Speeding 90+ through Virginia? = jail

[Perfectlap]

Blog writer ignores warnings about severe speeding penalties, guns it over 90 mph with a GM marketing guy in the passenger of Camaro ZL1. Smokey nails him. Hires well known lawyer. New Judge says "don't care what deal you broker with prosecutor, I reject any deal that doesn't include jail time". Writer goes to jail.

Never Speed In Virginia: Lessons From My Three Days In Jail


"I should probably explain why going into Virginia to have fun in a car is a bad idea in the first place. See, they're crazy about speeding there. Really, really crazy. Speed limits are set absurdly low, 45 mph on some highways. Radar detectors are illegal, and cops have devices to detect them. And if you get caught going over 80 mph at all, that's automatically a reckless driving charge.

Reckless driving is not a traffic citation, it's a criminal charge, and a Class One misdemeanor at that. That means it's the highest level of misdemeanor you can be charged with in Virginia, right below a felony. The maximum penalty for a reckless driving conviction is a $2,500 fine, a six month driver's license suspension, and up to a year in jail. P

See what I mean when I told you it's serious? They hand it out like it's Halloween candy, too. You drive 20 mph over the limit, it's reckless driving. They even charge you with it for failing to properly signal, or when you're found to be at fault in a car wreck. I've heard of some cases where people get 30 days in jail if they speed over 100 mph. P

Other Class One misdemeanors in Virginia include animal cruelty, sexual battery, and aiming a firearm at someone. This is how the state regards people who drive over 80 mph."

[RandallNeighbour]

Evidently driving at speed equates to aiming a loaded weapon at an innocent.

Virginia isn't a very wealthy state, is it? I'm sure this is their way of keeping labor costs down for highway services (police, ambulance, fire) by way of far safer driving and also lines their pockets with the revenue from these speeding tickets and reckless driving charges.

I'm not saying any of this isn't usurious... I just thought I'd type out an explanation of sorts.

[DennisAN]

Idaho isn't a very wealthy state, but we post speed limits of 80 MPH on our freeways. That can't be the primary reason.

[JayG]

and Virginia is where a high percentage of Congress live
Too bad it was not one of them ....

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Evidently driving at speed equates to aiming a loaded weapon at an innocent.

Virginia isn't a very wealthy state, is it? I'm sure this is their way of keeping labor costs down for highway services (police, ambulance, fire) by way of far safer driving and also lines their pockets with the revenue from these speeding tickets and reckless driving charges.

I'm not saying any of this isn't usurious... I just thought I'd type out an explanation of sorts.

Virginia is one of the wealthier southern states, largely due to the D.C. suburbanites who have advanced degrees in business, law and medicine. And because of the military bases and the political pull that brings in Congress, they do all right as far as appropriations. But from what I understand that's where you're unlikely to go to jail for speeding, it's more the rural areas where Smokey doesn't like the bandit tearing up their roads. But its always a luck of the draw with Courts, there may be five judges one has a fast car and the other four hate them, which is exactly what happened here. The judge's discretion has a big spread of what charges can be reduced or not. But the law in Virginia puts them firmly in the driver's seat on whether you end up with a criminal record or not.

[j.fro]

Home, sweet home!!
There's a section of I95 just north of the NC border where local police hide in the median "cop holes" running radar. Often there will be three in a row. The speed limit may be 70, but 81 is reckless driving.
It's gone now, but back in the "drive 55" days, just past the "Welcome to VA" sign was another with a pic of a cop car with a car pulled over. The sign read something like "Virginia enforces the law. Drive 55"

[BFeller]

NC says going 15 over the posted speed limit is careless and reckless driving. Automatic evocation of the drivers license, whether the conviction is in NC or not. In other words, if a NC licensed driver pleaded to 16 over in VA - when the conviction is reported back to NC- the State of NC will revoke your drivers license for a set period of time.

