picked my car back up today and I was speeding on the way home and got nailed for wreckless driving. He said I was doing 94 but he could not have clocked me because I drove past as he was stopped at another incident so no way could he have got me with that. Anyway I know I am the only one to blame. The cop was telling me to get a lawyer and it could be reduced to a speeding ticket since I have no record. How serious is this? Can I lose my DL? Would you guys suggest getting a lawyer or just pleading my case to the judge? This was an Illinois state trooper.
on the ticket it says H.H. Radar (I assume H.H. = Hand held?) but does he have to prove he got me with the radar? Cause no way did he get me with radar! He was on the side of the road and had someone pulled over when I flew by. He told me had to chase me down. So I wonder how he could say i was doing 94mph, when their wasn't even room on the freeway to do 90+. I basically drove past him on an on-ramp and meged into traffic when he caught me I was just cruising along. He caught a few mile after he saw me and told me I was under arrest for reckless driving saying I was weaving through traffic and following too close to other cars both of which aren't true but I was speeding when he saw me.

my goal isn't to challenge it, just some advise. I think I will plead guilty and ask for supervision. I was just wondering how much trouble I was in. I don't know if this is as serious as a DUI? I really don't want to lose my liscense.

 

My only advice is to get a lawyer. I don't think you're going to get away with questioning the cop's use of radar, because it's essentially your word against his.

The officer was right in telling you to get a lawyer and plead the charge down. That is your best, and probably only, recourse. You do NOT want a reckless driving charge on your record.

By the way, everyone - it's RECKLESS! R-E-C-K-L-E-S-S! There is no W! Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.

 

yup, get a lawyer or something. you reckless driving, atleast in GA, is no longer a traffic offense, but a misdemeaner.

as such it is on your record for like 7 years or something. that will hurt on the insurance. ALOT. you want to get that down to something less serious. offer traffic school, and whatever else you can do to get it atleast down to speeding if not dismissed.

 

where do you live. if its somewhere near the northwest suburbs, i would contact my lawyer. Its about $200 but damn worth it. I've got a clean record only because of him. No increase in insurance for me cause otherwise it would kill me.

 

if you do not get a lawyer you are being careless

 

live with it... then maybe you wont drive reckless again
tc

 

My cousin (16 yrs old who just got his DL 2 months prior) test drove my Z last Dec. & was clocked doin 96mph ... he went to court to contest the ticket about the actual speed... and all the judge gave him was to do traffic school & school community service...(maybe the fact that the officer didnt show up helped him alot...)

 

the only advise is to get a lawyer and pray... if you dont get a lawyer you will get a huge a$$ fine and around 5 points , reckless driving is one of the biggest offense (along with racing) you can committ driving.. good luck

 

Be happy you don’t live in CT, anything over 85mph or double the speed limit is reckless driving. The way it works in CT is if your caught for “reckless driving“, you car is automatically impounded, and you are arrested. I think that’s complete BS because CT speed limits on the highways are 40-65mph the speed of traffics is usually 75-85 so basically a cop can pick out almost ANYONE on the road, impound there car and arrest them.

So I would say get a Lawyer. It’s not just the HUGE as fine your going to get, but you insurance rates will go up.

 

Well, since he didn't have a wreck... it was also wreckless.

 

I faced a reckless op/reckless driving charge earlier this year. It is also a 4-point Misdemeanor here in Ohio, and also an arrestable offense. Check out my "Can a Cop do this????" Thread in Off Topic. It should be somewhere between page 1 and page 5 on that forum because someone recently resurrected it.

Anyway, I also was about to lawyer-up. In the end, I decided that I would just go in and plead guilty. I did that, and I got off with just driving school - no points and no fine. HOWEVER...that was my first ticket ever here in Ohio.

Good luck to you

 

Hey **** I would like to get your lawyers info. I was busted by where I-88 west merges with 294 north. I have to appear in court in Skokie.
My E-mail is derek173@mindspring.com if you do not want to post that info here

Thanks

 

I had the same charges speeding and reckless driving about a year ago. I was speeding 83 in a 60 zone, was not driving reckless. They usually include this if your doing more than 20 miles over the speed limit. Got myself a lawyer and he handled everything for me. I did not have to go to court. It cost me $250 for the lawyer but it was worth every cent. He got all the charges dropped.

 

I didn't even know it was possible to get caught for speeding in IL. Whenever I'm driving down to Skokie from Milwaukee, the speeds of other cars is like 65 in WI and like 85 in IL where the speed limit is only 55.

 

If the officer didnt show up your cousin should've gotten off CLEAN. How can the judge give him traffic school and community service when there is NO evidence against him? Seems like your cousin got screwed if you ask me.

 

It sure makes me wonder how old people are when I see threads titled "How fast have you gotten your Z" and I see people respond with 111 on highway blah, 102 on the freeway, 120, etc. If you could only injur yourself then I say go for it. But you are risking the lives of innocent people.

Then when you get caught you try to play the system. Do the right thing, pay the fine and accept the penalty. Oh yeah and learn from it.

 

In Arizona - one can go do a days driving school and ticket does not go on record.
My recommendation - get the lawyer ! Pay his fee then go out and buy a Passport 8500 - it is great! I bought one a year ago when I still had the 95 Maxima - starting on vacation I was going 75 to 85 on a nice curvey mountain road and the Passport started sounding - I let up on the speed and as I rouned a curve at the top of the mountain - the cop was sitting there with his radar gun in hand! The passport is about $300 - but I figure I save at least $150 right then ( speed limit 55 that area )
Dont leave home without it!!

 

C'mon this is too easy, The smart *** answer would be "drive slower" But, if you're gonna get a speeding ticket, do it right. At least 100 mph for a Z. Sorry, I had to do it. I agree with everyone else, A lawyer,(as much as I don't care for them, is the only way). Good luck to you. FLZ, Dave

 

Trust me I learned from it, I am sorry if it seems like I am trying to beat the system. I am not. I just need advise on what to do. I know I am guilty just trying to see how I can get the charge reduced. I think I will go talk to the DA next week and see what I can accomplish. Can I plea bargain something like this to get it reduced?

 

Seems to me that if the pig had another driver pulled over at the time you went by that you've got your witness he wasn't running the radar gun. Even if you can't get the guy to show up, maybe just get his statement, or a copy of his ticket and show the times. F da police.