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General Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: Keith Moffett on July 10, 2019, 11:32:29 PM

Title: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Keith Moffett on July 10, 2019, 11:32:29 PM
We are 45 ft. And looking to cross hwy 2 from Everett Wa to Minot Nd.
Anyone have any difficulties they can recall on this route?  How about fuel available?
Thanks
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Bruce Sieloff on July 11, 2019, 12:47:04 AM
They call it the "highway of death" for a reason.  There are lots of curves and long stretches where passing is not possible on a curvy 2 lane highway, so people following you can get impatient and then get stupid, putting everyone at risk.  There are, however, a number of passing lane sections, but they tend to be short so you may need to slow down to let your "tail" pass.  That said, semi's travel the road frequently.  We also travel the road frequently by car to get to family on the west side of the state, and have taken our 45' Marquis over it numerous times.  Just be prepared to use the slow vehicle turnouts because delaying more than 5 cars is illegal in WA.  Another heads up is to watch your speed coming down the east side of Stevens Pass.  The WA State Patrol (WSP) has been known to sit at the bottom of the pass and nail speeders coming downhill.

There is fuel on Hwy 2, but it is pricey so fuel up in Western WA before you head out.  The first good fuel stop set up for big rigs on the east side is the Wenatchee Valley Truck Stop at 3607 US-97 ALT although I suspect that I can get my 45' in to Porter's Shell station (153 Easy St) near my house.  Both are  quite close to the route you will need to take on your way out of Wenatchee.
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Bill Sprague on July 11, 2019, 03:33:13 AM
Bruce seems to think that the route is a bad choice.  It's a federal highway!  It may have a few curves, but it is made for big rigs.   
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Bruce Sieloff on July 11, 2019, 03:44:01 AM
I don't think it is a bad route.  It just engenders stupidity in people who are patience challenged as proven by the signs on both ends of the road citing the number of days since the last "serious" crash (and that number is frequently in the single or low double digits).  That said, I've driven it hundreds of times with no real issues.  It also depends on when you are going.  On Fridays, most folks are heading east so be prepared for some slow spots.  On Sundays, the traffic is far heavier heading west, and during the summer months often results in a true traffic jam situation on the west side of the pass in the late afternoon and early evening.
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: William Jordan on July 11, 2019, 04:18:31 AM
It’s been a few years on the part of 2 in Washington since I’ve run it but I have run 2 east from Spokane to Minnesota the past two years and it’s a fine road. 2 Lane major highway.... from what I remember from 6-7 years ago the Washington section was mountain pass through the cascades .. big 2 lane , very scenic  .. but yes people do want to pass so be aware. As far as room for you with the 45 foot coach ? Not a issue.   
Enjoy !
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Stan Simpson on July 11, 2019, 04:23:43 AM
We are moseying home from a trip out West where we encountered the rule to pull over if 5 or more vehicles were following you. It irks me to no end that people seem entitled to speed because of this silly rule. If I am doing the speed limit (45 or 55 mph), why should I pull over so someone can speed? And even worse who even thought of such a rule? Nothing better to do? On the other hand, if the speed limit is 55 and I'm doing 45, common sense suggests I might want to pull off from time to time as a courtesy. But to make it a law that I HAVE to? C'mon.

