Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board traffic tickets on the 395

i got two in under an hour..i wasnt even going over 80...
i had my ride in cruise control at 75 and the chpsaid she got me going 90...what a bunch of BS.

a few minutes later another cop pulls me over for going 72...

ive driven for over 15 years with out a ticket and now this crap.
i understand the cops need money but damn...this is ridiculous..

the only good thing that came out of this is that i have a reason to go back to independence....

do you people who spend a lot of time on the 395 have problems with the cops or was i just having a bad day...they seem to be out in force and pulling over a bunch of people....

Definite higher volume of traffic enforcement detail in action - I have noted on 395, 14 and 58 - I no longer drive at 82; I think it is the easy way to raise revenue without passing tax increases.

This sounds like those who complain about getting a ticket on Tioga Road, HWY 120. Speed limit is 45 through most of the park. Don't speed and cops/rangers wont hassle you.

They are doing their job.

-Rudy

driving thru the nationalpark is different...people,bears,deer are all over but driving the 395 between bishop and independence
at 6am is a different thing....

the cops know the road...they post up at the bottom of a downhill stretch and just pull over who ever they want..

and they lie about what they do.i guess they figure most people would rather pay the fine then drive all the way back up there..

doing your job is one thing but when you start being rude and telling lies to do your job then there is a problem...the cop was so smart that she said that my passenger should drive...till i mentioned he was 12....she was rude from the start and stayed that way...if she was just doing herjob she would have just done her job without rude comments like "what are you doing around here"

Somebody should demand that the radar being used by the CHP be tested for accuracy.

Getting tickets for speeds much higher than actual speed was seems to be common right now.

(I don't speed, but one of the Inyo County Deputies seems to have it out for me and my Honda motorcycle.)

Because there are no wildlife or people on the road between Bishop and Independence at 6AM? Speeding is speeding no matter where you are... it's still dangerous whether your on an open freeway or a National Park road... and hitting a deer, person or anything else is going to as much damage outside of a national park as inside of one...



The Radar and Lidar systems used by CHP are tested regularly for accuracy. Their vehicles are all calibrated and tested on a regular basis as well (so if an officer says they "paced" you to ascertain a speed they know how accurate it is).. and when the officers appear in court to tell "their side" of the story they produce these documents for the Judge or Commissioner to review.

NOTE: I do not claim to -not- speed.. I've been known to push it occassionally... but when I've been issued a citation by an officer of the law I've owned up to my mistakes and taken care of it...

im all for accepting my wrong doing....not a problem for me
but this time i feel like i was done wrong

i was driving south on 395..cop was diving north.
we made eye conatct and i checked my speed..it was 75
i slowed down and looked in the rearview...flasing lights and a u-turn..i pull over and wait...copcomes uptalking crazy about me going 90...no way didnt happen.....if i was going 90 id accept it and pay up but i wasnt so im not...princibalities...lol

second cop was a on a bike...he didnt give me aticket for going 72!!!! but he did take us out of the car and check it for who knows what....that was the first time in my life wher a CHP does that...usually its the gang unit or the sheriff..i think the CHP'S on 395 are grouchy and bored and enjoy ruining peoples day

my perfect driving record has been ruined so im going to start a saving account for 395 traffic tickets...im pretty sure my bald headand tatoos had something to do with it

Why the need for speed? Slow down, take in the beautiful 395 scenery, and enjoy the increased safety/gas mileage.

Believe me, there are so many people speeding out there that the cops have little reason to lie about anything. It's easy pickings.



Equipment failure is a common excuse people use when they're caught speeding. That's the very reason why it is constantly tested for accuracy because the results of those tests are often needed as evidence in court.

And the officers are NOT required to show any of this to you at the scene of the traffic stop...

Calibration tests can be requested IF you go to court, don't be surprised if every unit is not regularly tested. There is a trend of law enforcement agencies betting on you not asking the question prior to a hearing.

