reckless driving in Fairfax county (lawyer, high school, safety)

[jas364]

Hi everyone,

I'll try to make this as short as possible: I was speeding in Fairfax (i think), and the ticket was for 75/55, which means its exactly 20 mph over the limit, which qualifies as reckless driving. I saw the cop car from 10-15 cars away, and slowed down immediately to about 62mph as i passed her, but i guess by then it was too late.

I really don't believe i was going 75, i was definitely doing like 72 or 73mph, but i need this reckless driving charge dropped. My plan is to attend a safety driving program, request my driving records from the past (which only include one speeding ticket in DC from the past), and explain that I work for a children's hospital and was coming back from Paul VI Catholic High School, where i was administering concussion baseline testing to almost 50 children. I also graduated just this past May from Georgetown with honors, am not familiar with that area of VA, and was headed directly home.

Do you all think i should be doing anything else to get this dropped to 1mph less so that it's not reckless driving? I don't want to hire a lawyer or have to pay a fine over $250, because I really can't afford any of that. Do you think if i go to court with all of this working in my favor, that I can get it down to 74/55? Please let me know, as i have aspirations for grad school, and cannot have any misdemeanor on my record.

Thanks.

[HokieFan]

Originally Posted by jas364

Hi everyone,

I'll try to make this as short as possible: I was speeding in Fairfax (i think), and the ticket was for 75/55, which means its exactly 20 mph over the limit, which qualifies as reckless driving. I saw the cop car from 10-15 cars away, and slowed down immediately to about 62mph as i passed her, but i guess by then it was too late.

I really don't believe i was going 75, i was definitely doing like 72 or 73mph, but i need this reckless driving charge dropped. My plan is to attend a safety driving program, request my driving records from the past (which only include one speeding ticket in DC from the past), and explain that I work for a children's hospital and was coming back from Paul VI Catholic High School, where i was administering concussion baseline testing to almost 50 children. I also graduated just this past May from Georgetown with honors, am not familiar with that area of VA, and was headed directly home.

Do you all think i should be doing anything else to get this dropped to 1mph less so that it's not reckless driving? I don't want to hire a lawyer or have to pay a fine over $250, because I really can't afford any of that. Do you think if i go to court with all of this working in my favor, that I can get it down to 74/55? Please let me know, as i have aspirations for grad school, and cannot have any misdemeanor on my record.

Thanks.

Post in this thread, and you will surely get more response:

Official Reckless Driving Thread

Regarding the bolded above, IMO - you say that to a judge, and they aren't going to take it into consideration. It doesn't excuse your speeding, and it doesn't make you special. They've heard all the excuses that you could you possibly throw at them a thousand times.