Woo Hoo!

SPD is at it again, and has been all morning. From my little office I hear the whoop whoop of the siren, then a reassuring "Turn right, move forward, stop there" as they pull one driver after the next into the neighborhood. Stick more-or-less to the speed limit and you won't get the ticket. And if your tabs are expired, you really ought watch it!

amen!

bike paths are safer and more effective than bike lanes..

Tonight on a local TV station poll of Puget Sound, close to 90% saying traffic is getting worse here.
Wait until Viaduct shuts down.

On speeding. Admiral from viewpoint East should be 35mph. Fauntleroy from ferry North 35mph with both stickly enforced. Many years ago Fauntleroy was all 35mph.

Can't wait to see how long lines get after Fauntleroy is taken to two lanes all the way to 35thSW. In fact it's time to take out all 4 lane arterials in Seattle and add bike lanes.

Speed trap! Speed trap! Yea!

It's a simple thing to do if you want to avoid a ticket...just go the speed limit or slower. The whole point of having posted speed limits is so that we don't make up our own rules, so whether it's a money maker or not...it's all pretty easy to avoid.

As far as 35th is concerned...I got a ticket for speeding on 35th (i deserved it). I wasn't ignored on that road.

I live near Admiral and drive on it almost daily; and I don't think it should be ignored. SPD needs more money for more patrols or whatever so that's great that they know where to make their money. I also think that patrols should be stationed where they have the most potential to save lives; looking at data from this past year I do think 35th, Delridge Way, Highland Park Way, Fauntleroy Way and School zones need the most attention. Not all the attention, but most of it.

I drive a manual and know how to use my gears but thank you for pointing that out to the other readers.

You're right Traci, that turn that comes off Avalon is a nightmare, especially at when it's dark. Maybe some of those flashy caution lights would be a nice addition-and they can be paid for by all the speeders!

I witnessed an accident a couple weeks ago on Admiral. A small car was turning left onto Admiral right before the bridge (from that little hairpin turn that shoots to Avalon...) and a Bronco SMASHED into it speeding down Admiral onto the bridge. They were probably going 50 mph.

I admittedly speed, and sometimes go entirely too fast on these roads as well. But also the speed limit is posted everywhere and we're taking risks: Road safety AND getting ticketed.

Personally I appreciate the work police officers do to curb speeding and driving violations. Not saying that I'm anywhere perfect on the road, but I would rather see TOO MANY police officers in our community than not enough!

Round the Sound @ 28- Are you suggesting that SPD ignore Admiral Way entirely and instead focus their limited Traffic Unit on 35th, Delridge Way, Highland Park Way, Fauntleroy Way or School zones?

If they ignored Admiral Way would SPD then be on the receiving end of outraged nearby residents or other citizens/drivers wondering why people are allowed to race up and down Admiral Way?

Should SPD forget about distributing their Traffic officers equally amongst the city?

Is there no danger presented to drivers, home owners or pedestrians by people speeding on Admiral Way? (Observe how many times the private and public landscape elements on the curve of Admiral Way are destroyed)

BTW - I do not live near on or near Admiral Way, however I make regular trips up and down it and find that I don't have to ride my brakes if I use my old truck driver skills and shift down one gear and all is well. Works for both automatic and manual transmissions.

Also, just because you are driving the speed limit doesn't make you a good driver. I was almost hit today by a driver that was in the left hand turn lane and decided he didn't want to go left anymore. Instead of looking he just switched lanes and sent me screeching my brakes into the parking lane. Speeding makes accidents worse but doesn't necessarily cause them.

Thank you Round the Sound - my point exactly!! This thread was about police generating revenues in places where the speed limit is unnecessarily too slow - the intent of why they are doing it is clear to me as well.

Speed traps are exactly that-traps. I have never seen any car heading downhill on Admiral going the speed limit that wasn't riding their brakes. It's an unnaturally slow speed limit and SPD knows this; that's why it's worth it for them to post an officer on that corridor. If they were actually concerned about safety they would be posting officers on 35th or other problem areas like school zones.

More speed traps and slower drivers are welcome in West Seattle!

Maybe West Seattle should set all speed at 25 like they do in many area's.
Gig Harbor is all 25, got a ticket for 35, and I was several miles out of the city. Just a few months ago got a screw job on I-90 in Montana after 15 years of no tickets. BTW I was doing 78 in a 75mph zone. The Montana State Patrol had me pay the ticket on the spot or I could come back in 14 days to Anaconda, about 700 miles from home.

My point is, it could be worse.

angelcrest, I agree with you that that is a problem with the robot speed detectors, unfortunately it also can be a problem with human cops, it seems like those signs can be deciphered different ways to different people.

mellaw, good for you that you haven't had a speeding ticket in 20 years, that just means you haven't been caught in 20 years.

Here's MY problem w/the robot speed detectors:
I got a notice in the mail w/a photo of my car and a close-up of the license plate. It said it was a warning, and that I was driving over the speed limit in a school zone. Now, I know I drive only 30 on Charlestown sans pedestrians, but when children are present, I follow the directions: "20 when children are present". The nice photo showed that NO ONE was present on the streets, so I called the #. The woman with whom I spoke said yes, I was clocked at 30 and that is the speed limit, and yes, no children (nobody) were present, but she stipulated that the sign said "20 in school zone". I'm like, "No, that's not what it says", and after conferring with her manager, she didn't know what I should do. Neither did I.
I never speed, I pay attention to the signs. I remain miffed.

Austin: the problem with the robot speed detectors is that people have taken to making fake license plates, or stealing plates from similar cars and putting them on their own vehicles. Build a better mousetrap, and you wind up building a better mouse.

