Left-lane drivers targeted by WSP

The cars in the distance were classic left-lane campers: They drove in the passing lane on Interstate 90 even though the lane next to them was empty.

But both drivers exited the freeway before Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney could catch up and point out the error of their ways.

“It is one of the number one complaints that we get from motorists around the state,” said Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney. “It is a violation that touches many nerves. It’s one of my pet peeves.”

That’s why the WSP is doing an emphasis patrol this week focused on nabbing left lane violators. While driving along in the left lane may not sound like a safety issue, it’s something that often leads to road rage, Sevigney said.

It’s a very common problem, which quickly became apparent during Sevigney’s patrol around mid-day Thursday, even though he was driving a patrol car. Sevigney had his pick of cars lingering in the left lane even though they were not passing any cars.

“As long as you’re passing traffic, you’re legal,” he said. “When you’re not passing traffic, it’s not legal.”

Sevigney stopped four drivers on I-90 in the time it took to drive from WSP headquarters near the Geiger Road exit to the Idaho state line and back. A woman in a Ford Focus who said she was late for work got a warning, as did a woman driving a white panel van with Idaho plates.

“We’re not always writing tickets,” Sevigney said. “Much of the job is about educating folks.”

Then he pulled over a gray Chevy Tahoe with a toddler in the back seat. Not only was the driver hogging the left lane, he also was following to close and told Sevigney that he’d left his driver’s license at home.

Sevigney could have slapped the man with a $136 fine for each violation . With the combination of following too close and a left lane violation, the driver also could have gotten a $538 ticket for aggressive driving.

“Things add up quickly,” he said.

But Sevigney gave the driver a break and only gave him a ticket for the left lane violation, plus a warning for the other violations and a lecture. The man was grateful, Sevigney said.

Troopers don’t just watch the cars ahead of them, they also monitor the cars behind them. As Sevigney continued west up the hill near the Garden Springs exit, he noticed a small SUV rapidly approaching from behind in the left lane. He briefly sped up to match the SUV’s speed and determined the driver was going 80 miles per hour in a 60 mile per hour zone.

Sevigney noticed that the driver was listening to music on his headphones, too.

“Yeah, you can’t do that either,” he said.

The driver got a $105 ticket for speeding and a warning for using headphones.

Sevigney said drivers in the left lane often believe they can stay there as long as they’re not speeding, but the left lane is for passing only.

“We’re looking for folks going the speed limit in the left lane with no intention of moving,” he said.