Mono County: Beauty & the Heat

Some of the most beautiful nature parks and forests are right here in Mono County, CA also some of the highest (Mt. Whitney), some of the lowest elevations (Death Valley), some of the oldest living life forms (5000-year-old Bristlecone pines), some of the hottest areas, and coldest as well. But, the beast in Mono County is traffic court! After receiving a speeding ticket in Mono County, we had the extreme displeasure of sitting in the hottest court with the hardest benches we had ever experienced.

We were vacationing at Bodie, we went there from Barstow, where we decided to retire after 25 years in the US Army. We bought an RV trailer to pull behind the pickup and decided to spend a weekend at Bodie Ghost Town after retirement.

Our trip to Bodie, CA

Once known as the “wildest camp in the West” it had a population of 8000 in its heyday in 1881, it is now a CA State Park, a Nat’l Historic Landmark, and a “Ghost Town.” Many would snicker when they hear that moniker, but many of these homes look as if the inhabitants left for the mines and never came home… alive anyway.

Bodie is open year-round but in the winter, it might be a little difficult to get to without a pair of snowshoes. We hired a Bodie Historian to show us around and tell us the old tales. At $50 each, we thought it was worth the money for a once in a lifetime experience. We visited the cemetery, the stamp mill, and the mining district. There are many events there in the summer and 12 August is Bodie Day, so check their website before you go.

Our Speeding Ticket Has Us Still in Shock

We booked a couple nights at the Willow Springs RV Park, which has a hotel there too and it was very nice. While we were there, we decided to drive up to Carson City and Lake Tahoe in Nevada to see some friends and as we rolled down that hill coming into Bridgeport on CA-395, we got going a little faster than we should have, I think the trailer was pushing us a little.

The law enforcement (LE) officer said he “paced” us for a couple of miles, though I never saw him back there until the lights came on. Anyway, he gave us a speeding ticket for doing 65-mph in a 35-mph zone, as we were hauling a trailer, which is a violation of CVC 22406 & 22407. CVC 22407 pertains to a specific grade or section of highway, which has been posted for a lower speed due to its danger identified in a traffic survey. Truthfully, I was a little angry because I never saw a 35-mph speed limit sign until after we got the speeding ticket and were headed back to Willow Springs, so we could go to Bridgeport Courthouse in the morning.

The courthouse in Bridgeport is a beautiful old building on the outside, but inside it was sweltering hot. As we sat there waiting for our turn, another gentleman asked our story and we told him about the speeding ticket. He said we should call a local traffic attorney in Central Valley, Bigger & Harman because they handle only traffic ticket cases and could help us out. We told him we would just pay the ticket and keep going. He said, “Well if you don’t mind paying the $490 fine, go ahead. But, when you renew your insurance it’s going to go up too and stay up for three years.” We were in total shock when we heard that amount and when our turn came we, pleaded not guilty and left the courthouse to find an air conditioner, a cold drink, and call Bigger & Harman.

Bigger & Harman, APC

When you require assistance fighting a speeding ticket in Mono, Kern, Tulare, Kings, and other Central Valley CA counties or in SoCal counties such as LA, SLO, or San Bernardino, call the law firm of Bigger & Harman, 661-349-9300, send an email, attorney@markbigger.com, or fill out the convenient contact form on the website.

En español, llame al 661-349-9755.