What is the name of your state? VA
I was driving home from work (east bound on 267 Dulles Toll road) for the first time in my new Volvo V70R, and was definitely speeding. The posted speed limit is 55. I was spotted by a VA State Trooper who was working a radar trap on the parallel airport road. Suspecting I was speeding, the trooper began pursuit, hoping to catch up to me at the toll plaza where he cut over to my road.
I had just travelled through the toll area in the Smart Tag lane when I heard the siren approaching from a distance. I was going about 45 MPH with a car in front and at least two cars between me and the approaching trooper. I pulled over 2/10 mile past the toll plaza on the left shoulder. The officer approached the vehicle and began ranting about how lucky I was that he had his radar pointed in the opposite direction, because, he said, "I was going well over 100 MPH!". While this may have been the case, it is irrelevant as he had no means by which to determine my speed. By the time he had caught up to me I was within 10 MPH of the posted limit. "Therefor, he said, he was "giving me a 74 in a 35 MPH zone; Reckless Driving". When I asked how he had determined my speed, he paused then said, Err, ah... I paced you"; an obvious lie!
The question is, what can I do about this? The officer could not accurately pace me and was closing the distance between us the entire time. IU have no doubt he was travelling 74 MPH in an reffort to catch up. My first visual of him was after the toll plaza and he was at least 100 yards away even then. I understand that the Fairfax judges take the officers word as proof nearly 100% of the time.
Is it foolish to try to fight this myself? One lawyer I contacted wanted $600 in fess to plead guilty! My driving record in currently at 0 points. As a postscript, my wife now drives the Volvo...
D
Thnx, Dave
I was driving home from work (east bound on 267 Dulles Toll road) for the first time in my new Volvo V70R, and was definitely speeding. The posted speed limit is 55. I was spotted by a VA State Trooper who was working a radar trap on the parallel airport road. Suspecting I was speeding, the trooper began pursuit, hoping to catch up to me at the toll plaza where he cut over to my road.
I had just travelled through the toll area in the Smart Tag lane when I heard the siren approaching from a distance. I was going about 45 MPH with a car in front and at least two cars between me and the approaching trooper. I pulled over 2/10 mile past the toll plaza on the left shoulder. The officer approached the vehicle and began ranting about how lucky I was that he had his radar pointed in the opposite direction, because, he said, "I was going well over 100 MPH!". While this may have been the case, it is irrelevant as he had no means by which to determine my speed. By the time he had caught up to me I was within 10 MPH of the posted limit. "Therefor, he said, he was "giving me a 74 in a 35 MPH zone; Reckless Driving". When I asked how he had determined my speed, he paused then said, Err, ah... I paced you"; an obvious lie!
The question is, what can I do about this? The officer could not accurately pace me and was closing the distance between us the entire time. IU have no doubt he was travelling 74 MPH in an reffort to catch up. My first visual of him was after the toll plaza and he was at least 100 yards away even then. I understand that the Fairfax judges take the officers word as proof nearly 100% of the time.
Is it foolish to try to fight this myself? One lawyer I contacted wanted $600 in fess to plead guilty! My driving record in currently at 0 points. As a postscript, my wife now drives the Volvo...
D Thnx, Dave