I just received a ticket in Colorado for a "California" stop. I had completely stopped. I was motioned over by a officer on foot who checked my license plated before he stopped me and then asked me if I was from out of State before he ticketed me. Of course, if you don't fight the ticket and just pay a fine they reduce the violation. This is my first ticket in Colorado, but in the past few years I have been pulled over three times and the first comment was "so I see you're from California."

I don't know how things work in other states... I'm just speaking to what I know of California law enforcement in regards to traffic stops...

yes i agree, enjoy scenery, drive safe, and at speed limits
people speed quite often yes its true the CHP has it easy

if the cop told me i was going 75...even 80 id be cool
but when butch made the jump to 90 (i was no where near that)
i knew something was up and she assumed i was just a mark.

i wasnt really aware of how traffic school works..i am agreat driver ..lol..but now that i know i will go back to independence,
see the judge and then go climb mt.agassiz(sic)...lol...could be worse

whatever happens is gonna happen...the one thing that i find comforting is that all the magic that exists up there is not going anywhere...when i get grouchy or sad all i have to do is remember where home is and instantly i feel better.

many of you have seen some beautiful places and your heads are filled with awesome images...i can understand how this lifestyle changes lives....since ive started exploring the sierra im not the same person i used to be..for that im forever grateful..

but the cops will take that right out in a second with there crap

Do you have facts to back this up?

We were heading back home on the 58 from Kern towards Redlands last Sunday evening. Everyone is going 80. Out of nowhere these 2 fools coming flying up on a guy in a van with kids (doing at least 100). The van sees them at the last moment and swerves radically trying to get out of the way. My wife and I thought the van was going to roll but thank god it didn't. A few minutes later we pass the first guy, pulled over by CHP. We cheered. Less than a minute later here comes the same CHP officer. He catches the 2nd guy and pulls him over. We were so happy the CHP is doing thier job. Those are 2 tickets well deserved. So IMHO, if you are speeding and get caught, your bad. Do the crime pay the fine! Or just slow down. Really, 10 miles an hour is not going to make that big of a time difference. Just my opinion.

The speed limit on the 395 is 65 mph except for municipalities which are set 25 or 35 mph. The max speed for vehicles towing trailers is 55 mph. There is no such thing as a "7 over" the max speed limit.

Vehicles with oversized tires should get their speedometer checked. Yes, your speedometer may read "65" but you may be going "75."

I'm with you Friendowl. There is no reason why you should be pulled over if you are driving under 75 on the 395. 100 mph - yes; 75 or under, no way. Especially now that almost the entire stretch is two lanes.

Yeah 75 is technically over the speed limit, but I think they should be targeting those that are driving over 80 - there are plenty of them out there, so why not go after the ones that are blatantly disregarding the speed limit?

Three years ago I got pulled over 4 times in one round trip to Mammoth for my driver's side window tint despite never having been pulled over in the previous 10 years that I had the same car with the same tint. Go figure.

If you are going over the speed limit... and you KNOW you are going over the speed limit... it's a blatant disregard for the limit and the law... regardless of if its 5 or 50 over the limit...

As a long-time resident of Bishop, CA, and frequent traveller on 395, I can say that if you don't like getting "harassed" by the CHP - obey the speed limit or stay home.

I have no respect for drivers (climbers or otherwise) who think they can drive up here like they do back in the freeway jungle of L.A. Yeah, I know, some of you guys are in a big hurry to get up here and "do" Whitney on a two day weekend, and then rush back to L.A. But chill out, will yah? Slow down and enjoy life.

Been "stopped" five times on 395 since 1993. I was always respectfull, answered every question, did was I was told and made sure they were handed my military ID when they got my DL (as instructed to by the Navy). Never got a ticket. Might have even been speeding. It pays to be polite.

The last ticket I got outside of Lemoore was dismissed when I came to pleade not gulity and set a court date - the judge was an ex Marine. I guess he was well taken care of by the Navy on his trips to Southeast Asia..............................DUG

Your lawyer can get you copies of all their testing paperwork at trial.

I would advise trading the Honda for a Harley and taking a "Slo Ride" (cue Foghat).....................................DUG