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Oregonians - Speed Advice

BCKRider

Kbiker
This July several thousand riders will be visiting your fair state for the international Rally. All of us expect to spend money on gas and food; many on farkles and lodging. Sorry to say, none of us are keen on helping cities, counties or the state out of their budget problems through traffic fines. I attended the 2001 and 2010 rallies in Redmond, had a great time, and returned home to B.C. with no unpleasant LEO encounters. No radar detector then or now. While my general advice below may be of some slight help to travellers, it is your very specific advice that is likely to keep us out of trouble with the law.

The Locals Know Best If many folk with Oregon plates are driving 55-60 where it is posted 55 but 70 would be the sane speed, well - they know something, stranger, that you don't. Same thing for rigid adherance to speed limits in small towns and, especially, rigid adherance to speed limits entering or leaving small towns. Most Oregonians, I'm told, are not more annaly retentive than the general poplulace of other states. Demonstating your "big dog" riding skills in these situations is likely to be expensive and time-consuming. If, on the other hand, lots of local people are way over the speed limit; don't hold them back. But don't lead the way either.

No Local Plates A common situation in eastern Oregon at least. My suggestion is that you cut your highway speed to maybe 7 mph over the speed limit when you are within 30 miles of the nearest town. Entering and leaving small towns, get it down to no more than 5 mph over the speed limit. If you have been riding "briskly" this will feel like crawling speed, especially if there is no traffic in front of you. Just remember, it is much faster and cheaper to ride through town at 25 mph than to do it at 40 mph and be pulled over.

Back Roads There are a lot of great back roads in Oregon (and I'm just talking about the paved ones) where you may not see 4 other vehicles in an hour. I think sight distance and physics here (not fear of LEO's) should function as your speed control.

So, Oregonians, tell me where I'm wrong or specific roads/towns known for harsh speed enforcement. Feel free to add other comments about laws unusual to many of us: still the same deal at gas stations?
 
Riding in a large group at much over the posted limit is no guarantee of safety. If you get pulled out of a pack and written up for speed it is still your ticket.

Don't ask why you were stopped and not the "rest of the bunch" as the answer will likely be another question such as "do you ever go fishing?" and when you admit that you sometimes dip a lure in the water the LEO will ask then "do you catch every fish in the lake?"
 
The question not asked is: is there likely to be a greater police presence in the area because of the rally?
 
Don't know if it's still a problem, but for those riding the I-5 slab northbound to the rally, there is/was a small town south of Springfield/Eugene where a small town police force was using I-5 as a revenue generator. Five over the posted limit would definitely earn a rider a written performance award. Sorry I don't recall the name of the town, but somewhere between Cottage Grove and Eugene...

I've also heard the area north of Klamath on SR 97 can be challenging.

But otherwise, the OP's notes are worthy of consideration. During daylight hours in the eastern Oregon desert I've managed some good average speeds...but ya have to be "aware" of the conditions! LOL

Cheers!
 
Cresswell

Cesswell is town between eugene and cottage grove. Really though cottage grove is biggest problem on i5.
 
I have had the pleasure of riding a lot of miles in OR.

While my general advice below may be of some slight help to travellers, it is your very specific advice that is likely to keep us out of trouble with the law.

I know how quaint this sounds but simply comply with the law. That's the VERY sound advise you will hear when you know there is going to be a large presence of motorcycles in any given area. Law enforcement knows the average motorcyclist tends to run just a little over the posted limits to keep cages off our rears. When riders are traveling longer distances to get to a rally on a particular state, law enforcement knows those riders me edge it a bit higher than normal and many officers are 'inclined' to help support their state - which is a big part of their job.

Don't speed. No tickets. Sounds arther simple doesn't it....:scratch And no, I don't necessarily intend to follow my own advise....:p
 
Actually, good advice no matter where in the USA you might ride. Oregon has no corner on common sense road behavior.

The part about "7 over" will buy you a ticket if you encounter a state trooper almost anywhere in Texas. Their attitude is that they give you 70, or 75, or 80, or even 85 as posted limits in rural areas and you shouldn't need to take much more than that.

4 over will get you a ticket most places, and 2 over might, or might result in a roadside chat at least.

