Lake Oswego, Oregon Speed Traps

Lake Oswego may be the most over-policed tiny city in the Northwest. Every morning from 5am until 9am there are multiple cops sitting around running radar or laser. Hwy 43, Country Club Rd, Kruse Way and many other locations are fair game every day. It is a little comical as the police are dressed essentially in SWAT gear and you would think they were policing south-central or south Chicago rather than a sleepy little hamlet on the river. You have the perfect storm–over agressive policing and cops who want to be big city cops.

Turning right off of A. Ave. onto Highway 43 southbound the speed drops from 30 mph on A. Ave. to 25 mph on Highway 43. No speed limit sign until your 3/4 of the way through town. They will hit you with radar before that. This same Highway through Portland, West Linn, has a speed limit of 35, and 40 mph.

Anywhere along the main thoroughfares in Lake Oswego. Country Club Lane I-5 to A St., Hwy 43 towards West Linn.
Incident 1: Daytime. Was tailgated for 5 miles by a police officer, he was 3 feet away from my bumper. Switched lanes finally and he pulled me over, he asked if I was trying to get away. He didn’t cite me, I hadn’t committed any crime.

Incident 2: 11:30PM Saturday traveling from downtown Portland. Was followed from Hwy 43 near the Gemini Pub, to 3mi. down the road in West Linn at Marylhurst College. Cop pulled me over stating that my car went over the yellow line when I traveled over the rubber plated raised uneven railroad track at 25 mph in front of the Gemini Pub. He gave me a sobriety test. I wasn’t drinking at all that day. It took 45-minutes and it was 32 degrees out and I didn’t have a coat. He let me go.

Incident 3: 10p.m.. Traveling from a restaurant on Hwy 43 directly across from Starbucks. Cop (same blonde male cop) was parked at Starbucks parking lot driveway facing the street. I headed down Hwy 43 towards West Linn, when I was at the 3 mi. mark (Marylhurst College) traveling at 35 mph, in my rear view mirror I could see lights flashing at least a mile back. When the cop approached me he pulled me over, claiming that I ran a red light in front of the restaurant, and inquired if I had been drinking. I had not ran any red light, and I was not cited.

Incident 4: 2:00a.m. Leaving a home just off Hwy 43, cops lined the street pulling everyone over leaving a party. I was pulled over for a light above my tail light being out. I was asked if I had been drinking. I was not drinking. I was not cited.

Incident 5: 10p.m.. Parked in my vehicle, I reported a man looking in parked vehicles along the street, with a flashlight. Cop arrives and was more interested in who I was, why I was parked, and whether I belonged in the neighborhood, than to attempt to find the described man on food with the backpack and flashlight.

The reason I was not cited in any of these incidents was not because they were being nice. I had not committed any crime. I was not cited because I know others in the police force. At all times I could have easily been fined and or arrested for things I was not guilty of.

As one enters the southend of Lake Oswego northbound on Hwy 43 (aka "State St") the speed drops from 35 mph to 25 mph at the bottom of the hill before the intersection with McVey. The 25 mph is partially covered by a branch of a tree and at night the tree blocks the light from the streetlight. It is very easy to miss this sign.

There is a second 25 mph sign on the SE corner of State St. and Wilbur, but in the summer this sign is nearly completely concealed by a hanging basket of flowers on an adjacent telephone pole.

The LO police park their patrol vehicle on Leonard St. with their lights off. They will pull you over for doing 30 mph through this section of town at 2:00AM with nobody else on the street.

The fact that the speed-limit signs are obscured makes no difference to the judge.

Speed limit is 25 mph, but changes to 35, then 40 or 45 as you head North out of Lake Oswego towards downtown Portland. LOPD sit and watch for drivers who increase their speed too early.