Cars & Coffee

Welcome to the Republic of VA.

BTW, radars are ILEGAL in VA, undectable or not they can tell.

bb1314

iTrader: (62)

Maybe that works in Florida. But it certainly doesn't work in Virginia especially in Fairfax County.

Driven1

iTrader: (2)

Get an attorney...both you and your friend.

scrapser

iTrader: (1)

When I visited Ocala, FL back in 2007 I was amazed at how strict the cops are. The friend I was visiting told me not to exceed the speed limits AT ALL! I took her advice but still had my Valentine 1 up and running.

Outside a couple towns, somebody actually paid to have a full-sized billboard with a warning about how strict the traffic laws are in the upcoming town being approached. Sure enough, a guy passed me as he entered the town doing slightly above posted speed...my V1 was already screaming and I watched the guy get nailed.

Florida is a bizarre place to live. Everywhere you go you see hellfire and brimstone warnings on the church signs and lots of billboards with fetuses for the Right to Lifers down there. Makes you wonder where a particular region gets its culture from. In Florida it's very enigmatic.

Alberto

iTrader: (14)

Fawk Florida with all those old dinosours and no turns. The entire state smells like aligator $hit and Depends from old folks.

Vivid Racing

iTrader: (67)

A lawyer for a traffic ticket is a waste of money, in my opinion. Do your own work and read the statutes.

I've gotten out of a lot of bogus tickets, and I've also paid more fines than I'd care to admit. When I'm wrong, I'm wrong and I'll admit it and take my lumps. When I'm right, I'll stand up for myself I haven't had a legitimate ticket since 2006. The last ticket I got was "Speed Not Reasonable or Prudent" aka speeding. Got it thrown out completely.

Alberto

iTrader: (14)

Go give advice in Arizona where apparently its easy to get out of tickets. Here in MD/VA these cawkcuckers take it seriously.

Regional advice > blind advice

Angel55

Yeah right! Buy a radar detector and you'll get charged with another offense. Thinking im lying? Show the detector to the cop and see what happens.


Exactly! If you read the VA or MD Driver license manual before you got your license you would notice it says whatever speed limit is is the MAXIMUM that you can drive (not exact words but you get the idea).

Just because everybody is speeding does not mean you have to follow them. For example if he'll scratches your *** doesn't mean you have to scratch his *** and etc.

Damm right! Fairfax county VA is one of the most strictest states and counties that will stop you for a little minor violation.

boliviandaddy23

iTrader: (3)

Would u like to be my lawyer

Driven1

iTrader: (2)

20 over is Reckless Driving in VA, not just speeding. Whether the ticket says reckless or not the judge will see 20 over and consider it reckless.

I would not EVER make the recommendation to someone to defend themselves when they are looking at a Class 1 Misdemeanor, 12 months max, and $2500 in fines.

Essentially it's treated similar to a DUI as far as penalties go...unfortunately. VA doesn't play around. Defending yourself (especially when the cop has accused you of racing in addition) will most likely earn you a trip through the "secret door" in the wall to your left...as they take your license out of your wallet.

WYZIWYG

I was going to get out my soapbox and deliver my "Get a Lawyer" sermon. But: you sound really young and don't seem to realize the severity of this situation. So my recommendation is, don't get the lawyer, walk in and defend yourself. Way I see it, they'll be one less dumbazz on the roads with our car making the rest of us look bad and attracting attention to us for no reason. Now I see why so many people want to sell their Z.

itwillboost

2 things, one I would ask for a print out from the radar gun he used. The other thing get a lawyer and don't go in with the attitude that you did nothing wrong. Speeding is speeding and it's illegal that's the law.

KornerCarver

iTrader: (2)

I don't think the police officer used radar. He was pacing both cars if I understand the original posters comments.

