My Speeding Ticket

So I get this speeding ticket in Columbus GA, for traveling 40 in a school zone during the restricted hours when the speed limit is 25. Here is the scoop…

1:30 - I stop for a late lunch at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, by myself. The restaurant is located *inside* the school zone. I neglect to notice or make a mental note of this. The school zone sign is not flashing when I pass by it.

2:00 - School Zone speed limit comes into effect

2:05 - I leave the restaurant, pull out of the parking area and make a left onto River Rd. To the right, up the road is the back of the school zone sign, not visible to me. The very first speed limit sign that I see (and have the opportunity to see) says “40”. I am accelerating to 40 mph as I notice the motorcycle policeman near the sign. I pass him at 40 mph, he pulls out behind me and flashes his lights.

At no point on this trip have I seen a speed limit sign that says anything other than “40”. I assume that I just missed the sign, but I ask him just to be sure. Did I have an opportunity to see the sign, given the spot where I pulled out from the restaurant? He mentions that he can pull me over 1 minute past the time the school zone comes into affect (which was not the question I asked him at all). Befuddled I curse my luck and drive back to work.

I took some pictures but you can't make out the signs. The pictures were taken from the location where I pulled out of the restaurant parking. To the right I have circled the BACK of the school zone sign alerting oncoming traffic of the school. To the left I have circled the “Speed Limit 40” Sign, which is located inside the school zone. I made a left and got pulled over just around the bend.

Click to see full pic…