Reckless than anybody

[protease]

What is the name of your state?Hi. Last week I was in Virginia leaving the Dulles Airport of which I am not familiar I was caught in a speed trap (along with many others) going 50 in a 25 posted zone (over 20 mph so a reckless driving charge and appear in court sept 22). The flow of traffic was clearly at least 40 and the road is two lanes heading south and two heading north.
My Maryland driving record currently shows two other violations both in 2002 (I have had the license since 1992). One violation is going through a red light (2 points) and the other is an HOV violation (1 point no longer counted toward my points)...so total of two. The officer told me at the scene that if I have a good driving record they may lower it too just speeding and a fine or that I could have an odometer reading done to see if it is off and thus lower it for that reason.

My questions are: 1) do I need a lawyer to lose this reckless driving charge? 2) Is my record considered good enough to show and 3) is flow of traffic a valid argument??

 

[lwpat]

1. No
2. Yes
3. No

Appear in court and they normally reduce it to a speeding violation. This will be posted to your MD record but will not result in driver's license points.

 

[protease]

One last question to iwpat

Thank you ! and one last question.....if they do not change the reckless driving to speeding then should I plead not guilty and get a lawyer?

Thanks again!

 

[ptlmejo]

Sounds wise...

 

[maddoggieD]

Get a lawyer. It's treated as a CRIMINAL OFFENCE not a speeding ticket. You get a criminal record upon conviction (among other things...)

 

[James Young]

protease writes:

My questions are:. . . 3) is flow of traffic a valid argument?


lwpat writes:


3. No

Appear in court and they normally reduce it to a speeding violation.

lwpat is correct. However, let me add that going with the flow is a Hobson’s choice: do you want to be safer or legal? It is much safer to travel at the 85th percentile (95th on rural interstates) but more likely to attract attention from the local gendarmes.

Get the lawyer who will be much more attuned to negotiating the charges down.