CHP & Radar In CA

[SMILLER@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

The problem with me reading last week's Digests is that someone
probably already posted this, but I don't know it yet.  And, it was
probably from someone more knowledgeable than I.  But when has that
ever stopped me?  Besides, if I wait to find out, maybe no one addressed
it.

It used to be that the CA state legislature refused to approve funds for
the CHP to buy radar, so they never used it on the freeways.  (CA is a
big state and said legislators often travel home on weekends, apparently
at high speeds.)  However, the CHP also patrols other types of roads,
like state highways, and are sometimes hired by municipalities to patrol in
their jurisdictions as well.  If a county or city provides the radar unit, or
the funds to buy it, the CHP will use it in that local jurisdiction.

In the last couple of years I've seen several articles warning that the CHP
was now using radar on certain stretches of freeway.  None of the
articles I've seen explained why this was happening, so I don't know if
the legislature is now funding it, or if something else made it happen.  All I
know is, I don't turn off my radar detector just because I'm on a freeway.

BTW, I've never found X-band radar being used for speed enforcement
in California, by ANY police agency.  All of my verifiable radar warnings
have been either K-band or Ka-band.  Ka-band warnings are usually
from those "this is your speed, this is the speed limit" trailers.  Has
anyone else in CA had a different experience?

Scott Miller
GGC BMW CCA #44977

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