Geary Speeding Ticket... What School?

[nvp]

OK, so let me start off by saying that I was speeding. That much I admit openly.

I have been commuting from Mill Valley to Union Square for about a year and a half. About the last nine months I have been using Geary from 19th Ave to get here.

So, this morning I was doing my usual thing riding to work and just as I passed Scott St. I saw out of the corner of my eye a motorcycle on the side of the road. I didn't think anything of it until that same motorcycle was behind me at the next stop light (Gough) with an inordinary amount of illuminated colors decorating the front fairing. "So, I guess that WAS a cop."

The officer, who was very nice and polite and all the stuff, told me I was doing 62 in a 25. I told him I was under the impression that the speed limit was 45. He said the speed limit "when school was in" was 25. What school?

I too was very nice... I told him I wasn't a "speed demon" (thank god I didn't have ground down knee pucks afixed to my Aerostich!) and that I commute every day rain or shine. He wrote me up for 50 in a 25. Ouch! I asked him if I could go to traffic court and he assured me I could. I asked him again... he said I could.

Is that true? Will they let me go to traffic court for this? I have a clean record to date.

Thanks in advance for any input. And yes... I plan to slow down.

Cheers,

N

[Junkie]

are there signs saying it is a school zone? if so, you should have known better. if not, I doubt that it will hold up (well, as a 50 in a 45 it will but not as a school zone ticket).
the VC I can find on school zone tickets (related to speed limits, not fine enhancements):
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22352.htm (B) When approaching or passing a school building or the grounds thereof, contiguous to a highway and posted with a standard "SCHOOL" warning sign, while children are going to or leaving the school either during school hours or during the noon recess period. The prima facie limit shall also apply when approaching or passing any school grounds which are not separated from the highway by a fence, gate, or other physical barrier while the grounds are in use by children and the highway is posted with a standard "SCHOOL" warning sign. For purposes of this subparagraph, standard "SCHOOL" warning signs may be placed at any distance up to 500 feet away from school grounds.and http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22358_4.htm which allows them to reduce the limit below 25.

I hadn't realized that the school zone speed limits only apply when children are entering or leaving the school during school hours or recess period. I'm glad that it is that way, so that in the case of some late night or weekend event that there are children in the school for that you can't see you don't get ticketed for >25, but it sounds to me like according to the VC there must be children visible for the limit to decrease.

[nvp]

I appreciate it very much! Yeah, either way I should have known better. I take full responsibility for my right hand (so to speak.)

I have NEVER seen a freakin' kid on Geary! Ever! That's why I didn't even know there was a school there. I usually fully obey school zones (like the one just last Stinson Beach on Highway 1) because I figure LEO's probably need to enforce those fairly strictly... fo good reason.

Thanks again for you help.


N

[masameet]

Yup, here's your school (http://portal.sfusd.edu/template/default.cfm?page=ms.kipp_sf).

Which VC section(s) was/were you cited for?

Have you ever tried riding through the Presidio and taking Bush Street from Presidio Ave.? Bush is a straight shot to downtown and the lights tend to go with commute traffic (and it's 35+ mph all the way). And of course on the return Pine Street is absolutely fabulous, unless of course stop-n-go on (a few steep) hills is not your thing.

[nvp]

Looks like I was cited for CVC 22350 (Basic Speed). Thanks very much for the school info.

I don't mind hills (I'm an advanced rider) but I found that Pine and Bush got kinda jam packed during commute hours and the GS can be somewhat wide when splitting so I appreciate wider lanes (hence, wider gaps.)

Thanks again for your feedback.

- N