Reckless Driving anyone?

1. Anyone gone through a reckless driving speeding case like this?

Yes, along with troopernflight. We were on the law side of it tho. ;)

Be careful with this. Most people just end up looking like idiots and don't do anything but piss off the judge when they try to come in and play attorney. It will usually be quite obvious that you did your research online on some "fight traffic tickets.com" site. Getting a lawyer is the best bet. I never mind working with an attorney to reduce charges as long as the driver was courteous and understanding of his/her dangerous driving behavior.
You shouldn't have a problem getting this pled down to a speeding violation. Lots of states have laws that automatically qualify it as reckless driving if you are above a certain amount over the speed limit. We don't have that in SC. Speed alone is not considered a basis for a reckless driving charge. It would have to have some other dangerous violation in conjuction to the speed in order to get a reckless conviction. Get an attorney and let the officer know that you are very sorry for the lack of judgment. Shouldn't be a problem for you.

troopernflight, aka "the man", told you exactly what you need to know. Just read the bold over a few times and you should be fine. Remember, you are not the first person to do this, or the last.
 
So... just to be sure I'm following here: Would you recommend having an attorney present, or don't try to fight it and play attorney? Again, I don't think I have a prayer if I fight it, as in, I'm innocent. I'm just hoping to get a lesser charge or lesser fine, and if that means community service, I'd be all over that. Just don't know if I need an attorney to arrange that or if I just go in and request that, if that would be sufficient.
Thanks FiveO
 
I have a friend who is at xjet, that made it through and eagle interview only to be told his driving record needed to be cleaned up. Included were a bunch of toll pass violations. I would not want to have a reckless driving on my record.
Always get an attorney. An attorney can work your way through the system, and explain how important your record is to you and how disproportionately it would harm you. If you arent trying "to walk", but protect your career this is what i would do. Maybe he get it expunged later if you keep your nose clean. The judge is a lawyer, and the fact that you are spending money on a lawyer is a sign you take it seriously.

You do it yourself, you look argumentative. A contrite attitude and a lawyer is the way to go.
 
Couldn't agree more... If workers were present, I'd be really disappointed in myself because it really does put them in danger. Something as goofy as a tire blow out could cause me to injure them, myself, my passenger, other motorists, etc... Agreed that the speed reduction should be lifted on off days, but no matter how I hammer this out, 83 is just ridiculous. I like the sounds of what taseal states in doing community service. Quite honestly, that'll probably make me learn more of a lesson verses shelling out a ton of cash. Eitherway, though, if you get behind a Jeep Liberty doing the speed limit here in Indiana, it's probably me so don't flip me off for being the slow guy on the road.


hahaha, in my case its a jeep patriot :D

i'm a slow driver myself these days.... no point in getting a ticket. going fast only saves little bit of time.
 
So... just to be sure I'm following here: Would you recommend having an attorney present, or don't try to fight it and play attorney? Again, I don't think I have a prayer if I fight it, as in, I'm innocent. I'm just hoping to get a lesser charge or lesser fine, and if that means community service, I'd be all over that. Just don't know if I need an attorney to arrange that or if I just go in and request that, if that would be sufficient.
Thanks FiveO

No offense man, but I hope you don't get off the hook easy, and before I get jumped on let me explain.

We all do stupid things when we're young. I had my share of pissin off the cops when I was 17-21. But you're 27 years old. You should know by now that driving should be taken seriously.

I used to race around the roadways and highways like I was Dale Earnhardt when I started driving. Ran up all sorts of tickets, including Reckless and careless driving. When I was 19, I got nailed to the wall by a judge for Reckless driving and a few other things. I wanted an attorney, but couldn't afford one. My Dad refused to help bail me out of this one. The judge slammed me in the court house and in front of all those people. He told me that driving a vehicle on the road is not a race. Its not a race when the other vehicles, with kids, Mothers, Fathers and babies don't know they are in a race.

