy cigarettes.

We grilled steaks for dinner Friday night (thanks Mom!) and did S’mores because we learned that my mother had never had S’mores. All the camping we did when I was a kid, and we never did S’mores? I don’t know how that could have happened.

I started Saturday with another hike, this one starting from Julian Price Park off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Boone Fork trail follows the Boone Fork stream and river for 5 miles, with multiple small waterfalls and at least a dozen stream crossings. It is a really fun hike, and also very popular. After lunch back at the campground, we headed out to explore more of the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway. When Michelle and I came through this area 2 years ago, it was raining and everything was shut down for COVID, so we didn’t see much of the area. We fixed that on Saturday. Saturday night we treated my mom to dinner, going to the fabulous Coyote Kitchen. Michelle had forbid me from picking a brewpub for dinner, since my mom is not a microbrew person. I picked Coyote Kitchen for the menu, not realizing it’s owned by Lost Province Brewing. Sorry mom, but the food, a Caribbean / Southwest fusion, was fabulous. Saturday night was another campfire night, and Sunday was drive home day.

Great weekend, great to see Mom, perfect weather, avoid the KOA.