@ottawa
The point I'm trying to make is that I based my speed on the normal posted speed of 40mph, obviously the speed changes if the flashing light school zone is on which I did not notice, duuh I mentioned that already. I also never saw the school zone and never saw a school. Please read Rob's post again... Jeeez

 

With humor like that....
I'd buy you a pint of some good English ale!! Truly classic....Monthy Python could not have done it better....just add a killer rabbit or a troll asking trivia and it would be true English satire!!
To the op....
41 in a 20...sucks...but better to learn with a ticket (thankfully ONLY SPEEDING), then with a fatal accident involving a child...school zones are there for a reason...and cops can't be everywhere all the time...they just have to be seen often enough in school zones and have a few folks telling tales of woe like yours to make everyone else remember to SLOW DOWN!!!

 

Fight the ticket.... We're the signs lights flashing? If not the school zone speed limit doesn't apply at least in my area, I'm on the NAM app and don't see where you are located. Even if you think or know that you are at fault just fight the ticket because is not your fellow NAM members who are going to get points or insurance rates premiums hikes. Too many Judges here, get an attorney and fight it. Good luck with you case

 

Dumb question. What time of day was it? Was the yellow light flashing? File for discovery, ask for the county/city's records on light maintenance. See if a light was repaired shortly before or after your incident.


But, be advised. school zones are sacred territory. If you were speeding, you should pay the fine and be glad that you didn't hit a kid while speeding. You'd become a guest of most states if that happened. Schools zones deserve respect. It is just that simple.

 

OK, I did. He was going 2 mph over the limit. You were doing 21 mph over the limit.

What am I missing? As I said before, You're only hope is that there is NO POSTED signs, or flashing lights where you were pulled over. You can't claim that the limit is 40 mph and thus were only going 1 mph over the limit.

So, if I get caught on an off ramp/on ramp, exiting an interstate or entering an interstate. is it the same speed as the interstate or surface street roads?

With your logic, I can drive around at 60 mph because that "was" the speed limit or at least the last sign that I payed attention too.

 

As my point said, depending if the flashing light was blinking yellow at the sign and if he's in that one mile radius. Ask any law enforcer that. So it depends if the OP's story is true or not. It's up to them to go take pictures of where the school light is located.

 

Given the apparent state of obliviousness, I'm guessing if the OP had turned their head to the right and looked out the window (instead of looking to the left to look at the cop) they might have seen the school that the OP claims does not exist.

 

Agreed. Go back and drive the road (at 20mph if it's between school zone hours) and look for the school zone markers.

A) If you see the markers, pay your ticket and LEARN YOUR LESSON the easy way.

B) If you don't see markers, go ahead and fight it. College students have lots more time than older folks.

C) If you see markers, and just keep being mad, then shame on you and I hope you don't learn your lesson later the hard way. (But of course, you're a fellow MINI driver, so you're going to pick A or B and not C. )

 

@Ian Landesman
+1

 

Doesn't matter if you saw a school or not. If the road is posted as a school zone, you're toast. Was it during school hours? In my area most, but not all school zone signs have flashing lights when the school zone speed limit is in effect. The hours are posted on the signs and it's your responsibility to comply with them whether you can see the school or not.

 

@raffy888 not really missing the point, but I respect your opinion.
Seems when he told you that you were going 41 in a school zone, you take a school zone as being 40 and not 20
I too drive thru one of these every day and I do slow down.
I too see LOADS of others passing me doing anywhere from maybe 35 to 50
They don't get caught but that doesn't mean they won't.

My earlier attempt at humor was caught by a few, and I'm sure scorned by many.
But the attitude of those younger adults today that breaking ANY law, however minor in their minds, is just that, a law broken.
Getting caught is ultimately on the OP.
No one here can save him, and all the "jail house lawyering" won't help!
I'm sorry you got busted, it happens, won't be the last oops in your life.

 

I understand that you're mad that you got a ticket. But you should be mad at yourself. The school just didn't popup overnight - it's probably been there for quite some time (it doesn't really matter if you can see it or not). I'm sure there are signs and reduced speed limits during certain times (that's how it is in my neighborhood).

Around here the police are known for sitting in school zones and rightly so because the consequences can be horrific. You have no right to be mad at the police.

I've caught myself speeding in school zones and luckily I haven't gotten a ticket but if had I'd only be pissed at myself (like the other times I've gotten tickets).

To summarize...you're not the victim quit acting like one. Feel free to rant though.

 

Funny you mention younger adults.

About as funny as cops who break the law themselves haha. Not saying all but at least more than half do here in Michigan.

But I do agree my younger generation can be undeniably ignorant and most have bad attitudes towards societies and "lawmakers" rules.

