Reckless Driving for squealing tires...

[acgarlick]

What is the name of your state? Michigan
I'm going to explain what happened first and than explain how I think I'm going to handle it. Any suggestions are very welcome and much appreciated. I am 17 years old and have no criminal record. My driving record has an impeding traffic violation which was marked down from a speeding ticket of 5 over. My car is a 99 Pontiac Grandam Gt and it is front wheel drive (turning front wheels makes it easier to peel out).

I was driving down a suburb with two girls both in the front seat with seat belt on. I decided to squeal my tires, first going straight and than on a turn. I stopped in the middle of the suburban rode which has a speed limit of 25mph and hit the gas all the way down. I didn't brake torque or anything like that and it wasn't that good of a burn. So i continued not breaking the speed limit to a turn and decided it would work better if i went around a turn. So i stopped at an intersection, turned my wheels, and hit the gas again. The Car did squeal but it wasn't for more than 2 seconds and it didn't fish tail or anything of that nature. A lady walked out in front of my car about 15-20feet in front of me and made me stop. She yelled at me and than her husband came out and yelled at me also. The husband is an off duty cop and said he would ticket me if he was on duty. They let me leave but what I didn't know is that they got my license plate number. A couple days later I get a parking violation sticker on my car and assumed it was for my school because I had not purchased my parking pass for the school parking lot. I asked the secretary of the school and she said don't worry about it and just buy a parking pass. Four Days later on a friday, I get called down to the office with two police officers who hand me the reckless driving ticket for the peel out I did that Monday. Obviously, it was because of the complaint from the wife who spazzed out at a small peel out.

Since it is a misdemeanor, I have to get a lawyer which I'm just going to have appointed to me by the court. When they ask me how do I plead I'm going to say not guilty. I talked to the off duty cop the friday they gave me the ticket and he said that they would mark it down to careless driving. If they try to do that I'm going to say I'm here for reckless driving and I'm either guilty or not guilty for that. I will not accept careless driving. If the judge does decide to give me reckless driving, I'm going to get an appeal. I don't think any judge would want to take this to trial for a kid squealing his tires. Also when the prosecutor asks me if I did roast my tires, I'm only going to say that my tires have broken lose.

What do you guys think? I think that the off duty cop is going to look like a retard for giving me a reckless driving for peeling out. And also the mom was upset because her kids were out in her drive way but not on the road.

 

[racer72]

Since it is a misdemeanor, I have to get a lawyer which I'm just going to have appointed to me by the court.

You are truly dillusional. Courts do not offer court appointed attorneys for traffic tickets, if you want an attorney, you will have to hire your own.

I don't think any judge would want to take this to trial for a kid squealing his tires.

Boy are you dillusional. Judges don't care what kind of cases come before them. If the prosecution wants to take the case to trial, the judge will hear the case.

Also when the prosecutor asks me if I did roast my tires, I'm only going to say that my tires have broken lose.

That's good enought for a reckless charge to stick.

I think that the off duty cop is going to look like a retard for giving me a reckless driving for peeling out.

Cops go to court on a regular basis, everything from dealing with idiots like you all the way up to the worst kind of felonies. It's part of their job. With the crappy attitude you have shown in your post, you will be the one looking like the "retard".

 

[acgarlick]

Well how would you guys handle it? That was the advice given to me from a retired cop. Apparently it wasn't good advice at all but I live in a small town where the police are known for hassling people. I've contacted a lawyer and he said he could get it down to impeding traffic but I thought that since it was a misdeamnor, I get a lawyer. Guess not. I'm sorry for being an arrogant 17 year old kid and taking the advice of a retired cop. The cop isn't going to think of me as not having any remorse though because the first thing I did after getting the ticket on friday was apologize to the cop because I saw him walking down the street (small town).

How is reckless driving interpreted? When I looked it up, it looks like for speeding and drunk driving. I would have thought that peeling your tires would be more of a minor offense than reckelss driving.

 

[Zigner]

How is reckless driving interpreted? When I looked it up, it looks like for speeding and drunk driving. I would have thought that peeling your tires would be more of a minor offense than reckelss driving.

You INTENTIONALLY operated your vehicle in a manner in which you could not control it. Sounds pretty reckless to me.

Also, don't whine about how the police are "hassling" you - Sounds to me like they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do.

 

[Silverplum]

Agree with Zig. You drove like an idjit, and got a ticket like an idjit. Grow up.

 

[acgarlick]

Agreed about being an idiot but disagree on it being reckless. Careless Yes. Stupid Yes. Is there any charge that you get for squealing your tires normally or is it always reckless? I'm asking for help and it seems if I say anything opinionated at all, I'm whining. <---Whining about being told I'm whining.

What would you guys do in my situation other than call yourselves ijiots and retards? <---Whining maybe?

 

[Silverplum]

Agreed about being an idiot but disagree on it being reckless. Careless Yes. Stupid Yes. Is there any charge that you get for squealing your tires normally or is it always reckless? I'm asking for help and it seems if I say anything opinionated at all, I'm whining. <---Whining about being told I'm whining.

What would you guys do in my situation other than call yourselves ijiots and retards? <---Whining maybe?

I'd quit whining, grow up, and start driving like it was a privilege instead of a (dangerous) game.

 

[acgarlick]

I'll get on all of those asap. But you didn't answer my question, I'm sure you get sick of having to help people all the time who are upset about getting in trouble some how. Why bother to respond though or for that matter be apart of this forum anymore if you don't plan on helping and just state obvious and irrelevant answers.

