Oops. 94mph ticket on the way home tonight. (VA)
01-17-2004, 06:35 PM
#12
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Yes and no.
Lawyer is going to be around $700-1200 it looks like. But I need to keep it clean for job reasons.
No on radar detector...I don't want a $300 detector taken away if I get caught with it; and also I really don't drive that much and less in the future.. So I think I should just not speed :-)
No on radar detector...I don't want a $300 detector taken away if I get caught with it; and also I really don't drive that much and less in the future.. So I think I should just not speed :-)
01-17-2004, 09:19 PM
#14
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Be sure to mention your job reasons to your lawyer.
I got a ticket for 86 in a 60 zone earlier this year and I too couldn't afford to get reckless (class 1 misdemeanor) for job reasons. If a reckless driving conviction would affect your employment/livelihood for whatever reason (security clearance, clean record as a condition of employment, etc) the judge will take that into account. I don't mean to scare you, but in all seriousness I know some people who have spent a couple days in jail for speeds like this. You really do need to take this seriously and get it reduced.
As for the radar detector, the police can sieze it as evidence, but they have to return it either after the trial or after you prepay the fine.
As for the radar detector, the police can sieze it as evidence, but they have to return it either after the trial or after you prepay the fine.
01-17-2004, 10:26 PM
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IANAL, but I don't think the Commonwealth Code mandates jailtime. Judges on the other hand...
seem to like giving people a couple of days to scare them for 90+ mph violations.
I know people it's happened to as well, so it can and does happen.
I know people it's happened to as well, so it can and does happen.
01-18-2004, 05:47 AM
#17
if you are facing reckless charges, get a lawyer (and a detector)
I've done this twice... the lawyer fees were half what you quoted, and they were able to make a deal to reduce the charges to improper driving. What are you possibly going to say in your own defense if you don't have a lawyer on your side? The judge is going to have no compassion for a person caught at 94 mph.
About the radar detector.... the good ones (like V1) are shielded so that they don't leak a signal that can be detected by the police. So as long as you don't mount it in a conspicuous place, it will help you and you will not lose it via seizure because you should be able to know when you are near speed traps and not get caught. On the other hand, driving 94+ mph will put you in the middle of a speed trap before you have time to react to the detector, so I guess you are right that you should slow down. :-)
About the radar detector.... the good ones (like V1) are shielded so that they don't leak a signal that can be detected by the police. So as long as you don't mount it in a conspicuous place, it will help you and you will not lose it via seizure because you should be able to know when you are near speed traps and not get caught. On the other hand, driving 94+ mph will put you in the middle of a speed trap before you have time to react to the detector, so I guess you are right that you should slow down. :-)
01-18-2004, 08:08 AM
#18
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94 in VA is automatic 'reckless', which is a Misdemeanor.. NOT a regular traffic ticket. A lawyer
may be able to knock it down to improper or failure to obey highway sign. That alone is worth getting a lawyer for, a 'reckless' stays on your record for 11 years, the others stay on for 3-4 years.
Confiscated radar detectors can be recovered. By law, you're supposed to get it back after you've gone through the trial and paid the fine. I've done it, admittedly it took a lot of time and effort, but I did get my V1 back intact.
Confiscated radar detectors can be recovered. By law, you're supposed to get it back after you've gone through the trial and paid the fine. I've done it, admittedly it took a lot of time and effort, but I did get my V1 back intact.