Generally speaking, considering how many people have been killed by speeding drivers on 35th Ave alone the past few years, I have no objection to speed traps. Ounce, prevention, pound, cure, etc.

mellaw6565 - Reference to pony injury was connected to your 'high horse' comment. Trying to add a little levity to the discussion. Guess it is pointless. Oh well.

I will say that if you or anyone else thinks that SPD is putting excessive energy towards ticketing speeders than I suggest you look into how SPD actually allocates the majority of its force. It is not dedicated to writing tickets. And to think that any street has a speed limit reduced or set to be a revenue stream begs credulity. Plenty of the SPD Traffic Patrols are a result of nearby neighbors calling in and complaining about the dangers of speeding traffic on the street right outside their home or near their bus stop.

Keep it up SPD!

I love when they set up speed traps on I-35. Uphill, downhill, sideways, it's all good. In fact, I have thanked the motorcycle cops and I hope they keep it up. And they are not ticketing people going 5 over. More like 25 over. People are crazy and I see accidents regularly. Not to mention there were several pedestrian incidents with at least 3 fatalities this year (2 on 35th - 1 on Cali). Unacceptable. Your destination and agenda is just not that important.

If anything there should be a speed reader box connected to a license plate camera to ticket people rather than having an actual human cop chasing around otherwise law abiding citizens. I don't see a problem with the taxation of overzealous or inattentive drivers but having a person doing a robot's job does seem kind of resource heavy.

And for the record - I haven't had a speeding ticket in more than 20 years. I just hate greedy city revenuers who can't find more productive things for our police to do - like real police work!

BG - I don't know where you get your info - I've never said in any post that I speed. The tailgating reference you are taking out of context - it was in reference to people going to slow for the snowy conditions. Don't twist my words or thoughts - it's not appreciated.

Same Old - what does having been injured by a horse have to do with speed traps? And also, the discussion was about a speed limit being too low for the conditions and city govt's wanting to build up their revenues. I never advocated speeding - I just hate hypocrites like you who think they are perfect and never break any rules - please!

mellaw6565, I don't ride high-horses after getting clothes-lined on an apple tree branch by an out of control Shetland pony when I was a kid:-) I also do not speed. Ever. Don't believe me, ask my family and friends. Witness enough carnage and one realizes it only takes a moment to alter ones life, forever and driving around speeding is a one-way trip to severe consequences.

All I ask of you is to explain to me why you or anyone else would think they should be allowed to disregard the posted speed limits? And if you do think that is appropriate then how would you justify or explain that behavior to a 5 year old or teenager just learning to drive?

mellaw, I don't think Same Old said that they didn't break rules. But as we know from your previous posts you do break rules, maybe that is why you are warning people about a speed trap. If you are speeding you get a ticket, if I'm speeding then I also deserve that ticket. Settle down and maybe go the speed limit and stop tailgating.

Oh please Same Old - like you never break any rules or laws. Get off your high horse!

Lruk - don't fool yourself - they dropped the speed limit to line their coffers with more money; it's an age old trick for city govt's.

Oh please Same Old - like you never break any rules or laws. Get off your high horse!

Lruk - don't fool yourself - they dropped the speed limit to line their coffers with more money; it's an age old trick for city govt's.

Speeding drivers deserve tickets. The more the better. If you think they don't, then try explaining to a 5 year old why one doesn't have to obey the rules.

My guess is that they dropped it from 35 to 30 (about 18 months ago) with the hope of getting people down from 45+ to 40 mph. The few I've talked to who have received tickes have been going well over 45.

I think the 30 mph going up & down that hill is ridiculously slow - I can see the change in speed at the lookout where residential streets add to the mix, but the hill really should be at least 35 to get up it and to avoid needing new brakes when you get down.

thanks so much for the info

I don't care which way they pull over speeders, I'm just glad they are actually doing it.

it's safer to catch and pull over speeders going downhill...

doing so uphill would only add to the safety hazards.

but maybe a speed monitoring clock would be a good idea if they haven't already done so...

and maybe a sensor activated light at the top of the hill on the first cross street and/or a pedestrian activated light at the crosswalk.

They were catching speeders going uphill, not downhill.

Huindekmi, I agree that more patrol is needed all along Admiral, but as a resident that lives a block off of Admiral around the viewpoint I can tell you about a heap of accidents, a motorcycle death and repeated property damage along Admiral as a result of speeders.
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Also, because people mistakenly think there are no pedestrians or residences they continue to speed. It's a life threatening task to catch a bus across Admiral, and even worse to try to exit from the residential streets that intersect Admiral all along the east side of that hill and around the bend west of the viewpoint. Visibility is limited and it only takes one arse going 55 around that bend to make for a really bad day.
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I've asked the city repeatedly how many deaths there need to be along Admiral Way before we get serious speed control measures. I've never received an answer.

i bet that's because they catch more speeders there more easily with the least disruption to traffic.. not to mention doing it safely...

what goes up must come down:))))

so my guess is that those they catch speeding downhill are equally abusive of the speed limit going up... and the end net effect of the speed trap is positive for all concerned...

unless. of course.. you were speeding and got caught.

They never run the speed trap on the west side of the hill, where there are lots of residences, pedestrians, curves, etc. and where pedestrians have been killed in crosswalks.

They never even run speed traps at the top of the hill (from the overlook to California), where there are residences, businesses, a big sweeping corner, lots of traffic and frequent accidents between vehicles and either the median and/or sidewalks.

They only run the speed trap on the east side of the hill, where there are very few residences, almost no pedestrians, a long straight road with great visibility and an illogically low speed limit.

East hill - the one with the 30 mph red flagged signs going to the W. Seattle Bridge

The east hill or west?

Cops are running it this a.m. on the hill - beware!