Reckless driving charge

Quackzilla

Quackzilla

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I'm in Virginia, and I am wondering if anyone can help me. And I am a 20 year old male.

At about 4:30 am this morning I was stopped for going 102 miles per hour, and I was charged with reckless driving.

I was fatigued, and I did not realize that I was driving that fast. I was trying to pay attention to the road and I neglected to check the speedometer.

I have a perfect driving record, and I have only had parking ticket. I am a model citizen, I have never been arrested, charged, or convicted of any crime in the past. This sort of reckless driving will obviously never happen again.

What I ask is do I have a chance at getting the charge reduced or am I fucked?

Also, the court I must appear in is over an hour away, and the court date would cause me to miss all of my classes. Is there anything I can do about that?

Thanks, I really cannot afford to have a reckless driving conviction. If my liscense is taken away I will have no way to go to college. Plus my insurance is already too much.
 
You can probably ask to get it postponed....make up a reason. However, the next date still might conflict with classes.

You might even want to lawyer up....they know all the tricks. you were doing 102 in a what mph zone?

I know reckless driving can be like 3-4 points on your record in MI. You may be screwed though depending on the judge. I got screwed for a failure to STOP at a stop sign....I did a rolling stop. That sucked ass big time.
 
Didn't you show your FBI badge?

No but really good luck with that, I got pulled over for driving a car that had expired plates(I didn't know because it wasn't my car) and they wouldn't even budge to reschedule a court date for my grandmothers funeral, they told me "don't show up and your guilty"
 
Normally they will reduce it. If you cant afford one get an appointed attorney. What kind of car is it? That will probably play into it somewhat whether you want to believe it or not.

I have had my license taken away (the wreckless I got put me over the top witha handful of speeding tickets) and have been pulled over so many times I cant count. I have a perfect record now though and its all in the past. To many flashy cars and goofing around.

Another BIG tip I will give you is go and talk to the police officer before you go in front of the Judge. Re explain to him what happened and that you didn't mean it... Truth be told they still have a lot of the power in these situations and I have been 4 for 4 doing this on getting my more recent tickets dropped or reduced.

Good luck.
 
Thanks for the advise.

Oh, it's an economy car, if that makes a difference. '06 Hyundai Accent, base model, no electronics, 110hp.

I didn't even know it went over 100mph...
 
Sounds to me like you might as well just pay the ticket and take the insurance hit. I don't see you getting off the hook for 102 miles an hour. It really kind of scares me that you didn't realize you were going 102 to start with.

I dont know about Virginia but around here they don't take your license away for wreckless driving or anything like that unless its like the third time. It will cause your insurance to go up but thats about it. I don't think they strip your license or require you to go to court, I *think* you can pay it off just like a speeding ticket, but like I said it'll haunt you like it was a wreck on your insurance. Of course like I said this is all speculation and I really don't know how it works. In Louisiana I got a "wreckless driving ticket" for a wreck that nobody witnessed and wasn't my fault. I went to the courthouse in that *parish*, yeah lousiana is screwed up, and they changed it to a parking ticket. I still had to pay the fine, but it didn't show up on my insurance. That was a pretty odd case thou as it appears that in Louisina its legal and traditionally for them to give you a ticket for something that they didn't witness and you weren't guilty of. In the end I only had to pay 200 bucks for a parking violation when I totalled an Explorer. Damn you FIRESTONE!!!!
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']Thanks for the advise.

Oh, it's an economy car, if that makes a difference. '06 Hyundai Accent, base model, no electronics, 110hp.

I didn't even know it went over 100mph...[/QUOTE]

You telling me a '06 Hyundai Accent doesnt have some governer that kills the motor at like 92. Thats pretty weird.
 
I would just suck it up and move on. You shouldn't lose your license over one incident (I don't think - I'd check your local laws). Your insurance may go up but that's what happens when you get caught driving 102 in a 65.
 
I don't know about Virginia, but I would do everything in my power to get it reduced. In a lot of states 25 and over is a felony.
 
which county in VA? If you were tagged by FCPD....then your fucked. I too am a "model citizen", work for the public education system, no accidents, no tickets, yet the fuckers (FCPD) wrote me a 85 dollar ticket for attempting to pass on shoulder on fairfax county parkway (near franklin farm), but I never made the complete pass into shoulder but they got me.. Looked like they were setting up a trap for people who pass on shoulder to pass to the right turn instead of waiting on a long ass light. They got about 2 others ahead of me as well. This was over 2 years ago but I have seen more shit done by others and FCPD never went after them, yet I get tagged for attempting to pass on shoulder?!?!

Anyways going over 100 mph, your really asking for trouble. Good luck.
 
^^ They do that all over Fairfax County.

