I know what speeding is. In WA state, what is excessive speeding?

In my younger years, I had a long history of speeding. Like my dad, I liked “going fast”. 

When I was in high school, I was very lucky and did not get any tickets or have any accidents. Even when I was in college doing 85 On I-90 going to school, no tickets. 

It wasn't until I moved to Wenatchee that I started getting speeding tickets. It wasn't because I was driving faster in Wenatchee, it was because our Police Department actually paid attention. I got so many speeding tickets, in fact, that I lost my license for several weeks and had to go to “speeding school.” 

In all that time I never received a ticket for “excessive” speeding, it was just a ticket for speeding.  

In Washington state, that is about to change, according to mynorthwest.com,
‘In a big win for road safety, the Washington State House passed the excessive speeding bill on Tuesday, March 11. House Bill 1596 passed by a wide margin — 84 votes in favor, 12 against and two members excused. The bill has undergone significant changes since it was first introduced, most notably in how “excessive speeding” is defined.’ 

I did not know this, but apparently the definition for excessive speeding was driving 20 miles over the posted speed limit. Now that is being changed with this legislation.  

They have two definitions for excessive speeding now. 

If you're on a road with a speed limit of 40 miles an hour or less, excessive speeding is now 10 miles over the speed limit.
If you're driving on a road with a speed limit over 40 mph, then 20 mph over the posted speed limit is excessive speeding. 

I don't know if it's true now, but there used to be an unspoken rule that if you were driving 5 miles over the speed limit the State Patrol would look the other way. I don't know if that is true now. 

When I was young riding a motorcycle in the Wenatchee area, I got busted one time for doing 80 in a 25 mile per hour zone. To me that is excessive speeding. 

I don't get speeding tickets now because I use cruise control almost constantly. I've said this before, if I can keep my foot off the gas pedal, I'm going to drive the speed limit. 

If you like to drive fast, get ready because this legislation will probably make a big difference in the way the state and counties enforce speed limits in Washington state.
Excessive speeding bill passes Washington House
Washington State Legislature
Families for Safe Streets - USA