[Perfectlap]

South Carolina called, if NC revokes your license for your VA speeding ticket they'll put you on the chain gang in a striped prison uniform. And you don't want to know what Florida will do to you...

[gmboxster]

I live in Virginia and believe me I am always completely aware of my speed on ANY of the roads, not only highways. If you visit VA do NOT go over 80mph for any reason.

[Giller]

Curious - generally speaking, if the speed limit shows 55 MPH - what, if any, is a general accepted margin of error in the US? Here in Canada, on our major roads, you want to be within 15-20 KM/H (my rule of thumb is stay within 20% of the posted limit) - never had a problem in 20 years when I followed this.

[JayG]

Originally Posted by Giller

Curious - generally speaking, if the speed limit shows 55 MPH - what, if any, is a general accepted margin of error in the US? Here in Canada, on our major roads, you want to be within 15-20 KM/H (my rule of thumb is stay within 20% of the posted limit) - never had a problem in 20 years when I followed this.

the speed limit is just that a limit. It is an absolute number

That being said, most cops give you a little wiggle room. I would think 5 mph is probably what most allow, some maybe 10.

I like the fact my speedo reads about 3-4 mpg fast. So if I want to make sure I am at or under the limit, I keep the speedo at the posted speed.

[newob]

Back when I was 16 my landscaping boss gave me some sage advice on how to get out of a ticket. He told me he has been pulled over multiple times and very rarely Gets a ticket.
So here we go:
1. When you see those flashing lights, pull over ASAP, but do it where it is safe for an officer to get out. I.e. if there is no shoulder, pull into a parking lot.
2. Turn OFF the car, put keys on the dashboard, or if you really want to, roll down the driver window and put them on the roof. Shows you are not going to decide to run for it.
3. Roll all the windows down, all the way.
4. Turn on every light there is in the car. Overheads, passenger reading lights, everything.
5. Put your hands plainly visible. I like to put my left arm out the window, and my right hand on my head- not awkwardly just like keep them visible.
6. DO NOT HAVE YOUR PAPERWORK READY. Keep it buried in the bottom of the glove box inside an old envelope. As soon as you hand him you paperwork he is going to walk to his car with it and write you a ticket, so while you are "looking" for paperwork is when you talk to them
7. Don't go with the, oh I didn't know I was going that fast, or I didn't know the speed limit unless it is actually true. If you were speeding, admit it. Say it felt safe in your car. (Higher speeds feel safer in a porsche)
8. Be sincere and pleasant and apologize.
9. If you have a clean driving record, tell them! "I have never gotten a ticket before or been the cause of an accident."
10. The last thing you say before handing him you paperwork is "sir if there is anyway I could not get a ticket today, I would really appreciate it, I promise I will slow down."

My old boss said he has gotten pulled over upwards of 30 times and only gotten 2 tickets. He said one time he was going 20 over with hot pizza in the car and told the officer, yes I know I was speeding, I didn't want the pizza to be cold for my wife. Got out of it.

I personally have been pulled over 8 times and have always followed that and never gotten a ticket. One time I was going 19 over, one I was going 17 over.

[thstone]

Except for all of the crazy people here, maybe California's not so bad.

Here you have to be well into triple digits to be threatened with jail. And even then you're probably ok - like my friend who just got caught for 112mph; $700 fine but no reckless driving and no jail.

And I recently acquired a citation for doing 84mph (in a 65mph) on the way to work. Pretty routine. Reckless driving? Revoke your driving license? Seriously? That is insanity. I'll pay around $300 and take an internet traffic school course and it won't even go on my record.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by thstone

Here you have to be well into triple digits to be threatened with jail. And even then you're probably ok - like my friend who just got caught for 112mph; $700 fine but no reckless driving and no jail.

Someone was actually free of traffic long enough to do 112 in LA?
I thought that only happened in old episodes of CHiPS?
One of my favorite shows, I still remember that intro music.