[quote name='CaseyRyback']I don't know about Virginia, but I would do everything in my power to get it reduced. In a lot of states 25 and over is a felony.[/QUOTE]

Yep, not sure if it's a felony, but pretty sure it's a criminal offense in VA. A lot more serious to have on your record than just your typical speeding ticket.

I'd hire a lawyer.

"I was fatigued, and I did not realize that I was driving that fast. I was trying to pay attention to the road and I neglected to check the speedometer."

I don't see a judge buying that one.

If you want to scare the crap out of yourself check this site. This is from an attorney so he obviously may be exaggerating to draw in clients... (http://www.brianjgrossman.com/faq_recklessbyspeed.htm)

"The actual penalty which you can realistically expect varies considerably by jurisdiction. In some counties the traffic court judges will begin to incarcerate at 90 mph; at speeds in excess of 100 mph incarceration is a virtual certainly in most jurisdictions."
 
[quote name='wubb']

"I was fatigued, and I did not realize that I was driving that fast. I was trying to pay attention to the road and I neglected to check the speedometer."

I don't see a judge buying that one.[/QUOTE]

Agreed, your car sounds diffrent at 100mph then 65mph and the fact that your steering gets very sensitive at extremly high speeds would have been an indicator that your just going too fast. Your damn lucky your tires didn't blow, engine blow out or your car flipping. Dude just take what the judge gives you.. since you didn't kill anyone or destroy anything it should be more then a fine and a few points. If you can hire a lawyer to just get a fine slapped on you and some driving classes then great..other wise just take what he gives you.
 
You're such a model citizen that you smoke weed and you look up to a girl whose best time of her life was her first experience with LSD. Sounds like a model citizen to me.

Suck it up.
 
And you're basically saying I was too tired to pay attention to little things like my outrageously high speed. Probably not a great strategy.
 
[quote name='wubb']And you're basically saying I was too tired to pay attention to little things like my outrageously high speed. Probably not a great strategy.[/QUOTE]


how about telling the judge "Some gamestop employee told me that they had 1 60 gig PS3 at another store but its 20 miles away and I had to get there really fast!"

see what the judge throws at you for saying that lol.
 
The cop did you a favor by pulling you over and may have even saved someone's life, including your own. Missing a day of classes is worth it if you learn your lesson.
You were no better then a drunk driver wen you did that so I would say suck it up as well. You're lucky no one died.
 
Did you or your vehicle get searched? Going that fast would be probable cause. I still can't figure out how you didn't realize you were going that fast.
 
[quote name='shieryda']Did you or your vehicle get searched? Going that fast would be probable cause. I still can't figure out how you didn't realize you were going that fast.[/QUOTE]


The smoke from his weed was blocking his speed read out.
 
I know around here if you are clocked going over 90 they can legally take away your license. Id just pay the ticket and hope for the best.... Seriously though, 102? Are you kidding me. I could understand 75 or 80... but you cant tell me you didnt realize you were going 102... cars start to sound different after pushing an engine past 85.
 
lol, model citizen...werent you talking about doing pot or something in some previous forum? i digress, but seriously dude..i hear that if you keep postponing court dates..you have a chance to get a ticket dropped no matter what it is...not 100% sure about it, but its a shot, right?
good luck
 
[quote name='wubb']I don't think you can just send in a check for reckless driving, can you? (I really don't know.)[/QUOTE]


doubt it. Now if his wife/GF or some random lady was going into labor and he needed to go 100mph to get to the hospital, then MAYBE the judge will drop the charges. I am sure this has happened somewhere, where a husband had to speed to get to a hospital to deliver the baby and the cops pull them over.
 
[quote name='BasketCase1080']I know around here if you are clocked going over 90 they can legally take away your license. Id just pay the ticket and hope for the best.... Seriously though, 102? Are you kidding me. I could understand 75 or 80... but you cant tell me you didnt realize you were going 102... cars start to sound different after pushing an engine past 85.[/QUOTE]

I drive a similar car (a 2003 Accent) and would have to say it sounds the same (a little noisy but it is normal considering this car hp is barely above 100) going at 65 mph vs 100 mph. The acceleration is a little slow (the automatic transmition really sucks for this car) but it will go up to 100mph if you give it some time. The ride is still relatively smooth at 100mph (in my previous car, a 1990 toyota corolla, the engine would start SHAKING once it goes past 90mph). I have driven my car at 110 mph without knowing it (I know I was going a little over the speed limit, but it didn't feel that fast at all. I guess it would be obvious if there were more cars on the road and I'm passing all of them with ease). My normal speed on the hwy is probably 85 mph when I'm driving by myself. And no, I haven't gotten any speeding tickets yet.
 
