[md21]

CANUBELIEVE & sleepingkitty I am in the same situation you are both in. I was driving from Gainesville to JAX this past Friday and was pulled over for going 30 (5 mph under what I thought the speed limit was) in a 15 mph school zone that I had no clue existed. First off, I have never seen a school zone designated by a sign above the road everywhere else it is on the side of the road with a blinking light above the new reduced speed listed with the hours of operation. Second, it was dark and hazy outside and any prudent person would conclude that the yellow blinking light above the street is simply a caution light (on the same trip I saw at least five different yellow caution lights blinking above the street that had nothing to do with a school zone). Lastly the school zone is one-tenth of a mile long and my ticket was written at exactly 7:00. I looked and found out that Waldo school don't open until 7:45am (http://www.sbac.edu/~wpops/Schools/schoolhours.pdf). It is not the intent of the law to trick the public. I was well aware that Waldo is a speed trap and was intentionally going 5mph under the speed limit just to be safe. I am a student and I can't afford the $394 fine or the points on my license. I would like to know what is happening with your situation and if you have any advice for me in fighting the claim. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[sleepingkitty]

Ok, Since I'm fighting my ticket in court, please email me at Dudette1984@gmail.com. I'll help you out!

[TNRyan23]

Originally Posted by md21

CANUBELIEVE & sleepingkitty I am in the same situation you are both in. I was driving from Gainesville to JAX this past Friday and was pulled over for going 30 (5 mph under what I thought the speed limit was) in a 15 mph school zone that I had no clue existed. First off, I have never seen a school zone designated by a sign above the road everywhere else it is on the side of the road with a blinking light above the new reduced speed listed with the hours of operation. Second, it was dark and hazy outside and any prudent person would conclude that the yellow blinking light above the street is simply a caution light (on the same trip I saw at least five different yellow caution lights blinking above the street that had nothing to do with a school zone). Lastly the school zone is one-tenth of a mile long and my ticket was written at exactly 7:00. I looked and found out that Waldo school don't open until 7:45am (http://www.sbac.edu/~wpops/Schools/schoolhours.pdf). It is not the intent of the law to trick the public. I was well aware that Waldo is a speed trap and was intentionally going 5mph under the speed limit just to be safe. I am a student and I can't afford the $394 fine or the points on my license. I would like to know what is happening with your situation and if you have any advice for me in fighting the claim. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You'll find alot of school zone signs overhead in Florida. Here around my house ( in TN ) our school zones usually start about a half hour/45 minutes before school so that the kids that walk to school won't be killed ( yes, some kids here walk to school still ! )

[dannl]

The city of Waldo is about maybe 2 square mile. If you call Waldo a very big town I do not believe you have ever been there.

Originally Posted by JonSch7

As an officer in Florida, I would like to dispell some rumors on this board. First off, there is no such thing as ticket quotas in the state of Florida, and they are illegal. Some agencies, (FHP), are instructed to have a certain number of, "contacts" per hour, or per shift. A contact may be a traffic stop, traffic crash, etc.

I hear all the time people complaining about receiving a traffic citation. If you committed a traffic violation, however petit it may be, you deserve to receive a citation. Everyone has a change to challenge the citation in court.

You would be surprised to learn how little of a percentage goes directly to an agency who writes a citation. Typically for each county, the clerk of court has the break down of where the fine amounts are distributed to. Log onto the clerk of courts in the county, and it should be posted. Most receive less than 10% per citation. You have to remember, Waldo is a very big town, drawing in tons of tourists each year.