I was slapped with a nasty fine, $800 plus court costs in addition to having my license suspended for 90 days. Don't think I haven't had to explain that one in every Airline interview, because its the only skeleton in my closet. But since I got nailed, I haven't had a single traffic stop, and I'm 27 now.

It sucks that you got caught, but at the same time maybe you haven't learned a lesson about the consequences behind the wheel. I'm not trying to belittle you or be an ass, but if a 27 year old shows up for an airline interview with reckless driving on their record, and its recent, thats a big hit against Captain and command decisions. With a 50+ seat commercial jet aircraft none the less. I mean someday you'll be a Captain. Most certainly you'll have days where you're late and its the last leg of the day and the weather is bad, but you just want to get home. Will you push the envelope or divert for safety?

Just putting things into perspective.
 
So... just to be sure I'm following here: Would you recommend having an attorney present, or don't try to fight it and play attorney? Again, I don't think I have a prayer if I fight it, as in, I'm innocent. I'm just hoping to get a lesser charge or lesser fine, and if that means community service, I'd be all over that. Just don't know if I need an attorney to arrange that or if I just go in and request that, if that would be sufficient.
Thanks FiveO

Look, don't let any self-righteous LEO or moralist convince you to give up your right to a defense. Having an attorney represent you in a criminal case is as basic a right as any other in our constitution.

If you had the skill, knowledge and time to represent yourself, I would say do that. But from reading your posts, you don't.

Hire an attorney who specializes in these types of cases. If you can't afford one, borrow the money.
 
Lawyer Up! That's the best advice you can get. I don't know about your state, but here in Florida...if a T is not crossed or a I is not dotted on that citation...Dismissed. I certainly don't advocate that kind of speeding but the legal system can work against you if you don't get a professional to take care of it.
 
I haven't seen any of the other responses, so I apologize if I'm repeating what someone else said.

Get a lawyer. In fact, if you can, get one that understands aviation as well as motor vehicle laws.

I don't know what the rules are in Indiana, but in many states, reckless driving is a criminal offense - something you don't want on your record if you can avoid it. A lawyer who handles these kinds of cases will have a better idea what the options are.

You want that lawyer to understand the ramifications of a criminal conviction (even a misdemeanor) on your aviation career. That's why I suggest getting someone who understands both the motor vehicle laws and the aviation ramifications. If you can't find both in the same person, get a second person. If you are an AOPA member, check the lawyer list or call them, even if you do not subscribe to the plan.

True story: I know a pilot who was up for a job interview when he got cited for a reckless. The DA offered a very sweet deal - sweet so long as you were not a pilot concerned about career issues. The pilot cound not convince his lawyer that this was a bad deal. The pilot called an aviation lawyer he knew who called the criminal lawyer and explained.

The result was one that had the DA shaking his head (since it involved a much larger fine) but let the pilot with a clean record except for a minor motor vehicle infraction.
 
Well, no reckless driving charge, just a speeding ticket. Couldn't be more relieved. Yup, I learned my lesson previously. This one just sorta reinforces it. I'll get to try to plea it down a bit more even in December. Indiana is a bit backed up in the traffic court department.
 
Now all that's left to do is clean out my knickers. Whew, was this an eye opener.

Thats good that you got it downgraded and hopefully learned something. Explaining unlawful behavior in an interview with a potential employer in this career is an uncomfortable situation. Best of luck to ya! :)
 
Oh yeah, definitely got some things reinforced with this issue. Sometimes it take a pretty large knock over the head to make you realize that things that you've worked tremendously hard for can be wiped out with one quick, bad decision. I feel privileged that I can take away from this as not only an experience to learn from, but also a situation that can be applied to my future in aviation. I've flipped my life upside down to get into an aviation training program, and to have gone through twenty four hours of questioning what my next six months would be like without a license is certainly enough excitement for, oh, the next decade. Again, thanks to all for the opinions.
MJD
 
Don't get a lawyer. Instead, own up to the fact that you were driving 83 in a 45 mph zone. You weren't being careless. Careless is doing 50 in a 45 zone. You were being stupid and you deserve whatever you get. You made a conscious decision to go that fast in those conditions. You could have easily gotten into an accident and injured or killed someone (besides yourself).