Flame away

 

[Silverplum]

I'll get on all of those asap. But you didn't answer my question, I'm sure you get sick of having to help people all the time who are upset about getting in trouble some how. Why bother to respond though or for that matter be apart of this forum anymore if you don't plan on helping and just state obvious and irrelevant answers.

Flame away

Do as you please, Teen.

 

[acgarlick]

I'll let you know what happens, senior.

Anyone else have anything to say that might help me? As always all HELP is appreciated

 

[quincy]

In Michigan, in most towns and cities, there is a "squealing tires/excessive noise" violation. Roseville, for instance, issues a $115.00 ticket but no points for tire squealing; in Wyandotte, squealing tires/excessive noise is a $100 ticket, no points; Howell's squealing tires/unsafe start is a civil infraction, $105, no points; Oakland County has a $100, no point ticket for unnecessary noise/squealing tires. These are all civil infractions.

On the other hand, all careless driving tickets come with higher fines ($170-$215+) and 3 points on your driving record.

If you want to fight your ticket, you should probably try to fight it as a "squealing tires/excessive noise" violation, to eliminate the higher fine and points that come with careless driving, if, in fact, you can convince the judge that you were not being a careless driver, just a stupid one. Perhaps have the girls who were in the car with you testify on your behalf. Be polite and contrite. Do not argue. Dress nicely. Do not chew gum. Apologize for your stupidity.

If a mom had her kids outside, though, and was worried for their safety because of your driving, and an off-duty cop saw your antics, I'd say the chances of you reducing the charges are slim.

 

[Zigner]

And I'm sick of this guy's "retard" comments.
Have fun.

 

[acgarlick]

In Michigan, in most towns and cities, there is a "squealing tires/excessive noise" violation. Roseville, for instance, issues a $115.00 ticket but no points for tire squealing; in Wyandotte, squealing tires/excessive noise is a $100 ticket, no points; Howell's squealing tires/unsafe start is a civil infraction, $105, no points; Oakland County has a $100, no point ticket for unnecessary noise/squealing tires. These are all civil infractions.

On the other hand, all careless driving tickets come with higher fines ($170-$215+) and 3 points on your driving record, and are misdemeanors.

If you want to fight your ticket, you should probably try to fight it as a "squealing tires/excessive noise" violation, to eliminate the higher fine and points that come with careless driving, if, in fact, you can convince the judge that you were not being a careless driver, just a stupid one. Perhaps have the girls who were in the car with you testify on your behalf. Be polite and contrite. Do not argue. Dress nicely. Do not chew gum. Apologize for your stupidity.

If a mom had her kids outside, though, and was worried for their safety because of your driving, and an off-duty cop saw your antics, I'd say the chances of you reducing the charges are slim.

Thank you for the help. I don't believe that the off duty cop saw me because he came and yelled at me 5 minutes after the wife did (heard her yelling and came out of house). He claimed to be a witness though but isn't it just my word against his; however, I can't prove he didn't see me and my friends in the car say they didn't see him just the wife who walked out in front of me and the kids in the driveway (how could he see me if it was on a corner of a street and he wasn't even outside?). The kids were in the front driveway but the house was 2-3 houses down from the intersection and my burning of the tires didn't leave a mark or for that matter even continue around the full turn of my car from the one street to the other. My ticket is marked as reckless and a misdameanor for what I believe to be "squealing tires/excessive noise" violation. Both girls already said that they will testify on my behalf also.

Do you think I should just pay $500 and get a lawyer? I can't afford to get points on my record but I can't afford $500 either. This may be irrelevant but I go to a private catholic school ($6000 a year) and my gpa is 3.3. I work part-time at krogers and it is to pay for my car(INSURANCE and gas). Make me look like a better person perhaps if I can some how bring that up in court? My parents won't pay for any of this as it is my responsibility.

I apologize for using a politically incorrect term and didn't mean to offend anyone.

 

[quincy]

The misdemeanor would be for the reckless driving and the civil infraction is for tire squealing. The civil infraction alone would not give you points on your license but the reckless driving charge would. And your insurance, which is probably outrageously high already, will go even higher.

It would not hurt to let the judge know that you are usually responsible, that you are a good student, and that you are employed, although those things are irrelevant when it comes to a driving violation. And, again, let the judge know you know you were stupid to make your tires squeal. Apologize.

It also never hurts to have an attorney, although there is no guarantee an attorney can have the reckless driving charge dropped. I don't know what area of the state you are in, but southeastern Michigan and the Lansing area both have some law schools and legal clinics where you can get some free or low-cost legal advice on how to handle yourself in court, if the cost of hiring an attorney is prohibitive. Most court clerks can give you numbers to call in your area.

The major problem you are going to face is trying to get the judge to charge you only for the civil infraction and not the reckless driving. I think it will be especially tough because you were fooling around with your car in a subdivision near young children, who could have darted out in front of your car, or you could have potentially lost control of your vehicle and driven off the road. Had this been on back roads, the possibility of having the charges reduced would be greater.

I think the best you can hope for is the civil infraction and fine, with, possibly, restricted driving privileges for awhile added on. The worst is the reckless driving misdemeanor with points, and insurance payments that will make your Kroger income disappear rapidly.

But you will survive all of it regardless of the outcome, and be a safer driver because of it.

 

[acgarlick]

I'm confused about how you said the civil infraction for squealing my tires and the misdameanor for reckless driving. All that my ticket has on it is reckless driving which I assume is for squealing my tires because I did nothing else other than having two people in the front seat. Is that Illegal also?

Isn't this some how different though because it is a complaint? There wasn't a police officer who issued me a ticket until later.

My insurance is ridiculously high but just because of my age not because of my driving record.