Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › Seattle Police Speed Trap
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February 10, 2009 at 2:37 am #589749
rickygeeMemberHighland Park Drive was a crazy scene today with FIVE SPD stealth cruisers parked in a line waiting for prey, looking like taxis at SeaTac.
You would think there might be better things for a few of those fine officers to do, but I guess the recession is so bad that SPD must turn to money-making, mass, traffic stops.
This action disgusts me and further erodes my confidence in our local authorities.
So as not to get a ticket myself, I drove slowly uphill several times, flashing my brights to warn fellow citizens of the police state below. Of course the cops weren’t paying attention to uphill traffic. They know the real money is on drivers trying to keep under the 30mph limit while going down a very long hill.
SHAME ON THEM!
February 10, 2009 at 2:53 am #657641
inactiveMemberI live right up the road and I did not see that. Do you live there? Or were you just one of the drivers passing through?
Because I DO live up that road, I am not surprised one bit that SPD did something like that. The volume of cars is high. Many if not most of them are over the speed limit. Cars go through a 30 mph at about 45+ all day. Every day. And, that’s NOT even on the hill – up or down. This area I’m referring to also includes a school zone where cars completely disregard the 20 mph all of the time.
Aside from the school zone, there are also a whole lot of kids who live at the top of the hill. Does this REALLY need explanation why SPD is making a statement here?
So, the real shame is on the habitual speeders for speeding down 9th Ave, disregarding a school zone and continuing to speed down the hill.
Drivers should down shift to slow down or use their brakes. Shame is on the drivers.
February 10, 2009 at 3:23 am #657642
DianaParticipantThank you SPD for your excellent work! Lots of speeders were nailed on Admiral Way today and your presence in our community is much appreciated.
February 10, 2009 at 3:27 am #657643
DavidFParticipantI agree with Diana.
February 10, 2009 at 3:29 am #657644
KenParticipantSo Complaining about SPD enforcing the law is what it took to get you to register and post on WSB?
Well congratulations.
This hardly qualifies as a speed trap though.
I got my only ticket in 40 years of driving at the northgate onramp to I-5 when I had to punch it to merge with the crazies coming off the express lane headed north.
The laser on the overpass was a speed trap.
It was the luck of the draw in a target rich environment that day.
That was WSP.
People speeding on residential streets and arterials only seem to respond to enforcement.
You did.
Now going up the hill they would have got me at 36 mph since I must maintain that speed to climb the hill or my little 4 cylinder would downshift to first and redline to maintain 25mph.
February 10, 2009 at 4:58 am #657645
hopeyParticipantHey guess what?
The sergeant in charge of the SPD’s Aggressive Drivers Response Team (those ‘stealth’ cruisers you mentioned) lives in West Seattle. He’s my next-door neighbor. :D
Also please note that the Aggressive Drivers Response Team is a special police unit. No officers were removed from other areas to do this job. Traffic enforcement, specifically in problem areas like Highland Park Way, is their full-time job. More info here: http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/programs/emphasis/Aggressive.htm
February 10, 2009 at 5:17 am #657646
datamuseParticipantGood for SPD. I live near the top of Highland Park Way and if I had a dollar for every time I’ve been tailgated going down OR up that hill, I’d be able to fill my gas tank for a month. (And I drive 70 miles every day, y’all.)
February 10, 2009 at 5:18 am #657647
inactiveMemberHopey –
Fabulous information! Most excellent!
Please, let your neighbor/officer know that the work he and his Team did here in HP today is appreciated.
February 10, 2009 at 5:30 am #657648
pigeonmomParticipantI’d like to see the Aggressive Drivers Response Team on 35th more often!
February 10, 2009 at 5:41 am #657649
ZenguyParticipantNo kidding Pidgeonmom!
February 10, 2009 at 5:57 am #657650
flowerpetalMemberHooray for the SPD. Need we recount the tragic deaths and injuries on our arterials in WS? I know that all of these weren’t due to speed; but some were.
If I could get the police to clock and ticket cars on Trenton, I’d be taking them out coffee and fresh baked goods while they waited for the next speeder.
February 10, 2009 at 6:40 am #657651
AnonymousInactiveI wish the SPD could enforce the speed limit on Highland Park Drive (especially downhill) 24/7. It is rare to see a vehicle moving less than ten mph over the speed limit. The speed limit there is 30mph. East/south of W Marginal Way SW, the speed limit is 35mph until south of the Hwy. 99 underpass, where it increases to 40mph, then 60mph on Hwy. 599 after the stoplight.
February 14, 2009 at 7:05 am #657652
grrParticipantthey could make a months worth of ticket quota $$ if they’d just hang out on my street a little more. It’s the Daytona 500 every day.
