2ND Reckless Driving in Virginia

[ilya_dobry]

My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: Virginia


Okay, let me preface this with thread with a warning for anyone who wishes to give me any sort of flak for my actions. I'm aware that what I did was wrong, endangered other lives and was just plain stupid. Every night I can't sleep because of the consequences of my reckless behavior, I am well aware of the gravity of my situation. Just know that my driving behavior has changed significantly since this happened, I am no longer speeding.

Okay basically I got a reckless driving ticket in Newport News, Virginia, for doing 48 in a 25. I was proceeding down a 45 mile an hour road, and it crossed an intersection and became a 25 mile an hour zone. I didn't notice the 25 mile an hour posted speed limit because I was looking to my left in order to successful merge, as the lanes merged right after the intersection. I got pulled over by an officer sitting in a church parking lot and he wrote me this ticket.

My record sucks. I have a previous reckless driving conviction (this time I was being blatantly reckless) in Surry County, VA, For 88 in a 55. They really threw the book at me, and suspended my licence for 2 months as well as giving me 90 days in jail with 88 being suspended.

Now I have received this new traffic summons. I am aware that reckless driving is a class 1 misdemeanor in VA. I'm taking driving school tomorrow, before court. I'm also a 20 year old Criminal Justice student with excellent grades at a university in my area. I drive for a living, I work as an ink delivery person, in order to pay my way through school. I also take care of my grandparents and a parent, driving them to doctors appointments, as they speak limited English. I have done community service through an organization overseas in Israel as well as here at home, and I am a tutor to high school students. I'm trying to paint a picture that I am a good person, just a leadfoot. I have never been in an accident (knock on wood) and have no criminal history except my reckless and several speeding tickets.

I'm so lost. I'm scared of what I'm looking at (Jail). Can anyone give me any pointers of what I should bring to court, how I should act, etc, in order to avoid what happened last time. The speed isn't that horrible this time, only 23 over. Anyone's advice is greatly appreciated, unless it's just to chastise me for what I did. I'm not proud of it, and I'm terrified as it is. Good kids like me don't belong in Jail, regardless to what anyone else has to say. So basically

I got the lawyer. Now what. What can I possibly do, I want to do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to get me the best possible outcome.

Thank you all so much,
Sincerely,
0i

 

[sandyclaus]

As a Criminal Justice student, I'm sure that you know more about the law than most laymen. You should also be aware that if you got the sentence you did on your first offense for Reckless Driving, then the penalty you receive for your 2nd offense isn't going to be as light as you might hope.

The fact that you drive for a living means that you should remember that driving and having a license are a PRIVILEGE, not a RIGHT. You seem dead set against following the laws as they apply to the rest of us, as evidenced by your first reckless driving conviction and continuing to receive numerous speeding tickets. The judge isn't going to look at what a good person you are, they aren't going to care about the fact that you take your family members to doctor's appointments, that you do community service, or that you are allegedly a good person. They are going to look at your driving record, and that speaks for itself.

People who drive over the speed limit are a hazard to those of us who choose to obey the traffic laws, and those who drive EXCESSIVELY over the speed limit deserve every penalty they get. You clearly have not learned your lesson, as evidenced by the fact that you are trying to use the "I'm a good person" card to get out of taking responsibility for your continued poor driving habits instead of making an honest effort to improve them.

Honestly, I hope they suspend your license again, and for longer this time. I also sincerely hope they give you a jail sentence, and make you serve the time instead of suspending it. Perhaps actually having to pay the legal consequences will make you finally realize the errors of your ways and teach you to drive more responsibly. And maybe the more severe sentence you get, you will realize that you are also letting down your family by taking away your ability to help them as well.

Rant over. You can now return to your regularly scheduled programming already in progress...

 

[ilya_dobry]

Sandyclaus, the tickets that I have received were BEFORE my first reckless driving. I have adjusted my errant driving habits since then. This time, the crime was committed not because of errant disregard for the law, but because being busy merging I did NOT observe the speed limit sign.

Ignorance is NOT an excuse for not following the law, however it does NOT show a wanton disregard for the law, fellow motorists etc, rather negligence on my part to adequately observe the speed sign.

In addition, why all the hate? I don't think that jail sentences should be applicable to speeders, this isn't 120 mph(plenty of people do that). Of course, my opinion on the matter doesn't really have bearing, but let's not forget that most states do not have the similar reckless driving statutes and punishments that Virginia has, nor do European countries. I think this is for a reason.


In regards to the sentence I received from the first reckless, I was unaware of the gravity of the situation and the lawyer I hired was vastly under-prepared to argue my case, and the county was very strict. It was one of those really country localities which have much less lenience than a city court environment. The city of Newport News is hardly a slouch city, however I am hopeful that the Judge will exhibit more lenience.

Plus, I'm pretty sure every one of us is guilty of exceeding the speed limit by 20 miles an hour at some point in time, whether intentionally or by accident.

 

[Proseguru]

So basically

I got the lawyer. Now what. What can I possibly do, I want to do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to get me the best possible outcome.

Thank you all so much,
Sincerely,
0i

Well you have a lawyer ; you may stay out of jail, or at the most 30 days. You can call the governor...that's about it. Look for a new job of course.

 

[sandyclaus]

Sandyclaus, the tickets that I have received were BEFORE my first reckless driving. I have adjusted my errant driving habits since then...

Obviously you haven't, since your mere speeding violations have increased in severity to the level of reckless driving violations - and not ONCE, but TWICE now.

Plus, I'm pretty sure every one of us is guilty of exceeding the speed limit by 20 miles an hour at some point in time, whether intentionally or by accident.

I wouldn't be so sure. But you are a leadfoot, by your own admission. Since you escalated from simple speeding to a level that constitutes reckless driving, you are by no means an occasional violator. You didn't change your habits after receiving the first several speeding tickets, and chances are since you are looking for a way to get out of it now, you haven't learned from getting the reckless driving violations either so far.

You need to see the errors of your ways in order to get the point here. Since you don't seem to think there's anything wrong with what you have done, then you haven't learned a thing.

That line about making the same mistake twice in my siggy? Might want to take that to heart. Choices have consequences. When you tire of the consequences you start making better choices to avoid them.

 

[ilya_dobry]

Santa, please. I am aware that what I did was wrong. I'm very aware of that. There is no excuse for speeding, you can kill someone, yourself, your passengers, etc. I know all about stopping distance and etc. I just wasn't paying attention. I know it's bad.

But please, so far all you have done is critique me and tell me how I am such an undeserving driver, but you have not given any advice! This an advice forum after all, and trust me, if your advice is to lay off the right pedal, I will take GOOD heed of that; even if I won't be practicing it for a while.