A magazine geared towards men is drumming up exposure by warning Toronto drivers about speed traps with signs.
DailyXY was targeting male motorists with women holding banners at two intersections early Tuesday morning: One pair at Avenue Road and St. Clair Avenue, and the other at Richmond Street West.
The signs warned of speed traps, where illegal turns were located, and why you shouldn’t park in a tow-away zone.
“We at DailyXY.com try to help our readers have easier, better lives and so we’re trying to help them get to work a little easier,” Benjamin Leszcz told Breakfast Television.
“We’re not trying to help our readers, or the people of Toronto, break the law. We’re trying to help them avoid breaking the law ... we want to remind them they shouldn’t be speeding at all, especially not here.”
It’s all part of what they’re calling Ticket-Free Tuesday.
“Every day, good drivers make honest, but very expensive, mistakes,” site founder Russell Smith outlined.
"We do think there are too many tickets being given out and we do think they're not entirely for traffic-control purposes or for safety purposes. They're a cash grab."
How To Beat A Ticket, by DailyXY.com
DailyXY spoke to two former police officers who now specialize in beating traffic tickets, Chris Conway of OTT Legal Services, and Jason Baxter of X-Copper, for tips on beating a ticket.
1. Be a gentleman.
When pulled over, have your documentation ready, and be as gracious as humanly possible. It might help.
2. Admit nothing.
“You are not required to admit your guilt,” Baxter says. If you ultimately plead innocent, a roadside confession could screw you.
3. Tell a tale.
If you’ve got a legitimate story, tell it. “I stopped a guy going to the hospital,” says Conway. “He had a leaking colonoscopy bag. I thought, If I had that, I’d be in a hurry, too.”
4. Ask for leniency.
“You always have to ask, 'Can you give me a break?'” says Conway. “Sometimes the officer will just give you a caution.”
5. Fight it.
“It’s always in the defendant’s best interest to fight the ticket,” says Baxter. “If you pay it, the insurance company’s going to raise your premiums.” Request a trial date and prepare by transcribing your story.
6. The "delayed trial" defence.
Big city legal systems are often bogged down. Baxter says if a trial is scheduled too far away, it can be “a violation of Section 11b, the right to a speedy trial, in the Canadian Constitution.”