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Quesiton regarding the validity of a ticket

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DriverQuestion8

Junior Member
Hi. I'm down in Florida from Illinois visiting. I just received a ticket for doing 45 in a 35 zone. I was in the process of slowing down as I had just passed over the speed limit sign. The previous speed limit posting was 55. The cop informed me he tagged me directly at the speed limit sign. Now I remember from drivers ed in Illinois you have 1/10th of a mile to slow down to a posted speed limit. The pull over actually occurred approximately 400 feet from the posted speed limit sign so I know for a fact it was definitely within the 10th of a mile range. The cop also wrote on the ticket that the infraction occurred in a toll plaza. There is a toll booth on this road but it was approximately 2 miles further up the road from where I was pulled over. What I'm looking to find out is if the 1/10th mile policy applies to Florida as well and if so is this a ticket worth fighting. The whole situation seems outrageous to me. How can they honestly expect me to safely slow down from 55 to 35 that quickly. I was in the process of slowing down but I obviously didn't want to just slam on my brakes.

Thanks for the help
 


racer72

Senior Member
What I'm looking to find out is if the 1/10th mile policy applies to Florida as well
Nope and I can't find anything about a 1/10 mile rule in the Illinois statutes either. Your only real hope of fighting this would revolve around finding if Florida law requires signage that states there is a reduction in the posted speed limit ahead. My state requires such signage if the change of speed limit is 10mph or more. I already spent way too much time searching Florida and Illinois statutes on the speed limit signs, you can do the rest your self. Google is your friend.
 

DriverQuestion8

Junior Member
I know for a fact it's 1/10th in Illinois. Have a driver manual in my glove box and it's in there. Don't ask me why I have that. I don't even know. But can't really find anything about it in Google. Unfortunately all the search queries I could think of to search in relation to that are bringing up articles about slowing down to save gas. That seems to be a very popular subject these days :)

There is no sign about slowing down. I already went up the road again to check that. Thanks for your help though :)

Have a nice day
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I know for a fact it's 1/10th in Illinois. Have a driver manual in my glove box and it's in there. Don't ask me why I have that. I don't even know. But can't really find anything about it in Google. Unfortunately all the search queries I could think of to search in relation to that are bringing up articles about slowing down to save gas. That seems to be a very popular subject these days :)

There is no sign about slowing down. I already went up the road again to check that. Thanks for your help though :)

Have a nice day
Please cite the section of traffic/vehicle code which states that you have 1/10th of a mile...
(Hint: Your driver manual is NOT law)
 

Maestro64

Member
Yes, some states have buffer zone rules about change of speed and ticketing, PA and GA both have them for sure and they happen to both be 500 ft. But if you try and google this fact it will not come up. You actually have to read through the state statues to find it. Exceptions like this are not aware very clear or made clear to the public for obvious reasons. So if FL has something like this you will have to look through all the rules of the road to find it or find someone who knows for sure.

The other problem you have is the officer wrote down conflicting information on the ticket he tagged within a reduced speed zone then said it was in the toll booth. If claimed to got you right at the sign what did he use, the only method where he could say that he had to be using LIDAR. Which is a Laser. If he in fact use LIDAR did he write distance on the ticket which is required information.

you know he might be claiming we tagged you in the toll both whether is said reduce speed to 35, but took him 2 mile to catch up to you, who knows. But if FL has a buffer zone rule, you can bet the officer will not say he tagged you right at the PSL sign. you better figure on having more than that defense.
 

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