82 in a 70 is wreckless in VA

[edog]

It was not me who got the ticket. It was my wife.

She was cruising in the police magnet, you know, the white FORD EXPLORER at around 65, then saw the speed limit increased to 70 on I295 in Richmond, so she speeds up. The next thing she knows she sees a marked police car, and she watches him. She didn't see the unmarked charger pull behind her.

She calls me and starts to tell me a story.

Starts by saying...Did you know the speed limit increased to 70 MPH around I295 in Richmond? I say "no I didn't". She says well it did, and she was driving around 65 when she saw it, and sped up. I said "wait, it sounds like you are about to tell me you got a ticket". She says "I did". She was going 82 in a 70. I said "I heard most highways in VA are increasing the speed limit to 70", so says "really". Yep! Guess what else? What? I said "Did you know anything over 80 is wreckless driving"? She says "I do now"!!!

It is only money, and points, and possible a slight increase in insurance. She has a stellar driving record. This is the first ticket in ten years I have seen her get, and second in her lifetime. It is so funny how she approached it with me.

I remained calm and cool. I know this will earn me points if it happens to me. I have gotten a ticket before, and she rode me like a cheap pony for months. The next time I will just remind her of my actions yesterday.

I now have ammo...

Any police in VA know what the fine is, and if this can be taken to court and the wreckless part removed? Just looking for the odds.

[rdblan2]

Does she get to pay that $1500 fine plus $1500 over the next 3 years I heard about a while ago?

[CruznSS]

All I can say is...... Fine for non weckless driving is $5 per mph over ($7 per in residential +$200 fine). Court costs + local fees = $61 avg. 12 mph over = $60 and $61 = $121 + fine for weckless. I only know this cuz I got busted for 73 in a 60 zone memorial day weekend. She can go to court Edog. I only had 1 prior ticket. Judge droped ticket but have to go to driving school (8 hours / $45 = NO POINTS). Just a suggestion. Can also get car speedometer calibrated - may get her below the 80 mark = No Weckless driving on her record. Let me know or PM me for any more info. Now I know why Flaminbird hates cops......

[thesnoopster]

Originally Posted by edog

It was not me who got the ticket. It was my wife.

She was cruising in the police magnet, you know, the white FORD EXPLORER at around 65, then saw the speed limit increased to 70 on I295 in Richmond, so she speeds up. The next thing she knows she sees a marked police car, and she watches him. She didn't see the unmarked charger pull behind her.

She calls me and starts to tell me a story.

Starts by saying...Did you know the speed limit increased to 70 MPH around I295 in Richmond? I say "no I didn't". She says well it did, and she was driving around 65 when she saw it, and sped up. I said "wait, it sounds like you are about to tell me you got a ticket". She says "I did". She was going 82 in a 70. I said "I heard most highways in VA are increasing the speed limit to 70", so says "really". Yep! Guess what else? What? I said "Did you know anything over 80 is wreckless driving"? She says "I do now"!!!

It is only money, and points, and possible a slight increase in insurance. She has a stellar driving record. This is the first ticket in ten years I have seen her get, and second in her lifetime. It is so funny how she approached it with me.

I remained calm and cool. I know this will earn me points if it happens to me. I have gotten a ticket before, and she rode me like a cheap pony for months. The next time I will just remind her of my actions yesterday.

I now have ammo...

Any police in VA know what the fine is, and if this can be taken to court and the wreckless part removed? Just looking for the odds.

Wow 82 in a 70 and she got pegged with wreckless?!?! .... I thought it was 20 over and you get tagged for it. Hell i seen some people (I admit I did it too) run 80 in a 65. I dont know about that....

Let me guess.... you gonna rag her about this ticket LOL

Originally Posted by rdblan2

Does she get to pay that $1500 fine plus $1500 over the next 3 years I heard about a while ago?

That was a BS thing that was going around I think. havent heard nothing on that in a while.

[2010 SSRS]

wow, speed limit 70, I wish they would do that around here.

[The Stig]

In VA anything over 80 is reckless. On the topic of how much the fine for reckless is. Friend got caught 21 over on route 7. Fine ran about 1,200. Sorry dude.

[live2well]

FOr all who care to know:

Virginia Reckless Driving Ticket
Virgina is cracking down on excessive speeding, especially in Fairfax County on the Dulles Tollroad and Wythe County. If you are cited for 20mph over the speed limit or at a speed greater than 80mph then you may be facing the very serious charge of reckless driving. In Virginia this is a criminal violation and a mandatory court appearance. The judge has the option of fining you up to 2500 plus one year in jail. Jail time is unusual but does happen, especially if your speed exceeded 100mph. They will put you in cuffs and you will go straight to jail.

You should always contest a VA reckless driving charge. If there were no other issues during the traffic stop, most Virginia courts will reduce the violation to a simple speeding ticket. However this still carries a stiff six point count with the possibility of a major increase in you auto insurance and a fine in the neighborhood of $500. If you are a VA driver, you will be subject to the reckless driving $1050 surcharge payable to the VA DMV on top of the court fine if the judge does not reduce.


The Tax that used to have to be paid on these tickets has been repealed.

[Madcat0911]

I got one of those reckless driving tickets years ago, way before the thousand dollar tickets VA is now known for.

Luckily the judge was nice and since I was only passing through to maryland and new to the area, I got it reduced to 79mph after taking a defensive driving class.

[Fast1]

Originally Posted by stieger

In VA anything over 80 is reckless.

Out here in Utah, parts of I-15 are now 80 mph.

[goshawk823]

it's the stretch of 295 between 64 at the RIC airport end, and points south, to Petersburg area, I believe.

If it was the other end of 295 to 64, I'd be enjoying that change...

[thesnoopster]

Originally Posted by goshawk823

it's the stretch of 295 between 64 at the RIC airport end, and points south, to Petersburg area, I believe.

If it was the other end of 295 to 64, I'd be enjoying that change...

I usually do 79 though there when i head home to see my peeps....

[edog]

The weird thing is she does not need to appear in court. He checked the box stating, "if checked, you can pay the fine prior to the court case". I know wreckless always required court appearance before, but not now?

Also, the ticket is only 207.00. A weird number, but it was treated like a normal speeding ticket. Stay tuned for more after the court case. She is going to go to contest the wreckless ruling.

I like the idea of traffic school. That should help. I have seen others do that and get it removed. Thanks CRUZNSS (Mark). I will let her know about the school. I think that is the best thing to do. Her record has been flawless. Me on the other hand...I just hand my stuff over before he asks. Only two tickets in ten years with the last one being 5 years ago, but I am trained from my younger years. LOL!

Snoopster (Herb), I will not dog her much. If I do it will be joking around. I will need to reflect one day, and the better this goes now, the better it will go then.

[Camaro68]

Ernie,

I will ask my Dad about this, he works in the courts.
See if he knows this Officer, what is his name?
and also see what he has to say about that box
being checked and the $207.

[CaniacFan]

You guys got some weird laws just north of our border (NC). Here, anything 20 miles over gets you in big trouble - but not $1500-$2500... Especially when the speed limit is 70, then going 80 becomes wreckless instead of 10 over? That's kinda messed up. They also offer two driving classes here, 4 hrs ($50) for 1st time offenders and 8 hrs ($100) repeat offenders. Paid this for my son during the past year.