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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,361
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,361 |
Bah, get a lawyer. I'd give at least a 90% chance of beating it.
Remember, the lawyer is cheaper than paying the ticket AND your increased insurance for the next three years!
'98 SVT Contour, in at least 639 pieces 
4 Speed MTX...synchro and shift fork replacement in progress 
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,899
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,899 |
You can never win school zone speeding tickets, especially if the judge is a parent.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 759
Veteran CEG\'er
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Veteran CEG\'er
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 759 |
Originally posted by Kokopellian:
I don't think you can take defensive driving for speeding in a school zone either. I'd say that you could make a good point though.
Incorrect. My Father was pinned doing 30 in a 20 in Southlake...took defensive driving and it was gone.
As long as its not 40 in a 20 (double speedlimit - wreckless endangerment) You can get it off with DD
E0 #4384 of 6535
Born Jan. 9 1998
My SVT from the ashes
147,466 miles, purchased Nov. 2002 @ 76,559 miles
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,882
Addicted CEG\'er
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Addicted CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,882 |
Originally posted by Davo:
I'm pretty sure knowledge that you were breaking the law is a requisite for conviction, and you could make the case that you did not know you were breaking the law.
um, no  as he stated already, ignorance of the law is no excuse. if you did it, youre guilty, plain and simple. the only way you be "not guilty" is if it wasnt your car, you werent the driver, you were actually driving the speed limit, etc....
at least you guys have flashing lights. around here we just have signs posted that state the speed limit is 25mph when "children are present", which really means an hour before school and an hour after school. ive actually heard of people getting tickets on days when the school was closed. they were able to fight it though.
sigma, i think that sucks and is unfortunate but i dont think you have much of a case. personally, i think the judge will just say that's unfortunate and blah blah blah. at least here in LA, you can enter a plea of "guilty with an explanation" in which you can admit that you did break the law but with good reason. the judge usually will just accept it was a good reason, but still make you pay  you can take in your picture and explain what happened. i dont know what the penalty is in your state for fighting a ticket and losing, here it's pretty nasty. good luck 
Originally posted by Tourgasm:
Sometimes you can mess up a word so bad that spell check doens't know what the hell you're talking about.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 21,653
I have no life
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I have no life
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 21,653 |
I don't agree with your "You know you're guilty, why fight it?" attitude. For many reasons, being possible loss of license, points on license, higher insurance, paying the ticket,etc. But in any case, some advice:
You're record is most likely clean right? That usually means a lot. Just take it to court, tell the judge what happened and go from there. I think you stand a good chance of getting off or atleast reduced. Or why fight it since you were guilty? hahaha
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,231
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,231 |
hmmm, i dunno if your gonna get any help since you passed a sign that says @0mph between signs. If I saw that Id be inclined to slow down to the 20 till I either saw the flashers or passed the school. However Id still go before the judge. Tell him what you told us....you were in an area you dont travel in, you turned onto the road not knowing it was already in the school zone. You were going under what you thought was the posted speed limit. Never know what the judge might be thinkin that day but maybe hell let ya off with a warning.
95 Merc Stique
Zetec 2.0 Auto
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,756
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,756 |
Personally, I'd find a traffic lawyer and pay him the small fee to either get it dismissed or get deferred adj. You'd wish you did if you fought and lost. No one can say whether you'd win or lose without knowing the judge. I can't sit here and tell you whether you have a chance or not. You'll have to convince the judge that you really did enter the lot from a different street and that you have never traveled on that road before and therefore had no idea there may be a school zone. If you live anywhere near there, it would be difficult to explain that you had no idea there was a school zone there. I know every friggin school zone between my house and work, my moms house, my friends house, etc.
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,361
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,361 |
Originally posted by 1314:
Personally, I'd find a traffic lawyer and pay him the small fee to either get it dismissed or get deferred adj. You'd wish you did if you fought and lost. No one can say whether you'd win or lose without knowing the judge. I can't sit here and tell you whether you have a chance or not. You'll have to convince the judge that you really did enter the lot from a different street and that you have never traveled on that road before and therefore had no idea there may be a school zone. If you live anywhere near there, it would be difficult to explain that you had no idea there was a school zone there. I know every friggin school zone between my house and work, my moms house, my friends house, etc.
'98 SVT Contour, in at least 639 pieces
4 Speed MTX...synchro and shift fork replacement in progress
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,177
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,177 |
You could always go to the cop-shop, with your little printed out map you have and explain your case. Ask the on-duty about it, they will at least give you some information for free, then consider going to the lawyer. It may also be worth asking if they get many 'speeders' in your situation, if they do it suggests poor sign positions.
In theory, yes you are guilty as you were going above the limit. If there is no physical way for you to see the signs then you cannot know. Now ... go back sometime and look at that sign, if it says 'begins' you might be screwed. If it does not say 'begins' then it is just a sign. Take pictures of your route showing how you were not in any position to see the other sign.
I have been in a similar situation myself, twice infact. Once I turned from an 80km/h road onto another which was a 60km/h. There was no post for the 60km/h so I continued my usual speed. I got off, but only after I made the cop walk up the road with me to show him. The second time was when an overhanging tree was obscuring the sign and made it invisible. I got off on that one too. I've known enough people get by on it, and also a number who got stung with it. It depends on how you talk to, and how you talk to them.
Interestingly enough my step-daughter got a ticket for 90km/h in a 60km/h zone when it was actually an 80km/h ... she tried to fight it but lost! My sister-in-laws boyfriend also recently got a ticket when a car passing him was tagged, but the cop pulled him over instead! He never fought it, but the cop was not interested in the real speeder either.
1998.5 T-Red on Midnight Blue SVT
Build Number 5320 of 6535
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