Insights for your personal evolution

Reckless driving in Virginia

I spent the morning in Fairfax County, VA traffic court yesterday to defend myself against a reckless driving ticket I received on I-66 while returning home from the Guidelines program at The Monroe Institute in Charlottesville, VA. I was quite aware of my speed closer to the Institute as I had seen many state troopers a week earlier on my way to the beginning of the program. However, as I got closer to home, my vigilance waned and I was anxious to get home.

I was tracked on radar going 83 mph in a 55 mph zone. In Virginia, 20 miles over the speed limit is an automatic reckless driving ticket and a mandatory appearance in court. The maximum fine includes jail time and a criminal record. Now seriously, I understand speeding is violating a law, but to be considered reckless driving under these conditions seemed extreme. I spent several weeks wondering if I should hire a lawyer and asking Virginia residents for advice. I spoke to several lawyers who warned me a lawyer was the only way to reduce the fine since they knew the ways of the court. Their fees were anywhere between $1000-$1500. Several residents agreed, Fairfax County was very strict and a lawyer was required for lenience.

In the end, I chose not to hire a lawyer and spent several hours in court watching others defend themselves, waiting for my name to be called. Many defendants had lawyers and were quickly dispensed with early in the docket. True to the lawyers’ claims, they all received reduced fines and charges. I had brought a book to read in court called Spirit Matters: Down-to-Earth Tools for a Spirited Life. While waiting, I chose to apply some of these tools including thinking of the words “certainty” and “truth” above my head. I also followed the instructions in the book and imagined a rose between myself and the traffic officer and another between myself and the judge. I imagined any non-beneficial energy being absorbed by the rose, then exploded the rose and repeated this several times.

When my name was called the officer stated that he had tracked me on radar, pulled me over and asked why I had been driving so fast. He had recorded my reply verbatim, “I am on way home from a meditation retreat and I am not quite grounded.” At TMI, we are instructed to get grounded before traveling home as there are many stories of missed planes, driving through red lights, lost purses, etc. I definitely felt like I was still in an altered state.

I wasn’t sure how the judge would take this explanation but I agreed this was what I had said. He then reduced my charge to “improper driving” and a fine of $100, this is the lowest charge to which the judge is able to reduce. What surprised me the most is that he didn’t ask for my driving record. The officer didn’t have it since I am licensed in Maryland. He had asked every single other defendant for their driving record and used it to determine the proper charge. If he had asked, I would have produced a clean record for the past 3 years. If he had asked about the previous years, being compelled to tell the whole truth, I would have admitted to several tickets in the past 10 years but since he didn’t ask, I didn’t tell.

In the end, a lawyer would have resulted in a similar outcome, but cost me upwards of $1500. Was it the words above my head? Did the rose exercise make a difference? I don’t know for sure, but I do know that I will use these tools again in future situations.