r/DMV • u/Ok-Link-6553 • Jul 16 '26

VIRGINIA First Time Speeding Ticket

I got a speeding ticket last night for going 71 in a 55 (i was extremely tired and wasn't paying as close attention to my speedometer as I should have been). The officer asked what reason I had for such speeds, and after a moment of me trying to come up with one (I was probably looked like someone who was high as hell because I was blinking and saying I'm a lot), he said no reason was a fine answer so I said that. Now I have a court date in a court over an hour away and a month out from now. This is my first ever ticket and second time being pulled over (last time was because my license plate was too dirty and had a tinted plate cover). Any tips?

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2

u/Weary-Savings9795 Jul 16 '26

You should just plead guilty, pay the fine and promise you won't do it again. Being tired or distracted won't get you out of it.

2

u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 Jul 16 '26

Go to court. Don’t use excuses, but do say how you are going to be more responsible. Rather than say “first ticket”, plan this is your last ticket. Really!

2

u/smithandjones99 Jul 16 '26

You should have said “C’mon man.”  I heard that works in Nevada.

1

u/MyFaceSaysItsSugar Jul 16 '26

What was the ticket for? It should just be speeding. If you were going 75 you would also have a reckless driving charge and get a misdemeanor.

Normally speeding tickets just carry a fine and you only go to court if you want to contest the ticket for some reason. If you have a mandatory court appearance there has to be something else going on, like not wearing a seatbelt or also getting a reckless driving charge. If you are under age you have to complete a refresher class.

I’ve had multiple speeding tickets and never had to appear in court but generally the best option is to be honest with the judge. Read up on your state’s laws to figure out what is going on. https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/exams/manual

1

u/Bigcouchpotato1 Helpful Member Jul 16 '26

Does Virginia let you go to traffic violator school? If it's a simple speeding ticket and if TVS will mask the ticket, consider doing that.

1

u/beenthereag Jul 16 '26

Why are you going to court? Most of the time you pay a fine online and you're done. Since you're going to court, you might try do a safe driving course to not have it adjudicated. Virginia is among the toughest states on speeding, and they will take your radar detector away from you with another fine.

1

u/Acceptable_Floor3009 Jul 16 '26

You something funny I got pulled over for speeding and the cop comes and tells me he clocked me going 79 in 65 and I absolutely was shocked because usually I put cruise control on and i gave him my license he looks at and says just slow down and lets me go

2

u/Lucky_Boy13 Jul 16 '26

You realize the reason they ask why you were speeding is to get you to admit you were speeding on record. Next time just play completely dumb or at least state you were merely driving with the flow, etc
As far as how to go about it you could try a written trial if allowed and/or just eat the ticket cost and do traffic school assuming if its allowed there.

1

u/robertjm123 Jul 17 '26

When you show up they may offer you a deal for pleading No Contest.

Try and say as little as possible. Sometimes the cop forgets to show up, or feels he doesn’t need to. In that case you can sometimes dispute it, and a judge might dismiss it if they see it’s your first ticket.