Geraldine

This is my last required post for English 226 and I would like to dedicate it to Geraldine--my grandmother. Because of stubbornness in my family, I did not know Geraldine. Now it's too late. Geraldine passed away Wednesday November 10, 2010. I've been told that she visited me after I was born, but of course I would not have known this. Three years ago, my sister and I convinced our dad to take us to meet Geraldine. She was in the hospital and looked very ill. We promised to write and call, but we never did. Now she is gone.

Geraldine--Grandmother--I hope you can forgive my dad and grandfather for preventing Courtney and I from knowing you. But most of all, please forgive me for not calling or writing you, once we had met. Rest in peace and know that I will miss you. Love, Tiphanie Rimsky, your granddaughter.

Remember the Ticket?

A few weeks ago I expressed my distaste for a ticket I got in a 'phantom' school zone. I did some research, which began with trying to find out what law I had broken. One thing I learned from my Criminal Justice class, is that there is no crime without Law, and no punishment without crime. So I asked the Lewisville Police Department what Law I had broken. There was a four digit number on my ticket, but it did not relate to any Law. The clerk's office told me that the four digit number was an internal code, and the actual Law would be in the State Statutes. I found it odd that the clerk could not find the Law.

Next, I searched the State Statutes for school zone laws and what I found was ironic. Each county or municipality shall hold a meeting, each year, to request a reduction in the state-set speed limit--35 mph--for any road they deem necessary, for the safety of others. There was another requirement I found interesting. The reduced speed limit must be within 500 feet of the school property.

To date, I have not been able to find any records that Lewisville Texas has held such a meeting as described above. However, I did measure the distance from the school, to the bridge--over interstate 35--where I was stopped by the officer. It was 1632 feet, thus proving the ticket was bogus.

The next time you get a ticket, do some research. You may not be guilty!