Official Reckless Driving Thread (Covington: pharmacy, warehouse, payment)

[swishplace]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

I have no problem with someone going to jail for this excessive speed. But, I'll forgo the jail for a HUGE fine and two days in a busy ER watching the trauma being brought in.

i think what you pointed out would be a better problem-solving technique for this case than throwing someone in jail.

[swishplace]

Originally Posted by boyd888

There's a big difference between "everyone speeding" and people going 100+ mph. It's the same reason they often send first time DUIs (especially higher BACs) to jail for a couple of days (even though they didn't physically harm anyone): to drive the point home so they don't do it again and kill someone. Someone pulled over for doing 100mph - it wasn't their first time doing it. Go to jail for three days because of it...I'd wager they won't be doing it again. That's why they made a public example of Werth.

i would say driving intoxicated is a little different than accelerating a vehicle. there's 2 topics that are highly debatable. the first one is how well jail actually deters crime. the concept is called recidivism. the other is how much speed actually kills in comparison to just flat out driving poorly, intoxicated, aggressive, etc.

[MySonsDad]

So, yesterday, while on the off Rt 29 ramp going into Gainesville there was a long line. However, I assumed it was due to a concert at Jiffy Lube theater so I just inched along with everyone else. Some jerk in a Jeep Wrangler thought he was special and punched it to go around me on the left side. Well, I couldn't let that go so I let him know I wasn't pleased. About 200-300 feet ahead he stops literally in the middle of the road right in my path. So, I went around him and then he proceeds to follow me all the way into my subdivision. He broke off the pursuit before I got to
my house so I called the police.

Lesson - if anybody thinks about doing this you need to realize we are not Freshman in High School. I will call the cops on you (which I did) and press charges. The first thing I do is get teh license plate number. So, grow up or be prepared to go to court.

[LuvVA]

or better avoid such morons, don't go for tit for tat.

[ffx rez]

Unfortunately, there wasn't a cop there to give both of you knuckleheads tickets for being idiots and puffing your chests

[gomason]

My philosophy is that if you let an aggressive driver/dbag get under your skin and retaliate, then you are no better.

I was a warehouse truck driver for a couple years so with all that driving, I realized how stupid and pissed people get on the road over nothing. It's not the end of the world, really. My partner and I liked to get a kick out of how mad people would get for screwing with them (I got a passenger DC police officer to scream at me once out his window).

[WasLucky]

Was lucky:

86/70 on 66 in Prince William by a State Trooper. Hired a lawyer and it was dismissed after the completion of traffic court and court costs ($91).

No speeding tickets/violations in the last 7~8 years and had +5 on my license. The kicker was I never had to attend court - my lawyer talked to a prosecutor well before my court date and he agreed to the dismissal (after showing him a copy of my driving record).

[HokieFan]

Originally Posted by MySonsDad

So, yesterday, while on the off Rt 29 ramp going into Gainesville there was a long line. However, I assumed it was due to a concert at Jiffy Lube theater so I just inched along with everyone else. Some jerk in a Jeep Wrangler thought he was special and punched it to go around me on the left side. Well, I couldn't let that go so I let him know I wasn't pleased. About 200-300 feet ahead he stops literally in the middle of the road right in my path. So, I went around him and then he proceeds to follow me all the way into my subdivision. He broke off the pursuit before I got to
my house so I called the police.

Lesson - if anybody thinks about doing this you need to realize we are not Freshman in High School. I will call the cops on you (which I did) and press charges. The first thing I do is get teh license plate number. So, grow up or be prepared to go to court.

Says the guy who couldn't let it go...

[TheProgrammer]

Originally Posted by NeonSeckzX

I saw the previous excessive speeding advice on previous pages, just posting here since my case might be the worst. So fellas, my case is simple. I got stopped on I-81 apparently clocked 106 on 70 on my way to Pennsylvania. I had no reason to be speeding, I try passing somebody in an SUV who cut me off like a prick. I got mad and cut him off in my Car and a mile after I saw the cop I reduced my speed way before I passed him( he was in the middle barrier in a little slot and was a state trooper), he pulled over from his spot, followed me and stopped me. He did not see when I cut the other guy.. Cop didn't arrest, just gave me summons for general Recless Driving. I'm active duty Air Force and I was very courteous all the time. At the time he stopped me, in an attempt to save myself, I told him my cruise control malfunction and gave me a Sudden Unintended Acceleration. He didn't say anything and took my license and registration. I was with my wife and dog and showed him my military ID also. Yesterday I called him and he said he couldn't do a deal and it had to be resolved in court. He did told me he noted the cruise control malfunction in his testimony. Should I push the cruise control argument in court or plead guilty? I am from South Carolina, and have a license from this state. My court is going to be Botentourt. I'm still between hiring Sam Lazzaro from Salem or Robert Hagan from Finland. I'm skeptical about Hagan. He told me I could plea guilty and do jail time then go to court again and that would be an additional fee for him to show up again. I though that sounded really opportunistic in addition he told me 750 is his price and 850 for military. I do have the money, I can afford it, I am not rich but I don't want to get ripped off. I know the consequences of my actions and I'm prepared. But I'm scared to lose my job cause of a conviction. I've heard countless times in this thread that it does not go in my criminal record but I'm still skeptical since I'm in the military. What do you guys think would be the less severe course of action I could take to reduce the punishment?

106/70 that's pretty fast, bro.

A lawyer told me that if the defendant plead guilty or no-contest to the reckless driving charge, they only have to serve half of their time in jail. For example, the defendant went more than 100 mph, the outcome will most likely be like 60 days in jail but suspended 30 days. That mean the defendant has to serve 30 days in jail, but in reality he or she only need to serve 15 days if plead guilty or no-contest. You should hire one of the best lawyer in the area to defend you. $750 for a case more than 100 mph is very cheap. Usually cases like this will cost you more than $1500. You should ask the judge if you can do jail time in the weekend so that you can keep your job. I don't know what else to tell you beside Good Luck!!

[Byfuzzerabbit]

I got my first ticket ever going 82/65 going 495 south ezpass lanes. I knew about the 20 over the limit is reckless, but I never knew going over 80 is also reckless. I'm sure I had my cruise control set to 75, but I didn't want to argue with the officer. I was hoping with my clean record and my pitiful minimum wage work uniform that he would just reduce it to a speeding ticket, but that didn't happen. It couldn't happen at a worse time either, finals are this week and it's been effecting my studying... I really should be studying now.

Anyways I've already decided get a lawyer since everyone at work told me to get one.

I'm a full time student at mason and my court date is in October. How likely is this reckless driving ticket going to be reduced to something that doesn't stay on my record? If I end up with a reckless driving offence on my record will this prevent me from getting a job after I graduate? My professors always emphasize how important those security clearances are and I'm worried I'm going to have to drop out of college now.

So I guess any lawyer suggestions in the fairfax area? I've contacted a few that came up first on a quick search, but I haven't heard back from anyone. What would the average lawyer cost be also?