Unsafe Speed with Children Present

[ibeda1]

My question involves a speeding ticket from the State of: california, Ridgecrest
Legal Help - Post New Thread My question involves a speeding ticket from the State of: California
My 17 year old son made a right rutn as he left school and proceeded to go down the street. He made anothe right turn at street and proceeded north. Then after crossing the light an officer pulled him over.on Moyer street. (I had called and spoke with the watch commander because my son thought the officer did not give him a paper copy of the ticket).The location where the cop pulled him over is approx. one mile away. The officer said that he was going 45 miles in a 25 school zone.
The address of the offence was 200 W drummond. He school is 140 west drummond. This is right next door to the school's driveway. It is impossible to pull out of the driveway at a speed of 45 miles per hour due to the line of cars that are leaving the driveway of the school and the foot traffic of children walking. it is a small continuation school. it has one driveway to exit. The bell rings at 12:10 and it takes a while to go to the eat lucnch and then go to the car. (By the way the school also has a survalience system.) i have a letter from the school saying he was in class all day. And i have a statement from the people who do driveway duty that they saw my son turn right going out of the school and the way he pull away. I can get a statement from the cafeteria that he ate lunch. The time on the ticket is 1220.
Here is the violation cvc22350 unsafe speed children present. location: 200 w. drummond moderate traffic
I intend to go monday and during this week to take picture of the location to show how close it is to his exiting and that it is impossible to obtain a speed of 45 miles an hour. I will take pictures of the driveway at the exit time to show the judge how congested that area is. He would have had to be in another place to achieve the speed of 45 in front of the school. But I have statements stating he was in school all day and that he ate lunch and then left which shows him in the area at the time the officer stated. I will also measure the distance between the driveways to show how close 140 w drummond and 200 west drummond are and that the officer statement that he was going 45 in a 25 mile an hour school zones is a mistake. I know he has to first enter a plead of not gulity and go to court. what else should i do . This just happen yesterday 8-29-2008

[cyjeff]

I notice that, at no time in your post, did you say your son wasn't speeding.

Anyway, assemble all of the information you have.... but trying to convince a judge that a certain speed wasn't possible is almost impossible unless you are or have hired as a witness a professional traffic planner.

[EWYLTJ]

I happen to live in Ridgecrest. If it was a Ridgecrest cop, I can attest to the dim-wittedness of many of the local cops.

My first question is... why are you so wrapped up in this? If it is your son's ticket, why do you care about it more than he does? Why isn't he out making measurments, taking pics, etc...???

My next question is... is that really a school zone? According to google maps, that is right off of China Lake Blvd... right about where the Wal Greens is. I don't remember that as being a school zone. That is a 4 lane highway.

So... he charged your son with 22350... not for being in a school zone. First, you should verify the speed limit. I believe it is 35. If that's true, then you need to determine if he used radar. It should be documented on the ticket. Finally, you need to obtain a copy of the speed survey for that road. Call CALTRANS to find out if they have it and if they don't ask them who does. Once you find this information, give it to your son and make him come here for advice. Stop holding his hand like he is an toddler. If he got himself in trouble, he should be the one to get himself out of it.

[ibeda1]

He is 17. He is doing it with me. I am helping him because he asked for my help. He was not speeding. He pulled out of the driveway from the school which is at 140 drummond. the next driveway is 200 drummond is right next to the school driveway. How can anyone make a right turn and be at the speed of 45 miles an hour in a couple of second. He does not have a car that goes 0 to 45 in less than 5 seconds. The officer pulled him over a miles later after he was behind him from the start? if he was 45 in the 200 block he would have been pulled over right away because the rest of the street is zone for 35 mph. it just not making sense. When my son showed me the ticket right away i called his school to see if he was there. It a small school and he on the ASB there so they know him pretty well. They school verified that he was at school and that he left after 1215 and he was alone when he left. The parking duty teacher had seen him and she was the one who answered the phone. This ticket does not make sense to me. i know when things happen it is important to gather the facts while it is fresh in peoples minds. Thanks for the replies.

[ibeda1]

Under the law I am responsible for him till he is 18. Gathering information is not holding someone hand as if he were a toddler.

[ibeda1]

no radar was used. it says so on the ticket. It bothers me because it makes no sense to me. My son asked me for my guidance. In order to guide him I need information that is why I posted here. Thanks for the reply but this is not an anyalyse of me. It is about the ticket

[ibeda1]

I found on on the net that when a 17 year old get a speeding ticket, dmv may suspend there license till they complete a class and then pay a 200 dollar reinstatement fee to get there license back. yes even on the first speeding ticket. If that happens you can ask for a hearing. You can always ask for a hearing regarding any matter with dmv. check out
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...2114202AAodST6

These are the words of parents who 17 year old has had a speeding ticket. I am lucky my son has a habit of being honset with me. These 17 year old had paid the fine and had tried to hide the fact that they got a speeding ticket they did so until dmv sent them the letter. Hope this information helps somebody else to let them know what to expect.

[ibeda1]

My son brought the picture of the address which the officer had on the ticket. In the picture it show a speed sign of 35, there is also a mail box with the whole address including the speed sign. This shows that the officer was incorrect on this plus I got a copy of the police log which showed he pulled him over a mile away.

[EWYLTJ]

Under the law I am responsible for him till he is 18. Gathering information is not holding someone hand as if he were a toddler.

We'll have to disagree here.

I have criticized many people for making moral judgements instead of helping a person who posts. I understand that I am skirting dangerously close to hypocracy, but I don't think this is your issue. You are not "responsible" to get your son out of trouble. Your son could get a great civics/government lesson out of this. Instead, you are trying to do everything for him. You are going though all of this trouble to get him out of trouble... and what is he doing?? Playing X-box??

I haven't suggested that he deserves your good counsel. I only suggested that instead of making this a learning lesson, you are teaching him that he can sit back and someone else will do everything for him. He should be the one on here asking questions. He should be the one preparing a defense. He should be the one learning about the law and the judicial process. At the end of the day, if you get his case dismissed... what has he gained from all of this? In my opinion, a confirmation of his own sense of entitlement. I don't see how you are doing him any favors.

I have teenaged sons. They may know your son. I may know your son. I teach at the local college, so I may see your son one day in that capacity. I have very strong opinions about the "generation Y" kids who know nothing about a sense of responsibility. Overprotective parenting is one of the biggest reasons for this.

I think I am in a very good position to help your son out. I know the area and I am pretty familiar with the laws. However, from this point, I will abstain from offering you any further advice. Should your son come here and ask, I'll help him any way I can.

[ibeda1]

My son works full time. He is married and he and his wife are very responsible people. They have thier place they pay their own bills. He just has 40 units to finish high school. He not out playing x-box doing nothing. He took the pictures. he got them printed. Please stop making judgement on him without knowing him. In the statement of events i had him right after he told me what happen he stated he told the officer He "left" from Mesquite. The officer told him he was speeding in "Front". My son has worked pay for the driving school needed to get his license. He paid for his own wedding in vegas in January. He paid for his own car. According to the information on the ticket a parent has to come with him to court. If a parent were not rsponsible why would they need me there? I think you have to read the statement he wrote and speak to him to understand the situation. I am not one of those parents that make excuses and do things for thier children.