Subject: [Tweeters] speeding tickets also helping the economy in Central
Date: Apr 14 17:08:15 2015
From: Barbara Deihl - barbdeihl at comcast.net


I have had a couple of speeding tickets and pullovers on roads in or near Easton and on Umptanum Rd. One of them was due to a solitary, newly-lowered speed limit sign I missed - it's a 25 mph limit, wedged between a couple of 35 mph signs, ironically, right in front of the Sheriff's office just a few buildings west of the Roadhouse Grill at the start of Umptanum Rd. As you are coming down off the road from the ridge, the downhill grade makes it easy to exceed the speed limit going downhill and curves add to the possibility of not seeing a limit-change sign.

I pleaded ignorance when the officer pulled me over, noting that the last time I'd been in the area, the limit on that entire stretch was 35 mph, but I got a ticket anyway, albeit a minorly-reduced one. Later, I called the office to contest/complain, citing that there was only one sign with the new speed limit and that it was placed behind a post at the end of a little metal bridge. No more reduction was given.

Seemed obvious to me that this was another of the many 'set-up' speed traps, merely designed to add to the town's coffers.

Last night, a birder friend D related a situation he'd just experienced outside of Roslyn, on a curve/downhill grade leading to an entrance to westbound I-90. But his situation was more negative - at least the officer was more unpleasant - D tried to talk with the officer and asked some questions in a decent tone (or so he claimed), but the officer didn't respond in kind. There was something very telling in what the officer answered to D's query "Do you ticket many birders?" The man with the badge said, without hesitation that yes, he (and maybe others, too), DO get (trap?) a lot of birders. Hmmmm !

So, if you do NOT wish to have birds and your birding enhance the economies of these towns and cities in this manner, preferring instead to support the communities by stopping for food, coffee, gas, lodging, souvenirs and other reasonable ways of contributing to these places, it might behoove you to be more careful as you race around on their roads chasing the birdies. I certainly have taken to being more cognizant of speed limits and my Barbmobile's tendency to fly down roads without so much as any pressure on the accelerator, placing my foot instead on that other pedal (the one that causes a slowing) :-)

By the way, many an evening in Ellensburg, at around 8 or 8:30 through 10 p.m. closing, you will see one or more of the local police vehicles (white Ford compact SUV-type car models) parked in front of the local Starbucks - last Thur. there were 6 - all of the officers were inside drinking liquid refreshment and engaged in casual conversation. Do with this information what you will, though I'm sure there are still a few traffic cops out on the roads, but maybe fewer than at other times ??? :-)

Any of the rest of you have a birding-related traffic incident (in Central WA or elsewhere), a humorous recounting or words of advice to share with us?

Gidde-up...no, down !


Barb Deihl
Matthews Beach Neighborhood - NE Seattle
barbdeihl at comcast.net