i'm not surprised he didn't notice the speed difference... cars these days don't shake much at 100mph

you are allowed to have the court date rescheduled, when you receive the ticket information in the mail it should tell you how to do that. probably have to call.

go to court, and if the cop is not there then you ask it to be dismissed. if the cop is there, talk with him beforehand and explain you have no problem paying the $$ but do not want to the points on your license.

fyi: 102 in a hyundai not bad at all...
 
shit...I need to take my 97' CRV up to 100mph to see if that thing shakes or I can feel i am going a wee bit fast................either that or I will go poof once I reach 88 MPH
 
aww man, if this goes on my record it could prevent me from getting into VT, couldn't it?

one mistake can really fuck things up

I don't car about fines or jail time, but if this messes up college for me...

I am like practically crying here, overanalyzing everything. Life was perfect then this happened. I am going to dump my girlfreind, I really love her and she is turning her life around, but I really can't afford any more mistakes. man, I have a 3.84 gpa, and I am taking 22 credit hours. I could trannsfer to any fucking college in the country, but with a conviction I am fucked.
 
Get a good lawyer, man. What county was this in?

I asked around and one guy said you are probably looking at a few days jail time for over 100MPH. (Something like a 30 day sentence with 27 days suspended.) Get a lawyer and try to plea bargain.
 
[quote name='dopa345']I just hope "fatigued" isn't a code word for being stoned on pot or on LSD.[/QUOTE]

I see I wasn't the only one who had this thought. That's the only explanation for not being able to "feel" 102MPH. I don't care what car you are in. You will feel the speed at that rate in some way, shape or form.
 
It's Albemarle county, and I am currently having someone looking for a good lawyer in the area.

Man, I was so tired I might as well have been driving drunk, yet a whole group of people watched me get behind the wheel and didn't do anything.

And I'm clean, haven't had a drink or smoke in a week...
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']I'm in Virginia, and I am wondering if anyone can help me. And I am a 20 year old male.

At about 4:30 am this morning I was stopped for going 102 miles per hour, and I was charged with reckless driving.

I was fatigued, and I did not realize that I was driving that fast. I was trying to pay attention to the road and I neglected to check the speedometer.

I have a perfect driving record, and I have only had parking ticket. I am a model citizen, I have never been arrested, charged, or convicted of any crime in the past. This sort of reckless driving will obviously never happen again.

.[/quote]

Speaking from experience in this matter, you can very likely get it
knocked down to carless driving if you speak to the public attorney
on hand when you go to court. As reckless driving is normally defined
as willful and wantful without regard of safety to others and if your
a stand up kind of guy with a clean record you can easily get it knocked
down. Just be honest with them and the states attorney will just go
along to keep court time down. YMMV
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']You're such a model citizen that you smoke weed and you look up to a girl whose best time of her life was her first experience with LSD. Sounds like a model citizen to me.

Suck it up.[/QUOTE]

Bingo.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']aww man, if this goes on my record it could prevent me from getting into VT, couldn't it?

one mistake can really fuck things up

I don't car about fines or jail time, but if this messes up college for me...

I am like practically crying here, overanalyzing everything. Life was perfect then this happened. I am going to dump my girlfreind, I really love her and she is turning her life around, but I really can't afford any more mistakes. man, I have a 3.84 gpa, and I am taking 22 credit hours. I could trannsfer to any fucking college in the country, but with a conviction I am fucked.[/QUOTE]

SOMEBODY CALL THE WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHMUBLANCE!!!
waahmbulance.jpg


I feel no pity or sympathy for you.
 
Wow, I smoked weed like once a week for a while because I was with this girl and suddenly I am the anti-christ and deserve to have my future ruined.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']Wow, I smoked weed like once a week for a while because I was with this girl and suddenly I am the anti-christ and deserve to have my future ruined.[/QUOTE]

:rofl:

My only beef is just a bad experience with a weed user with a good GPA. Nothing personal (on purpose, at least).
 
I think the worse that will happen is your insurance will go up and you'll get a fine. You're 20 so you are already paying out the ass for insurance anyway.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']Wow, I smoked weed like once a week for a while because I was with this girl and suddenly I am the anti-christ and deserve to have my future ruined.[/QUOTE]

Uh, I thought she had a boyfriend?
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']Uh, I thought she had a boyfriend?[/QUOTE]
We weren't dating at the time, we were just really good freinds.

By the way, you are really cold, dude.
 
QUACK=fake, cheat, fraud

ZILLA=a suffix usually added on to the end of a noun to express severity

I'm inclined to believe that this guy is a complete joke and I don't believe a word that he says.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']We weren't dating at the time, we were just really good freinds.

By the way, you are really cold, dude.[/QUOTE]

*girl*
 
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