Sheriff deputies might be a bit more tolerant but you can't count on it.
 
7 MPH over the posted speed limit in Oregon is too fast if you're wearing a California license plates. :deal

Just showing up in OR with CA plates is bound to get you noticed. But since I swapped my CA plates for WA plates, I'm welcomed with smiles and waves instead of harsh looks and the occasional pop can. hahhahahaha
 
Just showing up in OR with CA plates is bound to get you noticed. But since I swapped my CA plates for WA plates, I'm welcomed with smiles and waves instead of harsh looks and the occasional pop can.

Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw on Maui years ago; "Welcome to Hawaii, NOW GO HOME!"

Wonder if they make a smaller version??

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n4u_PbToSHU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Muny's writing tickets for "4" over.

Also be advised that as things have gotten even TIGHTER over the last year or so...
Some municipalities are now writing tickets for even 4 miles an hour over in the city limits at posted speeds of 35 - 40 - 45 mph.

Ask me how I know... :deal
 
Also be advised that as things have gotten even TIGHTER over the last year or so...
Some municipalities are now writing tickets for even 4 miles an hour over in the city limits at posted speeds of 35 - 40 - 45 mph.

Ask me how I know... :deal

Sorry to hear that. I generally travel with a (approximately) 20% inflation of posted speed limit on rural roads. On I-5 its often higher just to keep from getting inhaled by other vehicles. I do recall, however, getting pulled over in Gold Beach, OR for doing 50 mph in a 45. Got the third degree while the officer's partner stood on the sidewalk with his hand on his sidearm. Kinda concerning for this Canuck. :uhoh

Anyway, after 10 minutes of lecture time and for no particular reason, the cop's demeanor changed markedly and he bid me on my way. I guess a smile and a good attitude worked out for me. If I had been with SeabeckS there's no telling how it all would have turned out.

I'll be more careful with my speed around populated areas this year and also keep the stand-up wheelies to a minimum. :laugh
 
The easiest answer is to do the posted limit. Sounds dorky, maybe not as much fun as you would like, but a whole lot cheaper than donating the state general fund. As for out of state plates, never paid attention to it until the time of the stop. The state the vehicle was from just didn't matter to me, the infraction did. And the state never made an impact on whether I cited or not, the infraction did.

Now I have been through Marion county, where the rally will be, numerous times. The SO down there has a fairly large (for the area) traffic unit. According to their web site they have 9 units, motors and cars for traffic enforcement. Also says they are self funded, as in their budget comes from the money generated by their cites. This takes us back to the first sentence, if you are at or very near the posted limit and you see one of them or a trooper etc, there is not moment of panic or anything, just wave and motor on secure in the knowledge you are not doing anything to get their attention.

As for the jurisdiction between Salem and Eugene that was notorious for the freeway enforcement, that was Coburg. My understanding is that they have been talked about their enforcement activities. I used to see them all the time down there on the freeway. Since then, I have not seen them at all.

As for OSP, well, they have a whopping 300 some troopers for the entire state. Yes, I would imagine maybe more are in the valley area along I-5 than in eastern Oregon, but they are also the sole enforcement in some areas at times, so I don't know what their deployment is like. Keep in mind though that they also run fish and game trucks around too and they are just troopers assigned to wildlife enforcement but that does not mean they can't stop you just as easily. And they are a touch harder to see, most folks just aren't on the look out for dark blue trucks.

Still boils down to if you do the limit, you will not have any problems and enjoy your visit.

Oh and one other thing about Oregon, careful, Oregon law actually says no standing on your pegs. Not many LEO know about it, but some do. Oh and another thing, Oregon requires you to move over when you encounter a patrol car on the side of road on a stop is with its lights on. If you can't move over, to give a buffer of one lane, then you are to slow and move as far away as you can in your lane. This normally requires moving left if the patrol car is on the right shoulder.

See you at the rally, have a great, safe time!!
 
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As a norm on the highway in most jurisdictions you can get away with 10 % on the posted speed zone , but that doesn't apply when passing workers, within town/city limits, school zones and similar situations.

Your best guide is what is the bulk of the traffic doing, if they are passing you, you should be alright.

The bottom line is if you want to play the game you have to be willing to pay. Trust me I know how its played.
 
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