Own up to it. Take the punishment that (you know) you deserve. If this causes you difficulty in your airline career, or completely bars you from getting hired anywhere...tough #####! If this is the kind of judgment you have then you don't need to be behind the controls of an airplane anyway. The general public is entitled to be protected from people who can't display proper judgment when operating a vehicle in public areas.
 
Get a lawyer. And Skydog -- the jetcareers public is entitled to be protected from people who can't display proper decorum but you're still around :)
 
Okay, well, I think I've made it pretty clear that I understand that driving that fast is a mistake, and while everyone is entitled to an opinion, the fact of the matter is I've completely owned up to this error, will accept whatever punishment they give me (now known, and yes, it's pricey), and am willing to accept those consequences. Of course this is one bad decision, but truthfully, I'm sure everyone here has made at least one bad decision that has endangered themselves and/or others. I suppose that anyone who has made one of those decisions is not flying planes as well? Again, a public forum is great because you're encouraged to express all of your views, which is the why these forums function, but the only person that knows my capabilities and general decision making skills here is me, and if I was a person who has consistently made poor decisions in life, I wouldn't be able to be in the position I am at right now. So, while I appreciate all views, and do not discourage people from sharing said views, I won't take a personal beating that generally states that because I made a poor decision, I'm effectively an idiot incapable of flying a plane or functioning with the general public because I'm a wreck-loose - I can say that isn't accurate. It just so happens that I've come out and admitted, openly, what I did that was stupid. If everyone on this board admitted one time they made a poor decision that endangered themselves or others, I would imagine we would hear from every person who has ever posted here. Of course, if you've never driven too fast, never had a drink and still drove, never made a careless mistake while flying, or made any decision that you regret for safety's concern, please step forward. Just don't belittle me for admitting I made a mistake and asking those with experience in this industry for some advice.
 
Relax and get a lawyer. I got a ticket for 115 in a 55 a few years ago. It was the middle of the night on a divided highway. Not a car in sight. Including the cop who was taking a nap in the median. Lawyer got it down to something like 85 (which will still severely ding you on points). Then, to make a bad situation worse, when I paid the fine I apparently forgot some processing fee for out of state drivers (this was in NC, my license is KY, and I was living in MD at the time). So I get a letter a year or so later from KY notifying me that my license has been suspended, once they managed to find me (I'd meanwhile moved to NM). I sent NC their piddling $10 and got the license reinstated. Since then I've been hired at a 121, two 135s, and been scheduled for interviews which I declined at two other 121s (who had my driving record already). Everyone hates lawyers until you need one, but they're awful nice when the chips are down. In every case I just told them what happened (leaving out the 115-and-still-accelerating part, of course). No one really seemed to care once the explanation was out there. I got the distinct impression that it would be a real bad idea to get another one, though.

And don't let the turkeys get you down. Your flying skills are what you should be evaluated on, not your driving record, your marital status, your age, or your freaking credit report. You're a pilot, not a actuarial risk assessment number. By their metric I shouldn't even be let on the ramp, but in a lot of hours of statistically pretty dangerous flying, I've yet to so much as scratch the paint on an airplane (knock on wood). Also: It might be helpful to remember that speeding tickets are basically a secondary revenue stream for state and local governments. They've got basically f-all to do with safety. That said, yeah, take the brick off the accelerator next time, leadfoot (gotta play their game).

PS. My solution was sell the sports car and buy a truck. Now I can risk my life without breaking the law.
 
You got it, Boris. Thank you for you input, glad to hear things still worked out great for you. Good stuff!
 
Back in my sport bike days I rode hard until I could do nasty wheelies. Thank God I got thru that phase with only one 65/45 speeding ticket.
 
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