Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Yea, neither of those excuses will work and quite frankly will probably guarantee you too not have the fine reduced. You either play ball and admit guilt or you go the route I've always taken and plead not guilty. Most lawyers I've asked about that even tell you to plead not guilty.

back in '06, i was about to make a left turn down my street. Being a country road my mailbox is across the main road from my street. As i have in the past, i stopped at the boxes, reached across the passenger side and got my mail. As i made the left, some guy in a miata came flying around the turn. Judging by the damage, he had to have been doing at least 70 and the limit for that road is 50. Both cars were totaled.

Anyway, the cops arrived and i did the dumbest thing one could do...talk to them and tell them what happened. Long story short he gave me a reckless driving for checking my mail from the vehicle because that apparently is illegal.

I went to court, pleaded not guilty, and the judge reduced it to an improper driving. Granted it still put me at fault and the guy who was speeding and slammed into me got charged with nothing, but it's not a reckless, and i did learn the valuable lesson of never taking to the police without a lawyer lol.

Also, as far as Virginia is concerned, reckless driving is a "catch all". It is basically up to the officers discretion. This makes it pretty dangerous as you can get it for whatever they want to give it to you for. In the end it usually gets reduced, but not until after coming out of pocket for a lawyer.

So you can go either way with it, just don't give a stupid excuse.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Funny how honesty and sencerity is usually the last alternative.

Legallyme88 wrote:mitigating circumstances such as work pressure to be there ASAP

That is not a mitigating circumstance and is no excuse.

Legallyme88 wrote:or the certain curve of a road causing the car to increase speed on the way out of the turn

Erm, whut?

Also not an excuse. Your car is, I presume, equipped with functioning brakes?

Not trying to be a jackwagon here, just observing that those excuses will get you precisely nowhere in a court of law.

Legallyme88 wrote:the certain curve of a road causing the car to increase speed on the way out of the turn?

Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

SDChop wrote:Depends on the jurisdiction. In Va the judge cannot do anything about the points, only fines and charges on traffic tickets. They will take into account your driving record. In my opinion its hard to argue about curves and speed at 15 over the limit, judge will tell you cars have two pedals and one is for slowing down. Plea guilty, explain your situation, bring up the fact you have a good record you would just like leniency from the court. or you can pre pay, not go to court and be done with it. good luck

Before the trail/hearing, go up to the cop and introduce yourself. Say you don't plan on disputing the facts, but you plan on asking for driving school. He will most likely be standing next the prosecutor and can discuss it with him/her. When its your turn, don't plead guilty, say to the judge, "I'd like to enter 'no plea'." He'll ask for an explanation. State that you'd like to volunteer for defensive driving school." and go from there. Good luck.

gfost1 wrote:

Legallyme88 wrote:the certain curve of a road causing the car to increase speed on the way out of the turn?

Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

Are you serious?

gfost1 wrote:

Legallyme88 wrote:the certain curve of a road causing the car to increase speed on the way out of the turn?

Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

Can you then use the excuse for "double" doppler shift if it's a camera that catches you running it?

doppler shifty guy wrote: Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

allingeneral wrote: Can you then use the excuse for "double" doppler shift if it's a camera that catches you running it?

Radar or camera...wth...in physics, a wave is a wave, dude!

BW1911 wrote:

doppler shifty guy wrote: Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

allingeneral wrote: Can you then use the excuse for "double" doppler shift if it's a camera that catches you running it?

Radar or camera...wth...in physics, a wave is a wave, dude!

I was popped by something called "moving radar", will accusing the officer of sorcery work? This "moving radar" is obviously some sort of witchcraft, no?

BW1911 wrote:

doppler shifty guy wrote: Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

allingeneral wrote: Can you then use the excuse for "double" doppler shift if it's a camera that catches you running it?

Radar or camera...wth...in physics, a wave is a wave, dude!

I think if I were traveling somewhere in the neighborhood of 135,000,000 miles per hour, then the red light might start to look green.

If LEO's hear this stuff all day, no one cab begrudge them being a tad bit testy....lol

gfost1 wrote:

Legallyme88 wrote:the certain curve of a road causing the car to increase speed on the way out of the turn?

Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

I have heard of actual success in some cases where this is argued to the judge. Don't remember the source, will have to google to find it...

MNMGoneShooting wrote:

gfost1 wrote:

Legallyme88 wrote:the certain curve of a road causing the car to increase speed on the way out of the turn?

Anyone here ever try to use "doppler shift" as an excuse to get out of running a red light?

I have heard of actual success in some cases where this is argued to the judge. Don't remember the source, will have to google to find it...

Anyone here ever try to use "space aliens pushed my car through the intersection" as an excuse to get out of running a red light? I have heard of actual success in some cases where this is argued to the judge. Don't remember the source, will have to google to find it...

Bottom Line Dude.... Pay the ticket online and forget about it!!! It was an isolated incident and it won't hurt too bad!!!

doubletap62 wrote:Bottom Line Dude.... Pay the ticket online and forget about it!!! It was an isolated incident and it won't hurt too bad!!!

It won't hurt too bad ... until you get that insurance premium statement and realize you're now taking it in the shorts. And will be for years.

Diomed wrote:

doubletap62 wrote:Bottom Line Dude.... Pay the ticket online and forget about it!!! It was an isolated incident and it won't hurt too bad!!!

It won't hurt too bad ... until you get that insurance premium statement and realize you're now taking it in the shorts. And will be for years.

Collusion sucks when you're stuck in the middle of it.

Kreutz wrote:Collusion sucks when you're stuck in the middle of it.

But it's "for our own good", so that makes it okay.

Long time ago over 5 yrs ago I got a speeding ticket on Dulles Expressway, which at that time I had a pre paid legal service so I got a lawyer for free to use for traffic court. It turned out he talked to the prosecutors and they dropped the speeding if I pay for the court cost. (Apparently they just want money and more money). At that time at least, there was a question about the use of laser guns, which the public didn’t know about so if you had representation they would back down. I don’t know how it is now but to me they are basically bill collectors with a badge.

I had a ticket in Pennsylvania once and the judge gave me an option of pay the ticket as is or he will asses point to it and raise the fine. Nothing like the strong arm of the law.

MrZ wrote:Long time ago over 5 yrs ago I got a speeding ticket on Dulles Expressway, which at that time I had a pre paid legal service so I got a lawyer for free to use for traffic court. It turned out he talked to the prosecutors and they dropped the speeding if I pay for the court cost. (Apparently they just want money and more money). At that time at least, there was a question about the use of laser guns, which the public didn’t know about so if you had representation they would back down. I don’t know how it is now but to me they are basically bill collectors with a badge.

I had a ticket in Pennsylvania once and the judge gave me an option of pay the ticket as is or he will asses point to it and raise the fine. Nothing like the strong arm of the law.

Protect and $erve.

I'm gonna write my Delegate and advise him VA can fill its enormous transportation debts by simply making the speed limit 1 mph throughout the Commonwealth and he should submit legislation mandating such. And of course, think of the safety; there will never be an accident again ever. How could anyone oppose such a winning bill?

The revenue it generates can then be used for anything besides transportation naturally.

tursiops wrote:
Anyone here ever try to use "space aliens pushed my car through the intersection" as an excuse to get out of running a red light? I have heard of actual success in some cases where this is argued to the judge. Don't remember the source, will have to google to find it...

I think I recall hearing that too... Let me check Wikipedia.