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The idea that you get a point for every year you drive up to 5 points in VA is totally ludicrous! Points are a negative against you and the more you accrue the more likely you are to get your license suspended or removed. I've been driving 36 years in VA and never had any points and my insurance is about the lowest it could possibly be as well. BTW, the concept that the OP didn't "notice" that he was doing 77 in a 35 MPH zone is daft - I hope he gets a good attorney, as he's going to need it. Personally, with 3 points already in 3 years, I believe he needs a temporary suspension for other drivers' sakes.
It might be time to educate one's self. There are safe points and demerit points. Safe points offset demerit points. You get one safe point for each year without an infraction up to 5 points.
As for the OP. Get yourself a lawyer. Since this a first offense a lawyer might be able to get a judge to knock it down some, but given how ridiculously far over the limit you were that might be tough. Honestly you are lucky you weren't hauled off in cuffs.
VA is no joke. I DONT speed in that state. You are looking at a court date with a plea deal and at lease 1500 in fines and you WILL need a lawyer. Trust me. I know. Been there done that at your age.
Technically, 77 mph is speeding on many interstate highways and state highways. How do you drive 77 mph in a 35 mph zone and not realize you're speeding? The only time in my youth that I came close to this was when I driving late at night and was falling asleep. I actually thanked the cop for pulling me over as I didn't realize I'd begun falling asleep. I asked him to follow me back to my girlfriend's home which was closer than going back to my home.
I suggest you don't bother to make excuses and hope you only get sent to a driver's education course. You may have to pay a fine and possibly community service depending on laws and judges in your area. Going in angry, defiant, and making excuses WILL result in a harsher punishment.
I think jail time in this case would have been the right sentence. 77 in a 35 zone? How selfish is the OP? Given how many serious accidents are caused by just this kind of stupidity I think 3 days in jail should be the minimum sentence.
Jail is not the answer to everything in this country!!! I know many many enforcement officers and they will say that as well, that locking people up is not the answer for driving vilotaions that are not DUI or street racing related and many times just ruins a persons life with an arrest on their record.
What the OP did was stupid, but we all have done stupid things behind the wheel at that age, but atleast he manned up and admitted he was wrong, unless the road went from 65 to 35, he had no excuse to drive at that speed on a local road anyways.
Yes, you are correct many people get killed by the people like the OP driving that fast, but a $1000+ fine would make him learn a lesson more than 3 days in jail. Leave jail for rapists, killers, drug dealers, DUI, etc.
The idea that you get a point for every year you drive up to 5 points in VA is totally ludicrous! Points are a negative against you and the more you accrue the more likely you are to get your license suspended or removed. I've been driving 36 years in VA and never had any points and my insurance is about the lowest it could possibly be as well. BTW, the concept that the OP didn't "notice" that he was doing 77 in a 35 MPH zone is daft - I hope he gets a good attorney, as he's going to need it. Personally, with 3 points already in 3 years, I believe he needs a temporary suspension for other drivers' sakes.
I think you are missing how Virginia does it. You get 1 "positive" point for each year you have no incidents, up to 5. Any traffic violations results in a negative point(s) So, the OP's 3 points are "positive" for three years good driving. If this ticket is -7 points, the OP will now have +4 points on the license if found guilty. If you have had no issues as stated, you actually have 5 positive points on your license (this is a good thing).
In reality, the points only impact your ability to keep your license for a accumulations of minor offenses. Major offenses can still get your license suspended and Insurance companies don't care about points as much as actual violations, as they have their own systems.
I don't have any advice for you. I will just share that I got a ticket for driving 50 in a 25 just a few months after I got my license at 16yo. I am fortunate that I just had to go to some driver's classes. I should ask my dad if he ever found out about it. I intercepted the notice when it came in the mail and told him I was going to the library when I went to the classes.
There is a lengthy Reckless Driving thread in the Northern Virginia forums with a lot of information. Check it out.
I would be curious to know where in Fairfax City you were driving 77 mph in the middle of the afternoon? That's really ridiculous and extremely reckless.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
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In my jurisdiction your car would have been impounded and you would be spending a night in jail and be charged with dangerous driving, which can carry a jail sentence, as it is a criminal offense.
Go to the prosecutor before hand, discuss what possible options you have to reduce a fine/jail if you plead guilty. Really, that is the only thing a lawyer will do anyways for you, and it costs you more $$.
Doing 45mph over the speed limit is definitely going to end up teaching you the difference between 35mph and 77mph.
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