Subject: [Tweeters] speeding tickets also helping the economy in
Date: Apr 14 22:08:44 2015
From: Rex S. Takasugi - rextak at msn.com
Hi, Barb!
Thanks for the warning! I also discovered that one is not allowed
to stop on the side of the freeway to look at birds. A few years ago I
stopped by the Ellensburg ponds to show Joyce the Great Blue Heron rookery
that I see every time I drive by there on my way to some fly fishing spot
further east, and as we were looking at the herons through the binoculars
while sitting in the car, a state patrolman pulled up behind me and asked me
if there was a problem. I told him that we were just looking at the herons.
He said that it is illegal to stop on the freeway shoulder, so I moved on
and fortunately did not get a ticket. As we drove off Joyce commented that
"he's obviously not a birder!" :-)
Good birding!
Rex Takasugi
Kent, WA
-----Original Message-----
From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Barbara
Deihl
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 5:08 PM
To: Tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] speeding tickets also helping the economy in Central
WA...
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_______________________________________________
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