I recently received a ticket (while driving our 6 month old Prius) for going 40 in a 25. It's my first ticket since 1998 (when I swore I would be much smarter about my driving habits).
As far as "excuses" go - of course, there are none. But.... I was driving the Prius (no transmission, "roar" of engine not very loud). It's only 6 months old, and I frankly only drive it about 1/4 of the time (my SO drives it most of the time). The car drives differently enough from a "normal" car that the (harsh) regenerative braking takes time getting used to, as well as the lack of any slow down on hills (since there's no transmission, there are no gears to slow the car down). Is any of that worth mentioning? In all honestly, I do believe it was at least part of the reason I wasn't going the posted 25 mph....
Has anyone else out there been to court to fight a Prius speeding ticket? Anyone used the "Prius is a different kind of car" argument as a sympathetic "please lessen my charge" argument?
As far as "excuses" go - of course, there are none. But.... I was driving the Prius (no transmission, "roar" of engine not very loud). It's only 6 months old, and I frankly only drive it about 1/4 of the time (my SO drives it most of the time). The car drives differently enough from a "normal" car that the (harsh) regenerative braking takes time getting used to, as well as the lack of any slow down on hills (since there's no transmission, there are no gears to slow the car down). Is any of that worth mentioning? In all honestly, I do believe it was at least part of the reason I wasn't going the posted 25 mph....
Has anyone else out there been to court to fight a Prius speeding ticket? Anyone used the "Prius is a different kind of car" argument as a sympathetic "please lessen my charge" argument?