I feel so dumb

[DARKSCOPE001]

Ok guys sorry but I just have to post this to see what everyone thinks.

Ok so I was on my way to work today and driving down a road (speed limit 35) this road runs through a school zone and I knew this. So I looked ahead and looked at the cars to see if anyone was going 20. They were not. I entered the school zone and this van behind me did not slow down. In fact i would say he was close (probably less than 2 car lengths away) So I assumed that school was out for winter brake. Also take note that this school zone is not equipped with flashing lights just a placard telling you what times school zone is in effect.

I saw what I thought was a white van off to the side of the road. When I got close I saw it was one of those police suv things. I drive by and look behind (see two flashes from what appears to be camera equipment ontop) At this point I feel really dumb and really ripe. 35 thru a school zone damn I feel dumb. But I was NOT! pulled over.

Got home and did some research apparently the new moble speed camera things (redcam I beleive they are called) are just now being used to enforce school zones.) So I did some reading and it sounds like because I was going under 40 and I have no prior offences that I will either get off with a warning or a 150 dollar fine. But the fine can be doubled since I was in a school zone.

Man I feel so dumb. What do you guys think? Im kinda hoping that there is a 1 in a 1000000000 chance that the van that was tailgating me blocked the cameras shot so If I were going to be issued a ticket They cant read my plates. Anyways if the ticket comes Ima pay it cuz I knew I was speeding and I even thought about slowing down but Nobody else was doing 20 either. Oh well this is what I get for assuming


What do you guys think?
Thanks
Sean Scott

 

[Grumpy365]

If this was today you may be ok, because most schools are closed for Christmas.

 

[larry_g]

I'd confirm that school was indeed in session. Our are out this week.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[930dreamer]

Time will tell.

 

[ddrewyor]

The van would have to be really close to block it. It will be a ticket if anything - no warnings in school zones. For future encounters, buy the spray they have in the back of Road and Track magazine. You spray it on your license plate and when the flash goes off, it creates so much glare, the license plate is obscured. Works great and I know I have been "shot" going through intersections on a red and through speed traps. No tickets so far. Having a Valentine 1 also helps. Take care

Dave

 

[tatra]

yea, keep those positive thoughts flowing...........here in the peg they set up on sunday mornings in school zones and in constuction sites after midnite when there's no workers and generate income and anger............big fight over them here and guess wha?..........the ones at streetlights wind up having shortened ambers so more guarunteed income.............only good thing is no points on your licence, except for the rearenders from the shortened amber and people slamming on the binders.............

 

[Red Green]

I would go back and check to see if there is a sign that says during school hours or when students present or something to that effect. If they are there I would take pictures of the signs and check with the school to see if there were any students at school. All of the schools around me have the week off.

If there are signs and no students I would fight the ticket in court if you even get one.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

ahh no dice boys. Pickerington schools (my local school district) is in session untill the 22nd. The only reason I bring up the possibility of a warning is because I read in my small ammount of research (probably less than 10 min) that because the they just legalized the use of the cams in school zones on the 18th that there is a 30 day grace period. ill see If I can find the article I read that in.

Thanks guys
Sean Scott

 

[Dan_inthewind]

I am not sure how it is in the USA but in Canada the signs for construction say that the fines will be higher if you are caught speeding "when workers are present". And school zones are set by municipal by-law. It is in force at all times,,,,reasoning is that the schools hold many functions at any time involving students.

 

[tjackson]

In Oregon some of the school zones list 7am to 5pm. Does not matter if kids are present or time of the year. You can get a ticket. To any one that wants to ***** about getting a school zone ticket, watch someone get hit at 20 mph. Then, picture a loved one being hit at 20 mph. Ive seen people get killed at less speeds. Just not worth saving those extra few minutes or even seconds to get to your destination sooner.

 

[tatra]

here in the peg they were ticketing in construction zones when no workers were around,,,,,,,,,theives............

 

[HookWorse]

I'm thinking you're going to worry yourself silly with all the "what if's". If they are going to get you, they'll get you. If nothing comes in the mail, go buy a lottery ticket. If something does come, pay it and take your lumps.
Sure, you could go buy something to make your plate unreadable. OR...just pay attention to the signs. They are there for a reason.

 

[texasmike74]

Where is the garage tech??

General discussion: "Everything you ever wanted to know about outfitting, organizing, or building your garage!"

Free Parking: "Everything related to the toys we park in our garages. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, jetskis, etc... and even some off-topic stuff on occasion..."

 

[meissen]

So the camera equipment was actually mounted to the police vehicle itself? That's interesting - I've never heard of that before. I've heard of signs that tell you how fast you're going and then flash if you're over the speedlimit but thankfully here in Michigan they can't give you a speeding ticket based on those signs/cameras.

The police officer might have also just assumed since that van was tailgating you that he wouldn't go after you, who knows... I was going down a 35mph road yesterday and I was going 43-ish driving with the flow of traffic but I was at the end of the pack. Drove right past an officer that was doing radar and there was no one behind me for a half mile so I figured for sure he'd pull out and chase me down. Guess I wasn't going fast enough for him to make a big deal about it or he didn't worry about it since I was a safe distance from the car infront of me and I was clearly just flowing with traffic. I've likewise gone past police officers that are obviously doing radar while I was going 80mph in a 70mph and they don't pull out to chase after me. IMHO as long as you're going with the flow of traffic and not overtaking EVERYONE on the road or driving like an ***, it seems like the officers around me aren't too bad.