Does someone have a lucid argument for allowing folks to speed?
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: William Jordan on July 11, 2019, 12:01:35 PM
Well , I’ll take a stab . The rule is there to prevent unsafe passing and even possible “road rage” incidents. Like it or not It is not fellow motorists job to enforce speed regulations by impeding  traffic.  In fact impeding traffic is probably a more ticketable offense than mildly speeding! As a commercial large vehicle driver for years I was keenly aware of my responsibility to not impede traffic , no mater what the “speed”. 
In actuality few actually go 55 and enforcement is hit or miss up to a point based on speed vs safety.I believe in many places the sign says “speed 55”..... not speed “limit”. You can be written a ticket for doing 55 if conditions aren’t safe for that speed , conversely you can argue in traffic court  65 was a safe speed for the time and place ( good luck 😉) 
This has been a standard rule in mountainous areas of the west as long as I can remember. It’s a driving courtesy thing , and after driving the rest of the states I can attest that’s not normal anymore. LOL
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Jerry Carr on July 11, 2019, 05:45:53 PM
It's been many years since I drove on 2 but I did make a run from Minnie to Everett, no problems and lots of nice towns as I mentioned its been some time so I really don't have a clue on road conditions.  You may want to stay on 90- for part of the run just to speed the trip up from Missoula to Epharta.   
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Lee Welbanks on July 11, 2019, 08:30:50 PM
Well stated William, I was the same way driving truck all over this country, if I had a group of cars behind me I would pull over when safe and let them go. In one of these rolling houses it is had to do 55 mph on most country two lane roads. Out west here there are a lot of state two lane roads that are posted 65 & 70 mph. One thing that will really gets me is the A Hole that is doing 45 mph with two miles of cars and trucks behind them and when they finally get to the passing lane they power up to 65 so maybe two can get by them, Also the folks that are passing will not get passed and get out of the way.
You can be on a 3 lane frwy and you have some law abiding citizen doing the posted speed limit when every other thing on the road is doing 10 over. It is not the citizen job to enforce the law, over here in Az most of the limits are 70 mph and nobody is doing 70 more like 80 and you will get run over if you are in the #1 lane doing 70.
Calif is serious about trucks not traveling in the left lane and the CHP will write you if you are in a truck and don't get out of the way. The problem in Ca is that trucks are held down to 55 mph while everyone else is doing 70,,,,,stupid.
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Joel Ashley on July 12, 2019, 04:06:12 AM
Stan, I have to agree with Bill.  It’s not a silly rule.  Here among the Oregon Coast Range are several state highways that follow rivers and are thus very curvy in sections.  The Highway Dept. puts slow-vehicle lanes or pull-offs wherever possible, and I try to use them.  The curves are usually posted to yellow cautious speeds, which in my personal practice are ideal for our coaches.

The problem is that most cars can negotiate them at much faster speeds, and many get perturbed to the point of making ill-advised passing attempts.  Thus the coast highway head-on accident reporting I hear almost daily on the news here.  When 4-5 cars necessarily back up behind me, if not before, I try to utilize the next available pullover, often raising the copilot’s anxiety level in the process.  Because there are many out there who aren’t so charitable and focus only on their own progress rather than the public’s overall safety, such laws are necessary.  I appreciate the legislator that long-ago brought the rule to fruition in Oregon.

Now whether everyone in a slow vehicle, huge truck or 5th wheel, heeds the law is another story, unfortunately.

Joel
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Keith Moffett on July 12, 2019, 10:11:02 AM
What we are talking here is simple courtesy.  Let them go by.  I hate to think about someone comming in the opposite direction and they have an ill advised passer and we are the head on victims.
Stan is right too in that we shouldnt need laws for everything.
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Stan Simpson on July 12, 2019, 06:49:04 PM
Joel.."The Highway Dept. puts slow-vehicle lanes" - I understand that, and agree, but if I'm going the posted speed limit, I'm not a slow vehicle, and should not be required to move over so someone else can speed. That was the point of my post. I DO move over out of courtesy, but to legislate a requirement is just intrusive government, as Keith noted below.

What we are talking here is simple courtesy.  Let them go by.  I hate to think about someone coming in the opposite direction and they have an ill advised passer and we are the head on victims.
Stan is right too in that we shouldnt need laws for everything.
Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Joel Ashley on July 12, 2019, 08:41:11 PM
If you are doing the speed limit, the rule obviously doesn’t apply.  This is simply a rule among others necessary to the reasonable and safe expedition of commerce and transport, because unfortunately too many on our highways lack either patience or benevolence, or both.  If everyone possessed such personal values the world would not need rules.  This is not an ideal world.

The discussion begins to burgeon on the political opinion frowned upon in the Forum;  I proffer my respect for that necessary administrative tenet and cease further commentary.

Joel

Title: Re: Washington st. Hwy 2
Post by: Lee Welbanks on July 12, 2019, 09:19:18 PM
Drive how ever you want I'll pull over and let them go even if I am doing the posted speed. I'm not in that big a hurry.