Accident pics/contesting ticket

[nicksimc at plu.edu]

I finally got around to scanning some pictures of my April 2 accident.
The ticket I received the next day was for "going down a closed road."
This will be disputed in court at the end of July.  How's that for a right
to speedy trial?

Here is the fork in the road.  The road to the left was obviously closed
by the snow berm in front of it, and by the sign 100 ft _behind_ the
berm telling you it is closed (far left sign).

http://www.plu.edu/~nicksimc/road1.jpg

I went down the road to the right.  This pic is of the sign telling you
that the road ahead was closed.  It is about 100ft in front of the ice.

http://www.plu.edu/~nicksimc/road2.jpg

I never actually saw the sign because I was too busy braking to avoid the
obvious hazard.  Unfortunately, I was unable to come to a complete stop
before I reached the ice, and I began sliding across this:

http://www.plu.edu/~nicksimc/road3.jpg

The small figure in the center is pointing to the left where the car
eventually ended up after rolling 1.5 times.

Here's the car:

http://www.plu.edu/~nicksimc/wreck1.jpg
http://www.plu.edu/~nicksimc/wreck2.jpg

I had to walk three miles to find some fishermen to help me, and the
closest house was at least another three.  When the sherriff gave me the
ticket he also told me he "wasn't going to give me a ticket for leaving
the scene of an accident."

There were no signs along the entire road that alerted you to the road
closure ahead.  I had checked the big yellow sign that tells you which
Forest Svc roads are closed - these weren't.  The road closure signs were
woefully inadequate, printed in 2in black letters on 'safety' white, like
they use for "thank you for not littering" signs.  The ice sheet appears
to me to be the remains of a snow berm that had not been maintained and
allowed to melt/refreeze/melt/refreeze etc., with no help from
snowmobilers (two showed up the next day while we were taking photos).
Multiple tracks in the pack ice/snow also show that I'm not the only
person to "go down a closed road."

I am looking for a nice way to say "this is BS" in court.  Anyone?

-Matt

82 4ks
84 4ksq (RIP)