Only gotten one ticket for going 85 in a 70mph, I was driving home from a car show in my Camaro and I saw an older couple I was friends with cresting the top of a hill about a mile ahead of me. I sped up to try and catch up with them so I could cruise with them and as soon as I crested the hill going 85mph, there was the officer waiting with radar. Pulled me over and asked why I was in a hurry and I told him the truth and laughingly told him he was in a damn good spot to catch me, he laughed a little too and knocked it down to 5 over which in MI on freeways is no points and a $125 fine (though my insurance did jump by $600/yr).

 

[MrSnicks]

Let us know what happens. My wife's school doesn't let out until tomorrow. Today is the last day before Christmas break.

Patrick

 

[SuperSocket]

You're not dumb dude, it was a mistake. Dumb would be not manning up to the fact that you make a mistake.

You manned up to it, IMO it's a mistake. I hate these money generators, I mean cameras.

 

[eldirector]

I'm not usually out and about on weekdays during "school time", so I've blown through a few school zones. I'm usually thinking "why is everyone driving so SLOW?". Oops.....

My little town's schools zones are "when children present", so arguably not a lower speed even when school is in session (the kids are not outside). Of course, that makes it the lower speed even on weekends, if kids are around. The next town over is "Monday - Friday, 7AM - 4:30PM", so they ticket even on holidays.

Anyway, I hope you are in the grace period. I don't care for these cameras, either. They don't slow people down, they just collect money. A marked cop car would slow folks down, but that doesn't bring in the cash.

 

[38Chevy454]

I don't care for these cameras, either. They don't slow people down, they just collect money. A marked cop car would slow folks down, but that doesn't bring in the cash.

Exactly right, with the reduced tax income form lower sales and reduced property values, the traffic tickets are nothing more than revenue generators. Real safety improvement from increased police presence would defeat the revenue increase that is the real motivation.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

So the camera equipment was actually mounted to the police vehicle itself? That's interesting - I've never heard of that before. I've heard of signs that tell you how fast you're going and then flash if you're over the speedlimit but thankfully here in Michigan they can't give you a speeding ticket based on those signs/cameras.

Yea it was actualy mounted ontop of the car

There is a pretty good pic of what it kinda looked like in this youtube video. Pretty funny what some of these people do when they know they get caught. Lol.

But yet it just got approved here in ohio. So supposidly there is a 30 day grace period. My stepdad who was a cop and now in fraud investigation says that since its so new Ill probably just get off with warning. But either way im not to worried about it as long as I dont get any points and my insurance doesent go up to much. I just hope I get the ticket and I can pay it.

Anyways thanks everyone for the replys.
Sean Scott

 

[Gary S]

You're not dumb dude, it was a mistake. .

Exactly. We all make mistakes. You simply misinterpreted the situation. If you get a ticket, then you get a ticket. You didn't screw things up and hurt yourself or anybody else, so try to not worry about it.

 

[bazzateer]

If you do get a ticket just divide the cost by the number of times you have exceeded the limit and got away with it, seems pretty cheap then.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

If you do get a ticket just divide the cost by the number of times you have exceeded the limit and got away with it, seems pretty cheap then.

Hahaha Its probably gona be pretty high then cuz I try not to speed through school zones. Lol I remember one time I was doing 20 in the school zone. Some lady in a little black car came up. (old uggly lady too) tailgated me for about 100ft then overtook crossing the double yellow. I was in a foul mood that day so I got out of the school zone and did a stupid thing.

Sped up (probably doing 65-70 in a 55) caught back up with her stupid fat uglly a** and got infront of her and cut her off. She clapped and I flicked her off then she backed way off. I have a bad temper sometimes, and I let it get the better of me.

I try not to break the law especialy while driving If I can avoid it. but people do the dumbest ****. Anyways yea this time it was my bad.

Thanks
Sean Scott

 

[91FE]

I was on 95N just outside of Baltimore one time going at a pretty good clip in the passing lane. A Jeep Liberty parked on the inside median lit up like I won some sort of prize as I passed. I was doing 85-90 at the time and figured I'd be seeing a fuzzy snapshot of myself in the mail shortly. It never came. Maybe they were working the bugs out of the system. Maybe my plate was faster than their reaction time. Maybe they don't mail tickets out of state. Whatever it was... I dodged a bullet that day.

Like you, I knew I was in the wrong and was ready to face the music when it came. Hope for the best and expect the worst.

 

[Az Scooter]

First off. if you get a ticket, toss it in the garbage, unless it comes certified. As for the tailgating van blocking, doubtful. I got a camera ticket on the freeway, towing a trailer, and the ticket got my truck plate. I tossed that one, too.
Yes, they have them mounted on vehicles. They put up their little sign, saying they are taking their photo radar here, as obscured as they can get it, and flash away. Fortunately, they have removed the freeway photo radar in Arizona, but all of the cities have it. Until they are knocking on my door, I am not going to pay a ticket. So far, I have not had a knock on the door, but I don't speed just to speed.

 

[Marmaduke]

Your not Dumb, Your A Speeder!

 

[rodnok1]

You're not dumb, but you're probably gonna pay for it. At least you actually pay attention to the school zones. I don't believe they can assign points from that type of ticket so count your blessings that your insurance doesn't go up.

 

[bazzateer]

Hahaha Its probably gona be pretty high then cuz I try not to speed through school zones.

I didn't mean to imply that you had sped in school zones, I meant anywhere.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

I didn't mean to imply that you had sped in school zones, I meant anywhere.

No I know I was just saying that of all the times I have probably speed through a school zone I can probably count on one hand. So therefore It will be high. I know you werent accusing me of speeding through school zones. Just continuing the joke

Thanks
Sean Scott