Reckless driving ticket help (Williamsburg: flat fee, insurance, attorney)

[yonsu]

Hi everyone,
I've just received my first reckless driving ticket, and online research has led me to this board numerous times. I was just hoping for some advice on the best (and most practical) course of action for my situation.
I was pulled over on 64 for going 82 in a 65 by a Williamsburg/James County official. My record is otherwise clean (one ticket for following too closely that was dropped). I understand that the outcome depends greatly on the individual judge on my court date. I feel confident that my speedometer is likely a bit off, and plan to get it calibrated soon. Additionally, I've been advised to take a driver improvement course voluntarily prior to my trial. I guess my question is, will it be worth it for me to get an attorney? Initially I had no plans too, but reading up on some of Virginia's newer laws has scared me some. Ideally, I'm hoping that this will not affect my auto insurance. Thanks in advance for any insight!

[shacobo]

Attorney? no. Take responsibility for your actions and go to court. Plea no contest and ask the judge for court leniency for an isolated incident on an otherwise clean license holder (you better really have a clean licence because they will check). With any luck you may receive probation with direction from the court to attend a driver's safety course.
Then pay court fees and stop speeding.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by shacobo

Attorney? no. Take responsibility for your actions and go to court. Plea no contest and ask the judge for court leniency for an isolated incident on an otherwise clean license holder (you better really have a clean licence because they will check). With any luck you may receive probation with direction from the court to attend a driver's safety course.
Then pay court fees and stop speeding.

Bad advice.

Get an attorney. It will probably run around a $500 flat fee since they deal with so many of them in VA.

[1200RT]

I don't usually stray from my local forums, but I had to comment here.

You say your "first" reckless driving ticket, like you plan on getting more?

I cannot comment directly on VA laws, but were you cited for reckless driving by default of the amount over speed limit you were? Or was there something else going on? Seems like for someone with a clean record, the officer came down hard, unless he has to cite reckless based on speed.

[shacobo]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

Bad advice.

Get an attorney. It will probably run around a $500 flat fee since they deal with so many of them in VA.

It's not bad advice. Even if the court doesn't offer a deal, the fine for a less than 25 mile-an-hour over ticket, plus the driver safety class (which will cancel out the infraction points) is less than $500 as well as having to pay courts costs which would bring it to about $600.

I just went through this 2 years ago. things couldn't possibly have changed that much.

[emeraldgirl]

There are so many threads for reckless driving in the VA forum. If I said it before, I'll say it again, get an attorney. Reckless driving is considered a Misdemeanor in VA which would be a criminal case. They put it in the same category as a 1st DUI offense.

[Wynternight]

Get an attorney. As stated before reckless driving in VA is a class 1 Misdemeanor and can result in jail time, hefty fines, and loss of license.

Second piece of advice: slow the hell down. There's enough lead footed morons on 64 without you being one.

[Erma]

I've never seen nor heard of State Patrol losing in court. They're job is to keep the interstates safe and the judges are pretty honorable to them.

[NJR]

Originally Posted by yonsu

I'm hoping that this will not affect my auto insurance.

In reality, hope is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs man's torments. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Hope as you may, once your insurance company gets wind of the conviction they will increase your insurance for 5 years.

[nycricanpapi]

Originally Posted by yonsu

Hi everyone,
I've just received my first reckless driving ticket, and online research has led me to this board numerous times. I was just hoping for some advice on the best (and most practical) course of action for my situation.
I was pulled over on 64 for going 82 in a 65 by a Williamsburg/James County official. My record is otherwise clean (one ticket for following too closely that was dropped). I understand that the outcome depends greatly on the individual judge on my court date. I feel confident that my speedometer is likely a bit off, and plan to get it calibrated soon. Additionally, I've been advised to take a driver improvement course voluntarily prior to my trial. I guess my question is, will it be worth it for me to get an attorney? Initially I had no plans too, but reading up on some of Virginia's newer laws has scared me some. Ideally, I'm hoping that this will not affect my auto insurance. Thanks in advance for any insight!

Welcome to VA my friend. I moved back to NYC. VA is something else. For every little thing that you do, they give you ticket. I'm glad that I am back in NYC.