54 mph on 35th SW, 50 mph on Highland Park Way, and …

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

From SPD Blotter, the latest reports from the special patrol teams looking for “aggressive drivers” – both in West Seattle. The introduction notes this is a “combination of citations and warnings,” for:

35th Avenue SW

1 at 54 mph
1 at 50 mph
2 at 48 mph
2 at 47 mph
3 at 46 mph
2 at 45 mph
3 Cell Phone
3 No Proof of Insurance
1 Inattention to Driving
2 Expired Vehicle License Plate
1 Lane Change
1 No Front License Plate …

Highland Park Way SW – 30 mph zone

1 at 50 mph
1 at 49 mph
1 at 48 mph
1 at 47 mph
2 at 46 mph
4 at 45 mph
2 No Proof of Insurance

The full writeup on SPD Blotter also includes a “thank-you note” the department says it received from a 35th SW resident.

amalia December 22, 2011 (1:39 pm)

I wish I could find out what the “Inattention to driving” was about. Must be pretty egregious to actually get cited, considering the number of inattentive drivers out there every minute of the day.

Usul December 22, 2011 (2:31 pm)

Amalia, I was thinking the same exact thing. I wish this and reckless driving were more targeted than speeding alone.

A December 22, 2011 (2:46 pm)

What’s the “lane change”?
No Front license plate????? half the cars out there don’t have plates on the front!

KBear December 22, 2011 (2:57 pm)

Probably a lane change without signaling. And yes, it’s illegal to drive without a front license plate. Half the cars out there are speeding, too. Most of them get away with it.

WSratsinacage December 22, 2011 (3:06 pm)

The lane change violation is probably for not signaling and or making an unsafe lane change (as in, into or close to another vehicle). You also are not supposed to change lanes in an intersection or over a gore point, so it could have been one of those scenarios.
.
SPD could write a lot of tickets everyday at the northbound I 5 onramp, from the West Seattle Bridge. Despite the lighter traffic these days, I still see at least one violator of the “illegal to cross double white lines” area.

datamuse December 22, 2011 (3:09 pm)

I’m guessing the lane change citation is for changing lanes unsafely, i.e. not signaling.

If half the cars out there don’t have front plates, then that’s a lot of missed revenue, cause according to RCW 46.16.240 they should have them.

Hello60 December 22, 2011 (3:46 pm)

“INATTETENTION TO DRIVING” is the ticket given by Police to anyone being cited as responsible for an accident. I recieved the same ticket for rear-ending someone once.

Also no front plate is not a moving violation, so you can only write the ticket once the vehice is pulled over for another offence.

Estd1973 December 22, 2011 (8:41 pm)

I don’t recommend violating laws, but highlighting the errors of others, that must be a bitter northwest thing. If you aren’t speeding, and haven’t been violated by another speed, then why care? Leave that up to the insurance companies.

datamuse December 22, 2011 (8:59 pm)

Uh…cause someone asked what it meant? Speaking of bitter…

Joel December 22, 2011 (10:33 pm)

Highland Park Drive…no tickets for 31-44 MPH? are they only ticketing over 45 in a 30?

I live off the street and it’s tough to only do 30 going down the hill. I see lots of cops on non emergency driving doing well over 30.

jj December 22, 2011 (10:41 pm)

SMC 11.58.008 Inattention.
No person shall operate a vehicle in an inattentive manner over and along the streets, alleys or ways open to the public of this City. For the purpose of this section, “inattentive manner” means such a manner so as to fail to maintain a careful lookout for persons or property in the direction of travel.
*
Inattention violation does not go on your driving record. $134.00 fine

Dizzle December 23, 2011 (8:40 am)

Joel- I live off of HP too & go 30 mph down/up without issue. Downshift & use your brakes, it’s not that hard!

As far as the cops going over 30 mph, you do not know if they are on an emergency call but do not put the lights/siren on for one reason or another.

——-
Is ‘no proof of insurance’ that same as a violation ‘no insurance’?

questionable December 23, 2011 (9:30 am)

For your safety and that of others, if you really think it’s “tough” to drive the speed limit you should be taking the bus.

rosenlaw December 23, 2011 (8:58 pm)

its probably no shock to anyone who has driven anywhere else in the US, or the world for that matter- but the speed limits in WA are artificially too low, but hey- when you have all these people who evidently lived all their lives in rain and snow, but who seem to have massive problems driving in it every day, I guess its for their own good. to the rest of us trying to just get somewhere it is a constant annoyance.

S December 23, 2011 (9:08 pm)

@Hello60, I was going to post the same thing. I also got a ticket once for Inattention to Driving for rear ending someone even though the officer said the accident was the others fault. Lady missed her turn, slammed on her breaks leaving skid marks, but I hit her.. I got the ticket. It could also be following too close, Changing a CD in the CD player and swerving a little while doing so.