[roliles]

I have joined this forum just to respond toJonSch7's post and warn anyone else who travels through Waldo.First,I am a policeman's son and everything said about respect for Officers and the Law are true.Except in Waldo.
I was in a car w/ 3 other adults haeding to Springhill,Fla. in Feb.We were armed w/ mapquest and info about the speed trap in Waldo and Lawtey.We read the billboards coming into town. We were ready.We were stopped by a punk ,immature policeman with a badge and a toboggan who gave us a ticket for 35 in a 15 zone.The lights were there but were not flashing,schoolwas not in and it didn't matter.We were helpless to do anything about it.Once home ,the driver contacted his attorney,who contacted a firm in Waldo .He was told that they are serious about this and this was a revenue source.Bypass Waldo.Do yourself a favor.Who cares where the revenue goes? all we want is fair play and justice,not extortion.

[faithfulFrank]

You guys really have me paranoid about 301. I think i'll avoid it just because of this....but I wish there was a better way to get from I-95 south to Leesburg......there is just not any "good" way.

Frank D.

[Dappleganger]

Originally Posted by JonSch7

As an officer in Florida, I would like to dispell some rumors on this board. First off, there is no such thing as ticket quotas in the state of Florida, and they are illegal.

According to my MSF instructor, a veteran FL highway patrol officer (he was about to move from semi-retirement to FT within a few months of that class), they don't call them 'quotas.' They call them 'Goals and Objectives', and YES they are expected to meet them on a monthly basis.

Starke and a number of other small towns have figured out a way to TAX drivers who are passing through their town in order to raise revenue, plain and simple. We do everything we can to avoid those towns, do not spend money in them and spread the word that they are to be avoided at all costs. Americans are being taxed to death as it is and don't need scumbags like this to add to the pain for those who are doing everything they can to abide within the law.

[Sunny-Days90]

Originally Posted by dannl

The city of Waldo is about maybe 2 square mile. If you call Waldo a very big town I do not believe you have ever been there.

I agree, the biggest business in town is the Flea Market and Antique Mall with the iron horse out front.

If it is still there, have not been through Waldo in a couple years but always stopped at the antique mall in Waldo.

[Johnny727]

Waldo, along with Starke, and Lawtey are nothing but broke hillbilly towns. People in the north know these people as nothing but hillbillies who write tickets for no reason other than to harrass people and take their money. They are known for setting up excess tickets and checkpoints ticketing UF students on their way to the Georgia/Florida World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party every year. They are also known for ticketing out-of-state people with their speed signs that change every 1/8 of a mile. This is why all their businesses are out and it looks like a horror scene from Unsolved Mysteries. The only reason why they get away with it is because Florida doesn't come down on them. The state of Texas had similar towns a few years back and they put a stop to it and told them no more than 25% of your revenue can be based off of tickets. Florida needs to build a highway around it or just turn 301 into a major interstate that goes from I-10 to the Turnpike. Teachers at UF say to avoid these redneck backwards towns and stay away from these people. I know black people who are afraid to drive down 301 because of the backwoods people that run it and fear they will be pulled over for no reason. Also, they use school zones to trap people such as when you are coming down a hill you have to hold your break or if you go over 15 mph they will pull you over. These people who defend these anal probing practices are unamerican. And these cops also show preference to "Alachua" plates. So if you are not wearing an "Alachua" on your plate, just beware when you go through this poor excuse of an existance.

[DanBev]

Originally Posted by JonSch7

As an officer in Florida, I would like to dispell some rumors on this board. First off, there is no such thing as ticket quotas in the state of Florida, and they are illegal. Some agencies, (FHP), are instructed to have a certain number of, "contacts" per hour, or per shift. A contact may be a traffic stop, traffic crash, etc.

I hear all the time people complaining about receiving a traffic citation. If you committed a traffic violation, however petit it may be, you deserve to receive a citation. Everyone has a change to challenge the citation in court.

You would be surprised to learn how little of a percentage goes directly to an agency who writes a citation. Typically for each county, the clerk of court has the break down of where the fine amounts are distributed to. Log onto the clerk of courts in the county, and it should be posted. Most receive less than 10% per citation. You have to remember, Waldo is a very big town, drawing in tons of tourists each year.

Waldo is only a blip on the radar screen,has nothing to attract tourist that I know of,only Gator National??