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by newob

Back when I was 16 my landscaping boss gave me some sage advice on how to get out of a ticket. He told me he has been pulled over multiple times and very rarely Gets a ticket.
So here we go:
1. When you see those flashing lights, pull over ASAP, but do it where it is safe for an officer to get out. I.e. if there is no shoulder, pull into a parking lot.
2. Turn OFF the car, put keys on the dashboard, or if you really want to, roll down the driver window and put them on the roof. Shows you are not going to decide to run for it.
3. Roll all the windows down, all the way.
4. Turn on every light there is in the car. Overheads, passenger reading lights, everything.
5. Put your hands plainly visible. I like to put my left arm out the window, and my right hand on my head- not awkwardly just like keep them visible.

I'm gonna out myself as a copper here in hopes I can help some folks with this advice. These five are pretty good. Number one, the most important thing is to pull over safely. If the officer needs to move you, he will. Make sure you pull safely all the way out of the roadway to the right (or left if the shoulder is big enough and its safer to do so). Put your hands on the wheel. You don't need to be too awkward about it, or we think you're a gangbanger that knows the drill.

Originally Posted by newob

6. DO NOT HAVE YOUR PAPERWORK READY. Keep it buried in the bottom of the glove box inside an old envelope. As soon as you hand him you paperwork he is going to walk to his car with it and write you a ticket, so while you are "looking" for paperwork is when you talk to them

While I'd say this is true, I usually wait until I have all the paperwork before i start talking. I want your undivided attention as I find out what the deal is.

Originally Posted by newob

7. Don't go with the, oh I didn't know I was going that fast, or I didn't know the speed limit unless it is actually true. If you were speeding, admit it. Say it felt safe in your car. (Higher speeds feel safer in a porsche)
8. Be sincere and pleasant and apologize.
9. If you have a clean driving record, tell them! "I have never gotten a ticket before or been the cause of an accident."

I could care less about driving records, as could many of my colleagues. 19 warnings for speeding won't show up on your record. And they may not show up in my system. Tickets, yes. Warnings, not always. Don't make it seem like your Porsche gives you the right to speed. You'll probably get a ticket. DO be honest. I know why I stopped you and if you're going to assume I'm an idiot and tell me you have no idea why you're being stopped and you were going 55 in that 55 zone, trust me when I tell you, that's the easiest ticket to write. No one likes a liar. Oh and there's bonus points if you ask if you're sure he's stopping the correct car.

Originally Posted by newob

10. The last thing you say before handing him you paperwork is "sir if there is anyway I could not get a ticket today, I would really appreciate it, I promise I will slow down."

I'm gonna say number 10 is a no. People who have to ask for warnings are likely to get tickets. I say this from experience. You were speeding. The law says you get a ticket. However, if I feel that a warning is all it takes you to slow down a bit, you'll get one. If you have to ask for a warning, I have zero sympathy. Just some friendly advice from a fellow Porsche owner. Be safe out there boys (and girls).

[dbear61]

Originally Posted by newob

10. The last thing you say before handing him you paperwork is "sir if there is anyway I could not get a ticket today, I would really appreciate it, I promise I will slow down."

Originally Posted by jdraupp

I'm gonna say number 10 is a no. People who have to ask for warnings are likely to get tickets. I say this from experience. You were speeding. The law says you get a ticket. However, if I feel that a warning is all it takes you to slow down a bit, you'll get one. If you have to ask for a warning, I have zero sympathy. Just some friendly advice from a fellow Porsche owner. Be safe out there boys (and girls).

What if, after the promise to slow down, they said, "Swear to God and hope to die; stick a needle in my eye?" Would that do it, because it shows how serious they are about slowing down?

DBear

[old911doc]

All in all, I think I'll just avoid Virginia. I live in Alabama, so if if my trip will take me through Virginia I'll just catch a plane instead.

[Chuck W.]

Originally Posted by jdraupp

I'm gonna out myself as a copper here in hopes I can help some folks with this advice......

Thanks, & thanks for your service. Be safe out there.

KMA367 (retd)