Got a ticket for a rolling stop. First ticket ever! :-( (Fairfax: home, school)

[kutra11]

Hi:

I received a ticket for not coming to a complete stop at a Stop sign...more of a rolling stop. I know I should have come to a complete stop, and I always do, but my 2-yr old was cranky in the back seat and I just wanted to get home and give him his snack. But I do acknowledge my mistake.

Anyway, the ticket says "Disregard Stop Sign". Not sure if that implies I sped through a Stop sign or it's treated as the same offense.

It's my FIRST ticket ever in 9 years of driving in NoVA so can you please let me know what I should do to avoid getting any points? I have an option to either pay the fine or go to the general district court in Fairfax.

Please advise.

Thanks,
K

[oneasterisk]

Since you have a good record, you have a good chance of getting your fine dropped if you attend traffic school. Attend court and speak with the prosecutor before your time slot and explain your situation. I believe FFX does accept online training too so take that into consideration. You watch a video online, then take a test at a local testing center (library) and then show the certificate to the court.

[kutra11]

Originally Posted by oneasterisk

Since you have a good record, you have a good chance of getting your fine dropped if you attend traffic school. Attend court and speak with the prosecutor before your time slot and explain your situation. I believe FFX does accept online training too so take that into consideration. You watch a video online, then take a test at a local testing center (library) and then show the certificate to the court.

oneasterisk:

Thanks. Should I take the training and present the certificate in the court, or take the training only after the prosecutor/judge allows it?

Regards,
K

[athousandlogins]

As the mother of an often-cranky 2 year old, you totally have my sympathy.

I've gotten one of these violations before, but not in Virginia so I can't give you good advice. But my understanding is that from a legal standpoint, rolling through the stop sign is the same as blasting through it at 50mph. Either you stopped or you didn't, you know. But the folks at traffic court also understand that most "disregarding stop signs" they see will be people who are rolling, since they do this every day and that's what is most likely to happen.

Your good driving record will work in your favor, though. Good luck!

[oneasterisk]

Originally Posted by kutra11

oneasterisk:

Thanks. Should I take the training and present the certificate in the court, or take the training only after the prosecutor/judge allows it?

Regards,
K

You could do either. Even if the judge doesn't allow it to drop the fine, the completion of the course will remove some or all of the points.

Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

[kevinm]

The cop was doing you a favor. The offense you were charged with has less of a fine associated with it.

[kutra11]

Originally Posted by kevinm

The cop was doing you a favor. The offense you were charged with has less of a fine associated with it.

kevinm:

I'm not sure I understand you. How was the cop doing me a favor? I did not come to a COMPLETE stop at a Stop sign and the cop gave me a ticket for "Disregarding Stop Sign". What else could have happened?

-K

[Bigfoot424]

Possibly Reckless Driving. Highly unlikely but failing to stop before entering a highway can come under reckless.

[kutra11]

The cop did not do me any favor. This was on a 25mph tertiary road. There was no other car at the intersection nor was there any human, so my rolling stop was nothing more than "disregarding a stop sign". Thankfully, the cop was sensible enough to ticket me for my exact fault...nothing more, nothing less.

Can we please stop this speculating? I am admitting my mistake, so please post replies only if you have anything to add to my original post.

Thanks,
K

[Bigfoot424]

You may be admitting the mistake but you're also trivializing it. I've been t-boned by someone rolling thru a stop sign. Did over $2000.00 damage to my car.