In a 30 mph zone but up ahead is a 40 mph sign. Legally do you have to wait to pass the sign to speed up?

Question

I was traveling on a rural road that was 30 mph. Turning the corner I see the 40 mph sign about 100 yards or so ahead. I can easily read the sign so I speed up to "42" and Bam! theres a cop. He gives me a ticket but gave me a break and wrote down 40 instead of 42, whata sweatheart.

Anybody know if the law states the change in speed is at or after you pass the speed limit sign? Trying to decide if I should contest the ticket.

Thanks.

Answer 1

still fight the ticket ...just explain everything. and also say polite things to him or her

Answer 2

The sign is telling you that the new speed limit of 40 will begin at the sign.

Answer 3

The speed zone begins when the front of your car is at that speed zone sign. It ends when the rear bumper of your car passes the sign indicating the end of that speed zone.

Answer 4

You have to wait.  When you are speeding up you are doing it in the 30 mph zone.

Answer 5

Always speed up at the sign its better to go little bit slower then little bit faster. Think of passing the sighn as driving over divided line that divides the speed limits.

Answer 6

you were still in a 30 MPH zone until you get to or pass that 40 MPH sign.

Answer 7

wow! that was a mean cop! jesus...i really woudve have said it didnt matter! dude that isnt ticketable. Take that c**p to court! dude 2 words...RADAR DETECTOR. cops suck man.

Answer 8

Let me ask you a question...if you see a stop sign, do you have to stop before it or after it?

Hate to say it, but the same applies. Lousy that the cop chose that location, but there' not much you can do about it; you were 100 yds short of where you were allowed to speed up.

Answer 9

as far as i know u have to wait til u pass the sign, i did something similar a few years ago coasting down a hill and the sign at the bottom was 45 the previous was 25 and i was doing alomst 40 and got a ticket.

Answer 10

I think so

Answer 11

Legally, the speed changes EXACTLY at the sign.  That is everywhere.  On my drive home from work, I had 2 speed zone changes.  I NEVER sped up until I reached the sign.  It ticked off a few people following me, but it saved myself, and drivers following, a lot of speeding tickets in an area famous for tickets.  

In your case, the limit was 30 exactly to the sign, then it was 40, just like a line was actually drawn across the road.  Sorry, you can't really contest the ticket.  You can plead stupidity (seriously), and beg the court's indulgence.  The least that can happen is you pay the ticket, but the court may see the wisdom in reducing the charge, presuming you have a fairly long, as well as clear, driving record.

Answer 12

yes..