Vivid Racing

iTrader: (67)

This is a traffic ticket, not murder. Defending yourself isn't that difficult if you're willing to read the statutes. It's not like an attorney has some sort of magic wand... They know the laws and have experience with loopholes. Learning the laws is easy, and anyone can do it from the comfort of their own homes these days. Experience can only be gained over time, but like I said... This is a traffic ticket. btw- VA DUI laws must be pretty weak if it's similar to a reckless driving ticket.

OP could VERY easily get this reduced to a speeding ticket (which he is guilty of) without paying an attorney, but apparently in VA you need Johnie Cochran to get a bogus ticket reduced.

Kirkster

iTrader: (2)

Welcome to the Mid-A where the cops and court system think that 10 over is aggressive driving... Nothing else, no weaving, no tailgating, no changing lanes without signaling. Just speeding and you are an aggressive driver.

Its all about the money... Oh and our scamras are 10 times worse than they are in AZ. Speed cameras are everywhere...

I would love to have the lax AZ speed limits.. Here a majority of the highways are posted 55.

Driven1

iTrader: (2)

Wrong. It's a Class 1 Misdemeanor which is a criminal offense punishable by jail time....not just a traffic violation.

Only a fool would walk into a courtroom facing criminal charges and jail time without proper representation.

You say "bogus" the cop says "racing"...whose the judge more likely to look at as a reliable source?

KAT_Ayanami

iTrader: (1)

I went to my court date just with my wife. And we got the reckless dropped This fool was happy. But it was also very lucky I guess.

boliviandaddy23

iTrader: (3)

The cop accused us VERBALLY of racing. On the ticket he dint write down racing just Reckless because he knows that we weren't racing he just needed to fill his "quota" because that's what they do every end of the month and i guess this one was short so he needed to put in work. Im not saying i dint do anything wrong i know i was speeding and ill take the speeding ticket but i just don't like getting accused for things i dint do that's why im a bit mad for the reckless

but thank you for those that are positive help!
and those with the negative posts, Hi haters!!!
guess there's one everywhere

user 7373

iTrader: (1)

I would imagine they were "hating" on you because you have a mental disability. If I asked 10000 people if they saw a cop in their rear view would they continue to drive faster then the speed limit posted, I am sure that 9999 would say they would slow down. You are that one person who said "the cop isn't going to poll me over, I'm not doing anything wrong".

I am pretty sure they do mean good in all the hate. They just want to try and make you evolve like the other 99.9%.

abui01

iTrader: (68)

in VA, wreckless driving = MURDER (or at least that's how they treat it around here)

PM me if you want a good lawyer referral. Do not try to defend yourself.

You have 1 of 2 options:

Option 1:
1. hire a lawyer ($500-$1000, depending on your record)
2. on court day, he'll negotiate w/ prosecutor to reduce wreckless to speeding
3. charges get dropped to speeding (stays on driving record for 3 yrs)
4. plead "guilty"
5. pay $150 speeding ticket

Option 2:
1. defend yourself (civilians are not allowed to speak to a prosecutor prior to trial)
2. plead "not guilty" to wreckless, but "guilty" to speeding
3. cop says you were racing
4. judge's eyebrow raises and looks at you like you just killed someone ".... RACING?!?!" *throws hammer at you*
5. slapped w/ wreckless charge (misdemeanor, congrats now you have a criminal record) stays on your driving record for 5 yrs.
6. get butt-raped by insurance for 5 yrs
7. on every job application from now on, you have to say you were convicted of a crime
8. oh, and pay the $500 fine for wreckless driving
9. kick yourself in the nuts for not hiring a lawyer in the first place
10. appeal the decision (must do it within 10 days)
11. get a lawyer

You may save $500-1000 from lawyer fees initially, but you end up paying for it years down the line in insurance premiums if you choose Option 2. Don't worry though, this is not a jail'able offense. It may be an expensive offense and jail'able on *paper*, but only repeat offenders get jailed. (ex. if this was your 5th wreckless, then you might be looking at some time, but otherwise you have nothing to worry about)