This time, however, I decided to fight it in court.....WOW, what a mistake that was.

I live behind the schools in Navarre, there are 3 of them all jumbled together. If you leave my house and drive to HWY98 there is not one sign that tells you what time the school zones are. Now, I went out there and got on 98 and accelerated to a whopping 31mph by the end of the school zone. Keep in mind the speed limit when no zone is in effect is 45 and 20 when it is. I got pulled over and given a ticket. Now I'm not so stupid as to not realize there is a school zone there. I have lived in the same house for 14 years, but there are 3 schools all with different start times. To this day I don't really know when the school zone times are because after I got the ticket I called the school and no one could tell me, one lady told me to look at the flashing sign.....There isn't one when leaving the school. Now, I went to court armed with pictures of the route showing no signs and nothing at all indicating when the school zone time starts. The officer tells the "judge" (I use that term very loosly now) what happened and it was factual. I then proceed to tell my side of the story. I have pictures of my view for the entire drive to 98. The "judge" didn't look at any of them. I told him that there are no signs indicating the time for the school zone on the route that I take to 98, which, is clearly indicated in the pictures. He insists I should "know" because of the flashin lights. Now, this is where I read to him the statute on school zones. It clearly stated that the school zones must be clearly marked with the TIMES the zone is in effect or have a flashing light. Well, I couldn't very well call him an idiot in court...the signs can only be seen as flashing from one side, if you are in the middle you can't see that. So, I stated all of this and when he started coming at me with all of this "I should just know because I have lived there all this time." I was still trying to make him understand that I couldn't see the signs and didn't know, he got pissed, doubled my fine and called me guilty. All but threw me out of the court. I am now debating on whether or not to get a lawyer and try to fight this thing further.

The one thing I do know is that Judge Hilliard now has ZERO of my respect as a public official and that I am here to tell you that facts mean nothing in court in Santa Rosa. And if anyone here knows this "judge" feel free to let him know I'd be happy to discuss my dissatisfaction any time. If I'm in the wrong I'll be the first to admit it, but, this time, I honestly drove to and pulled out as I would any time. It seems to me that these indicators are there to REMIND you that the zone is in effect. I am just astounded at this point.

Here is another little twist, there is a sign at that intersection that says no right on red from 7am to 8am...the officer told the judge that he has seen me a ton of times at that intersection and never made a right on red during that time( I honestly think the officer was trying to help me out at this point). Ok, so right there it is...WHEN THE SIGN IS THERE WITH THE TIMES I FOLLOW IT....Judge....ignores the whole thing....WOW. Now better yet..this next year the times for the schools are changing....I'm screwed.

It's not about the money, if it were I would have paid the fine and moved on. This is about getting busted for doing something I couldn't have known was wrong and then about the fact that this "judge" can't even see the simplest logic that dictates that I should not have gotten the ticket. This is the first time I have ever stood before a judge for anything and the outcome was absolute nonsense. I have never been so disenchanted with a system in my life. You have an "ideal" about how our court system works, when you see it in action you will really be disappointed. It is truly a sad day for this american having seen how his judicial system works.

Each day is a GIFT, that is why it is called the PRESENT!

14' randall craft with trolling motor! Yeah Baby!

MIKE TAVENER