Washington State Highway Patrol vs Montana

[41magsnub]

Driving all the way across Washington Friday and have a question...

Note:  Not condoning breaking the law.

In Montana, you really have to piss off the highway patrol to get them to pull you over on the Interstate.  85 in a 75 in good driving conditions and not driving like a jackass..  no problem.  Drive like a jackass (tailgating, excessive speeding, driving beyond the road conditions, and etc) and they nail you.  They still largely follow "reasonable and prudent" unofficially.

I've always heard the Washington highway patrol (or state police or whatever they are called) do not have a sense of humor about such things and will pull somebody over for as little as 5 over.  I've never had a problem and I drive at most slightly over the speed limit as in maybe 77 in a 75 if that is where the cruise control settles.  

Does that track with others experiences?

[Balog]

Only thing I've ever been pulled over for is expired tabs. I generally average 5-10 over, and try hard to never exceed that. And I drive pretty cautiously, no sudden lane changes etc.

[gunsmith]

while I cant answer your question directly, my experience in Washington leads me to believe that they believe in enforcement of the letter of the law, unless of course you're an LE in the same agency as the one that stopped you, they would probably write up an Idaho LE for 5 over.

[AZRedhawk44]

My memory of growing up in eastern Washington and doing my first road trips in the PNW, WA troopers will pull you over and write you for 10 over.

[Balog]

My memory of growing up in eastern Washington and doing my first road trips in the PNW, WA troopers will pull you over and write you for 10 over.

Huh, I don't have E WA experience, just over here on the wet side. Like I said I (and most of the folks I know) do 5-10 over and haven't had issues, but that is either the I-5 corridor between Portland and Everett or on the east side on 405. No experience in the rest of the state.

[MillCreek]

The WSP has really stepped up speeding patrols on the major freeways over the past couple of months.  I am now holding myself down to 5 MPH over the limit, unless I am really clogging the flow of traffic by doing so. 

[Scout26]

Keep up with pace/flow/speed of traffic.

Don't try to pass EVERYbody.

Don't drive like a jackass.

Set the cruise at the speed limit and stay in the right lane.   Maybe bump it up a bit 2-3mph until you get a feel for how traffic is moving.

[41magsnub]

Keep up with pace/flow/speed of traffic.

Don't try to pass EVERYbody.

Don't drive like a jackass.

Set the cruise at the speed limit and stay in the right lane.   Maybe bump it up a bit 2-3mph until you get a feel for how traffic is moving.

Who are you preaching at?  Good advice and all, but not what the question was/

[Balog]

The WSP has really stepped up speeding patrols on the major freeways over the past couple of months.  I am now holding myself down to 5 MPH over the limit, unless I am really clogging the flow of traffic by doing so. 

You know, I've seen the signs saying that, but I really haven't seen any evidence of it in the form of more cars pulled over.

[MillCreek]

You know, I've seen the signs saying that, but I really haven't seen any evidence of it in the form of more cars pulled over.

Boy, I sure have.  I have been making a lot of trips lately between the hospital in Everett and the hospital in Olympia.  I use I-5 for this route.  All my trips are during normal business hours.  I am noticing more cars being pulled over outside of the normal rush hours.  South of Everett, Shoreline, Northgate, Southcenter, Federal Way, Fort Lewis, and Lacey seem to be some real hotspots lately. 

[stevelyn]

One agency uses common sense, the other is an official revenue generator.

[henschman]

I have a radar detector and I am pretty sure it has saved me a big pile of money from the revenue generating public servants.  I recommend them to everyone.