California laws, speeding and otherwise

[Medsker]

So now I have lived down here for over a year I was wondering on some law type things. First in the whole time I've lived here I've never seen a radar trap. I've seen cops on the side of the road but they were just sitting there doing paper work, at least that's what it looked like. So I'm wondering if radar traps are against the rules here. I remember 25 years ago the police couldn't even use radar guns, they had to pace you to pull you over. I also see many speed limit signs that either say "radar enforced" or "airplane enforced". Does that mean they can't use radar in the "airplane" sections?

Anyway just wondering. Any and all weird California laws you know would be appreciated

Thanks

Medsker

 

[Kiel]

Had a friend get a camera red light ticket in palo alto or whatever. 511 bucks!

 

[TRD270]

Define "radar trap"

 

[Medsker]

A police officer on the side of the road with a radar gun shooting oncoming traffic to see who's speeding. They are usually partially hidden so you don't see them until too late. I typically saw one or more every time I got on the freeway in Utah.

 

[TRD270]

By definition that is not a speed trap, a speed trap is a stretch of road thats say 55 mph, then for a small stretch it drops to say 35mph then back to 55mph. The "trap" is running radar on the 35mph section right when it changes.

An Officer that is running radar hidden, is not a speed trap. And he's not hiding he's utilizing the tool to read speeds. A radar gun sends the radar out in a cone, the cone gets larger and larger the further it goes. There for to get a reading on a vehicle when there are multiple vehicles the Officer must run said radar on a curve or on the crest of a hill so he can accurately read the speed. If you run radar on a straight line with 10 cars on the road, you have no chance of knowing what car you are reading, because past a few hundred feet the beam is more than a lane wide.

Its a public misconception that cops hide to run radar, its just how you have to use the tool to get an accurate reading. Also 95% of Police work is dealing with stuff other than traffic. I would say less than 10% of our departments patrol cars (over 500) are even equipped with radar. We have three yes three radar guns assigned to my entire precinct of 35 Officers. Unfortunately the vast majority of the public's perception of police work comes from traffic stops, because for the average citizen that is the only encounter they deal with the police. Truth is we spend 90% of our time dealing with 10% of the population on non traffic related issues.

I'll get off my soap box now, I just don't like being thought of as sneaky and deceptive. Its merely how the tool has to be used

 

[STAG]

I'll be 100% honest, I'm really not that scared of getting caught by police, and I have my fair share of illegalities. They are human beings too and can't watch everything at once. But if you are speeding enough to warrant getting pulled over (usually has to be at least 10 over for most cops to pull you over) then you probably deserve to get pulled over. I usually consistently drive at the limit or 5 mph over and just laugh when I'm getting passed by everyone, some of them at least 15-20+ mph over the limit. One of my favorite things is to see people get busted by the motorcycle cop or even better the unmarked "undercover" cop. And their excuse is "I didn't see you." You realize that the time-savings difference between 85 mph and 65 mpg on most given travels is less time than it takes it takes to poop ha.

Another common public misconception is that cops out of their city (an Orem police officer in American Fork) has no "jurisdiction" to pull you over for traffic violations. They can if they want, when they become officers they don't get licensed by the city, they are good for anywhere in the state. - Told directly from a police officer, and no I didn't find that out the hard way.

I'm not saying I've never speed, (I wont say how fast I got up to on my bulletbike) but if I do get caught I know 100% that it is my fault and I deserved the ticket and it was a risk I took. Are there corrupt cops out there and going to stretch the truth? Yes but not many. Are there cops out there that completely ignore the fact you didn't use your turn signal, or didn't come to a complete stop and say it was "good enough" or that your tires stick out past your fender flares 1/2", or that your windshield is cracked? Yes, a majority of them. But they are also fully on solid ground to give you a citation for it.

 

[STAG]

Some more illegalities that are my fav to see people get busted for; pulling a trailer in the left (fast) or carpool lane, not yielding to pedestrians in a crosswalk, and not slowing and changing lanes when an emergency, maintenance or tow-vehicle is on the shoulder.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I haven't lived in CA for 8 years, but they definitely used radar guns. I heard that the way they patrolled speed from aircraft is that from the air, they know the amount of time it should take for a car to go between two points. Based on how much time it took the car, they can calculate their speed. Not sure if that's how it works or not, but that's how I understood it.

I would say that the cops in CA were far more strict/stringent on traffic violations than here. I wish cops were stricter here. My mom got a $300 ticket for crossing a solid white line at an intersection. Have you ever heard of someone getting a ticket in Utah for crossing a solid white line? I never have. Where I lived, the drivers may not have been more skilled than Utah drivers, but they obeyed ALL of the driving laws. I didn't have to worry about some idiot crossing a double solid white to get in front of me in the carpool lane. People were more alert there as well. There are far more important things for cops to do than monitor traffic, but I would LOVE to see people get tickets for the following:

- crossing solid white lines
- turning left on a red (i.e., entering the intersection after the light turns red). I see 3-5 cars "squeeze" by after it turns red
- not coming to a full and complete stop on a red light right turn. This drives me crazy. People think it's a "yield" sign
- not coming to a full and complete stop at a stop sign. Once again, it's not a "yield" or a "slow down" sign. I almost got hit today because I stoppoed, the other guy was slowing, so I went. Well, he never intended to stop until he saw that I was already 5 feet into the intersection
- not yielding properly on the freeway. For some reason, some poeople here think that the proper way to merge is to hug the white shoulder line and you'll magically merge with the other lane. They forget that the merging lane does not have the right-of-way.