February 15, 2009 at 3:33 pm #657653
mom2sorenMemberI’m in accord with the original poster. I always shudder when passing a group of cops in wait. They’re like spiders looking for prey.
February 15, 2009 at 4:33 pm #657654
Wylie_snoopMemberBreak the law – pay the price…don’t speed.
February 15, 2009 at 4:45 pm #657655
CheriBerriMemberMy fiance got caught in that speed trap a year ago! it was a very scary situation
February 15, 2009 at 5:15 pm #657656
JimmyGMemberWhat was so scary about getting a speeding ticket?
I can understand being ticked off about getting one, but “a very scary situation”?
February 15, 2009 at 5:21 pm #657657
BarbGMemberthe only reason to shudder when going past a bunch of cops is if you are doing something wrong. And if you are doing something wrong, then you pay the consequences and get a ticket.
February 15, 2009 at 5:35 pm #657658
flowerpetalMemberMany people shudder when going by the police and it may have nothing to do with “doing something wrong.” I don’t shudder; but I know people who do. If you are an immigrant with prior experiences of brutal police; if you are in a racial minority who carries memories of targeted police brutality; you might shudder without doing something wrong.
I don’t get to decide what is a “reasonable fear” for someone else.
February 15, 2009 at 5:45 pm #657659
BarbGMemberyou are absolutely right flowerpetal, and if mom2soren and CheriBerri’s fiance were victims of brutal police or are racial minorities targeted by police brutality then I apologize to them for my comments.
February 15, 2009 at 8:10 pm #657660
rickygeeMemberI do, in fact, live in the neighborhood. So mine is not just a passing opinion. I drive that hill every day. The speed limit should be 35, not 30. (except when it snows) -Yes, I registered on the blog to state my opinion. What does that have to do with anything? Um, isn’t that kinda the point? Speed traps suck. They make me hate cops. Your opposing opinions are duly noted…mine, however, still stands. I will do all I legally can to thwart “my neighbor,” Mr. Aggressive Drivers Response Team and his Dodge Pony frat boys.
Whenever there is a surplus of authority with guns and sanctimonious law-ing around, lights a-flashin, I find it scary.
February 15, 2009 at 9:10 pm #657661
mom2sorenMemberI’m law abiding, actually never speed, and white. I’ve never been targeted based on culture/color (a despicable practice). However, for me it’s the “big brother” aspect of it all. I prefer neighborhood friendliness, especially from the police. It’s my belief that people need to give each other a break, practice tolerance, and argue for a police force that directs time/energy towards real criminals. NOT towards my neighbors who might speed or do something else petty. Our resources are limited (including police force), let’s work on decreasing the homicide and domestic violence rates.
February 15, 2009 at 9:17 pm #657662
RainyDay1235MemberI’m all for speeding tickets – especially at crosswalks and school zones. But I can only imagine how it would affect the crime rates around here if there were more patrolling officers – just making their presence known.
February 15, 2009 at 9:20 pm #657663
inactiveMemberSomething to ponder, perhaps, for perspective regarding the ACTUAL number and volume of high speed violators we are all referring to here. Also, bear in mind that there are children on this arterial. This is an excerpt from the May 2007 edition of the SW Precinct Newsletter. This was one of the first actions after the Team was formed.
“The Seattle Police Department Traffic Section has
begun a new tactic in traffic enforcement. The
“Aggressive Drivers Response Team” uses plain
Dodge Chargers with concealed red and blue lights
in areas of Seattle that historically have high rates of aggressive and illegal driving. On May 3rd the Aggressive Drivers Response Team worked the hill on Highland Park Way SW for 90 minutes. They made 50 traffic stops, which resulted in 88 traffic citations being issued. 18 of the stops made were for over 50 mph. The highest speed was 56 mph in a 30 zone.”
And, you know what? If you were scared by the whole robocop approach, that is the point. Pay attention to your speed limit or work to get the speed limit changed, if THAT is now your point. You didn’t mention that at all in your original post. If you really find the ADRP objectionable, doing what you did is, in a big picture context, meaningless. You seem articulate. Why not show up at the next Crime Prevention Council meeting and voice your complaint?
February 15, 2009 at 10:10 pm #657664
hopeyParticipantHear, hear!
We have laws for a reason. They need to be enforced. If the laws are never enforced, then they are meaningless.
I believe all of you who oppose speed enforcement would feel very differently if your beloved pet or, god forbid, your child or another family member was hit by one of those drivers going 50 mph in a 30 mph zone.
Also, I will try to check with my neighbor to confirm, but I believe the ADRT was formed with special funds only available for speed enforcement. I don’t think it was open funding for the police department to use as they saw fit.
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