 

Alright guys I appreciate all the opinions and advice that you guys gave. I didn't mean to turn this into a courtroom discussion. Anyway I'll just have to find out for myself what the judge will tell me. Bottom line is either I will pay the fine or he/she will let me go. I know what I did wrong and definitely should not repeat it. Thanks again...

 

Good luck!

 

+1
It may just be a designated school crosswalk . . .

 

This thread is stupid!

I feel no remorse for whatever consequences are coming your way, because you deserve it.

There is this big trend going around, its called not paying any attention to what you are supposed to be doing.

I dont know what exactly is worse here...
The fact that you where speeding double over in a School Zone, that you pay so little attention to your driving on a daily basis that you never realized it was a School Zone for SEVEN MONTHS, or the fact that YOU are so buthurt because YOU got caught by a FAT A$S cop that was doing his job, that you feel the need to come here and tie up the server with Your stupidity!

If I where the judge you are going to see, and I was reading this, I would drop your $270 ticket, and give you the maximum penalty I could for Wreckless Driving!

But then again, if I where a Judge, Biber would still be sitting in jail waiting for his deportation hearing with no chance of bonding out, and no special treatment!

 

OP, I appreciate you sharing your experience, and being open to all the input. It's not always fun to be at the bottom of the dog pile

Maybe you could fill in something I'm not clear about. You mentioned that you've driven this road a lot, but I wasn't able to tell if you had ever seen a school zone sign with a reduced speed limit. The presence or absence of a visible school is totally irrelevant. If there isn't a visible school zone sign with the reduced speed, I'd suggest making a video tape of you driving through the area in question as evidence to present in court. I wish you good luck in your process. If there is a school zone/reduced speed sign, well, then move forward a couple of bucks poorer, and a whole lot of experience richer.

 

We have all gotten tickets. Ones we deserved and others.....

It’s part of growing up. They will be fewer as you get older as the police will not be looking for you and you will be more experienced.

That said, the court process is not friendly. You should get a lawyer, an advocate or someone who will know how to talk to the prosecutor on the day you have to appear. Also dress nicely and be respectful knowing all the while they are in control.

///Rich

 

raffy888 - In my area the school zones are marked on both sides of the zone with a sign and it states the reduced speed limit is enforced "whenever children are present" - were any children present at the time you were pulled over?

 

@CA94960
No not at all, not even schoolbuses. Probably why I never thought it was a school zone. Mind you the street is a pretty busy street because it is considered a "Main Street". I think the school is hidden somewhere more secluded. I got stopped at a walgreens...

Anyway yes still my fault....

 

Another thing to look for - at least in my area is: if you're in a school zone all the crosswalks are painted yellow while the crosswalks out of the school zone are painted white.

 

1) Find the Nolo Press book "Fight Your Ticket" at the library, it has great advice.

2) Go check to find any signs indicating where the school zone is. Usually there's a "Speed Limit 25 when children are present" sign. Sometimes there's only a sign that is a silhouette of a "one room school house", a 5 sided shape. You can look up your state's traffic code online and find the requirements for posting a school zone. If you find signs posting the school zone, you were in it, and it was + or - an hour or so from the hours school is in session, you're done. Doesn't matter if it is the middle of the school day and all the kids are in class, or if there is an 8 foot high fence between the school and the road, judges typically say "well it was during school hours so there _could_ have been children present. Guilty." Suck it up, pay the fine, and be more observant in the future.

3) If the school zone isn't posted, or it was outside of school hours, then by all means fight it, no judge is going to convict on 1 mph over. You will need photographs to document every inch of the road to prove the zone isn't posted.

Figure out if you're guilty or not before you go to court.

 

don't just pay the ticket....this is a moving violation and you will get penalized on your insurance premium - increase in points - i think 3pts. go to court and make a deal with the prosecutor that you will plea guilty - IF there was a school zone sign or flashing - but, ask for no points.

GL

 

Even if you know you are guilty fight it in court anyways. When you state your intention to plead not guilty you will usually get a call from the prosecution soon after to reach a settlement before the court date. They will usually give you an offer of a reduced ticket because they want to avoid wasting court time as much as possible.

My advice though would be to get a good traffic lawyer. If you do, you won't even have to show up to court; they will appear on behalf of you and fight the ticket for you. In many cases they will find a technicality that will get you off (i.e. prosecution did not disclose full evidence, records provided by the police were found to indicate that the radar gun in question was not calibrated as often as the manufacturer specifies it should be and it is therefore inaccurate etc).

Just think, if you pay the ticket you also have to pay increased insurance premiums for many years to come. A decent traffic lawyer, while likely more expensive than the ticket, will be much cheaper in the long run if you win the case.