S0rry for the rant, I just had to get that off my chest. I imagine there are far more accidents and injuries from people running red lights, stop signs, and crossing solid lines than going 8-10 mph over the speed limit. I also wish the semis had to stay in the right 2 lanes.

 

[flexyfool]

I've spent a lot of time in San Jose. Late at night, when the traffic sort of clears, the highway patrol seems to setup with radar. Otherwise they seem to be engaged with accidents and being visible at construction mostly. I have seen people pulled over for running in the OHV lane and running the entrance lights. I've never seen someone pulled over for speeding during the day. Perhaps, the police use lidar with a video record so there is no need to pull anyone over anymore -- mobile traffic cam. You definitely need to assume that every busy intersection has an automated red light camera.

 

[N8RB8R]

Some more illegalities that are my fav to see people get busted for; pulling a trailer in the left (fast) or carpool lane, not yielding to pedestrians in a crosswalk, and not slowing and changing lanes when an emergency, maintenance or tow-vehicle is on the shoulder.

X2!

 

[STAG]

Steve on a highway with 3 traffic lanes and an HOV lane, ANY vehicle registered over 12,000 lbs (including like all the box delivery vans registered at 26k lbs, (even if not towing a trailer)) are prohibited from the HOV lane an the fast lane, so they are legally required to stay in the right two lanes. The exception to this is if there is a lane closure on the right side (slow lane) then they have access to the fast lane if there is only the HOV, left and middle lane open

Technically on a highway with 3+ lanes my work truck (Ford F-350) is always illegal in the fast and HOV lane because it is registered to 26,000 lbs.

 

[flexyfool]

I heard that the way they patrolled speed from aircraft is that from the air, they know the amount of time it should take for a car to go between two points. Based on how much time it took the car, they can calculate their speed. Not sure if that's how it works or not, but that's how I understood it.

The last Cannonball Run took place in the 70's.

 

[flexyfool]

The last Cannonball Run took place in the 70's.

But along the same lines, I have heard that one can get a ticket on the New York State Thruway if the time between toll booths is too short.

 

[STAG]

But along the same lines, I have heard that one can get a ticket on the New York State Thruway if the time between toll booths is too short.

In a CDL vehicle you are required to fill out a log book with your times of where you were stopped at certain areas. So if you marked your time at 10:00am at the Heber Port of Entry, and marked your time at the Evanston Port of Entry at 10:30 am and if it supposed to take 45 minutes, they can give you a speeding citation based off of your log book.

 

[phatfoto]

The CHP in your area are far more interested in large trucks and heavy equipment. Except... That stretch of 395 between Kramer Junction and Adelanto. When they set that 11 mile no passing zone, the CHP was sitting everywhere with their radar going. Adelanto used set a car down by the ballpark with a dummy in it. But sometimes it was the same car with a cop and his radar... I don't remember so much San Bernardino sheriffs in the area though. Kern County north of Kramer a ways would just call CHP rather than pull you over. Personally, in the 8 years I lived in that area, I had 2 tickets. One between Garlock Road and California City, CHP caught me going the other direction. The second, CHP was sitting with his radar on 58, caught me accelerating away after turning on CalCity BLVD...

Before the bypass, CHP loved sitting around Mojave, both sides of 58 and 14...

 

[Medsker]

Great info everyone. I wasn't asking so I could speed. I go the speed limit all the time unless my wife is in the car. Going the speed limit annoys her so I go five over That road from Adelanto and to Kramer Junction I call the road from hell. I followed an old man through the longest section going between 45 and 60. I live 30 minutes west of Kramer Junction. JKU270, I'm glad you gave your take on this. I hold you guys in the highest respect. There are definitely some laws I wish people would obey. In California the thing that bugs me the most though is the semi's not being able to go over 55mph. The reason freeways are safer is because everyone is going the same speed. Them going slower causes bottlenecks like crazy. I'm sure they do it to save on gas but I would love to see statistics on how much extra fuel is used by the cars having to slow down, jocky for position, and speed back up every time we have to pass a semi.

Thanks for all the info!

 

[YOUKNOW]

The last Cannonball Run took place in the 70's.

This still occurs today. You are not looking for aircraft in the air following you. My brother was caught going 85 in a 70MPH zone. It is listed on the freeways that this still a way of ticketing speeders.

 

[Tacoma]

Easily possible for them to do that, but I've never driven the speed limit and never gotten a ticket like that. The State Troopers there also have a fairly generous high limit on what "speeding" means to them. It's good to have relatives on the force to tell you these things.

But along the same lines, I have heard that one can get a ticket on the New York State Thruway if the time between toll booths is too short.

 

[phatfoto]

Those dips are deep and long enough to hide semi trucks. Thats mostly why they made the whole area a no passing zone, impatient "flatlanders" from LA not having any idea how to drive 2 lane roads were causing lots of wrecks. That stretch was one of the deadliest in Cali for a little while. I almost miss the onion harvest trucks and trains keeping me from moving north/south through Kramer...

That road from Adelanto and to Kramer Junction I call the road from hell. I followed an old man through the longest section going between 45 and 60. I live 30 minutes west of Kramer Junction.
Thanks for all the info!