CHP and radar in California..

[John Fountaine <jfount@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Scott, I don't know for sure, but I think this is one of those cases of,
"the camel gets the nose under the tent, then pretty soon, the whole camel
is in the tent."

When highway 85 was opened in 1995 (I think?) from almaden expressway in
San Jose to Stevens Creek Blvd in Cupertino, it had no center barrier on it
to keep N/B and S/B traffic from crossing the median and slamming head on
into other cars. The state said this was because the median met the
standards for width without requiring a barrier.  Consequently, something
like 7 people were killed in various head on crashes that had impact speeds
in the neighborhood of 140 to 150 MPH.

So, in the interest of public safety it was determined that a barrier would
be installed.  In the meantime, the CHP was granted limited and temporary
authorization to use radar on Highway 85 from 101 in south county to 101 in
north county.  That was two years ago and the barrier has been completed
for quite sometime.  Yet, oddly enough I blow past chippies running radar
usually in the area of 85 N/B @280, 85 N/B @saratoga ave and 85 N/B between
Homestead and El Camino Real.  Funny enough, when I blow past them in my
cruiser i get a friendly wave.  somehow i don't think i'd get the same
reaction if I blew past them in my Bimmer. <wink wink nod> (no flames
please its a joke)

It would seem, that there was no sunset clause on this radar enforcement
issue.  As a matter of fact, while gassing my cruiser one night, I had a
nice conversation with a chippie who was gassing his bike at the same
Chevron.  He told me they were sending him to radar school so he could run
it on 85.  I commented that it was quite a duck pond for radar.  He agreed
and said it's a duck pond without radar.  I take that to mean there are a
lot of speeding boneheads out there.  So to all of you (us) Silicon Valley
drivers out there....watch your butt on 85.

I can only assume that the a similar strategy was used by the CHP for
authorization to run radar on I 5.  Fact is, we "good" drivers may not be
responsible for causing some of the horrendous accidents but there a lots
of boneheads who do.  How many times have you been buzzing along in the
fast lane and some @$$ #ole cuts you off.  Now imagine the family truckster
unable to make the neccessary evasive manuver, hist the median goes
sideways, maybe rolls then 15 other cars stack up behind it.  I guess the
intent here is maybe the average joe will better watch their speed.  After
all, those of us who speed with intention tend to do so with a much more
keen sense of our surroundings.

The threat of radar has definitely slowed me down on I 5.  Now I only go
95...  =o)

As far as X band radar, I don't think it is used in California anymore.
Most of the new radar units shoot K and Ka.  You can probably watch for
those X band lights when you drive through the south, where you get stopped
by the trooper with the mirrored sunglasses who calls you "boy" a lot.
Well either that or you will see them when you pass a business that has a
powerful perimeter alarm system....

John

------------------------------