CHP on US-101

[gionotgeo]

Hi. I wanted to know how strong is the presence of California Highway Patrol on the 101 in Ventura County. Wanting to go to Thousand Oaks from I-5 in Central Valley. Should I take 118-23 or 405-101? Will you get caught for speeding 5 over? Thanks

[gionotgeo]

I think I used the wrong thread. Sorry

[Quillz]

I've yet to have a scenario where I got pulled over for being five over the speed limit, regardless of the route. I've driven five over while being right next to a cop and they didn't do anything. Unless it's a really slow night, they've usually got better things to do. I did get pulled over one time for being eight over the speed limit, but this was on a tribal reservation that presumably needed as much income as possible, so odds are they were far more stringent there for that reason. (Although the man ended up not ticketing me).

As for 118-23 vs. 405-101, both of these are all-freeway routes so it really depends. Generally the 118 to the 23 will be quicker because you are avoiding most of the SF Valley traffic. The northern valley isn't nearly as crowded and Simi Valley usually moves pretty fast.

[Max Rockatansky]

Unless you have something on your record that will pull up on plate scanner it's not very likely to be pulled over for five over alone anywhere in California.  Usually I've found that when people ask questions like this they either do have something on their record or they are just extremely paranoid. 

Either way, the less mundane way to get to the Central Valley is on CA 33 and the Maricopa Highway.  That's one of the best two lane state highways for a fun drive in California. 

[Occidental Tourist]

Waze is usually pretty accurate in identifying where cops are patrolling or have speed traps. Like the others have said, unless you happen to be out on a holiday weekend or one of those random days where CHP steps up their presence, 5 over won't get you noticed at all.

118 to 23 is almost always faster than 405 to 101.

[ClassicHasClass]

Heck, I'm usually 10 over, and they don't even bat an eye at me. If they want to pull you over for something they'll find any excuse to do it no matter what your speed is.

[pderocco]

In over 20 years, I've never gotten a speeding ticket in CA even for ten over, and I've gone through radar traps at that speed.

When Covid hit, people (the few who dared to go out) started driving even faster, confident that they'd have to shoot somebody before a cop would dare to pull them over and inhale their germs. And that seems to have stuck. At least down in San Diego, I would guess at least 5% of people are driving 80 in a 65, and I see very little enforcement.

[Max Rockatansky]

In over 20 years, I've never gotten a speeding ticket in CA even for ten over, and I've gone through radar traps at that speed.

When Covid hit, people (the few who dared to go out) started driving even faster, confident that they'd have to shoot somebody before a cop would dare to pull them over and inhale their germs. And that seems to have stuck. At least down in San Diego, I would guess at least 5% of people are driving 80 in a 65, and I see very little enforcement.

One thing I do miss about COVID (about the only thing) was the 75-80 MPH blasts down rural CA 41 to work.  There was hardly a car on the road and nobody had any interest in what I was doing. 

[jdbx]

In over 20 years, I've never gotten a speeding ticket in CA even for ten over, and I've gone through radar traps at that speed.

When Covid hit, people (the few who dared to go out) started driving even faster, confident that they'd have to shoot somebody before a cop would dare to pull them over and inhale their germs. And that seems to have stuck. At least down in San Diego, I would guess at least 5% of people are driving 80 in a 65, and I see very little enforcement.

One thing I do miss about COVID (about the only thing) was the 75-80 MPH blasts down rural CA 41 to work.  There was hardly a car on the road and nobody had any interest in what I was doing. 

I had to go to Berkeley at 9 AM on a weekday back in May of 2020 to drop my car off for repairs. It was "rush hour" and I was cruising at 90 MPH down I-80 from Richmond and had to stay right because people were blowing past me like I was standing still. That was fun and surreal.

[Occidental Tourist]

In over 20 years, I've never gotten a speeding ticket in CA even for ten over, and I've gone through radar traps at that speed.

When Covid hit, people (the few who dared to go out) started driving even faster, confident that they'd have to shoot somebody before a cop would dare to pull them over and inhale their germs. And that seems to have stuck. At least down in San Diego, I would guess at least 5% of people are driving 80 in a 65, and I see very little enforcement.

One thing I do miss about COVID (about the only thing) was the 75-80 MPH blasts down rural CA 41 to work.  There was hardly a car on the road and nobody had any interest in what I was doing. 

Try 100 mph on the Long Beach Freeway at the beginning of the pandemic when there were only a couple of cars on the freeway. And people were still blowing past me. Finally a motorcycle cop goes by me (I'm only doing 95 at this point), catches up to one of the guys who blew past me, and all he did was motion for the guy to slow down.

Strange times.

[michravera]

Hi. I wanted to know how strong is the presence of California Highway Patrol on the 101 in Ventura County. Wanting to go to Thousand Oaks from I-5 in Central Valley. Should I take 118-23 or 405-101? Will you get caught for speeding 5 over? Thanks

The only way that you will get pulled over for 5 over on a freeway in California is if you run a roadblock or there are serious safe speed limitations such that the maximum or posted speed limit isn't actually in effect. You might definitely get pulled over for 70-in-a-65, if, for instance, fog had reduced the maximum safe speed to 5MPH. That doesn't happen a lot on US-101. It DOES happen on I-5, especially early mornings between Thanksgiving and Presidents' Day.

[SeriesE]

In over 20 years, I've never gotten a speeding ticket in CA even for ten over, and I've gone through radar traps at that speed.

When Covid hit, people (the few who dared to go out) started driving even faster, confident that they'd have to shoot somebody before a cop would dare to pull them over and inhale their germs. And that seems to have stuck. At least down in San Diego, I would guess at least 5% of people are driving 80 in a 65, and I see very little enforcement.

One thing I do miss about COVID (about the only thing) was the 75-80 MPH blasts down rural CA 41 to work.  There was hardly a car on the road and nobody had any interest in what I was doing. 

Try 100 mph on the Long Beach Freeway at the beginning of the pandemic when there were only a couple of cars on the freeway. And people were still blowing past me. Finally a motorcycle cop goes by me (I'm only doing 95 at this point), catches up to one of the guys who blew past me, and all he did was motion for the guy to slow down.

Strange times.

I did something similar around that period: driving CA-91 East from OC on a weekday around 5 PM. It was surreal going full freeway speeds on that stretch during "rush hour"

[Techknow]

US 101 has had a 55 MPH speed limit for the last few years in San Mateo county where express lanes have been in construction. But recently I noticed the speed limit was restored to 65 MPH, likely because there hasn't been construction there lately but the express lanes from I-380 to CA-84 still haven't opened. Whatever the case when I drive occasionally there, there's either enough traffic that you're stuck at 55 MPH or drivers go faster than that.

[kkt]

There was a news report that during Covid the accident rate decreased, but the fatality rate increased...