BajaNomad

Baja Speed Traps

capn.sharky - 12-20-2006 at 04:43 PM

Someone mentioned this on a post. Lets list all the speed traps in Baja we know of. Coming down the big hill in Tijuana is one for sure. South of Guerro Negro there is usually a Camino Federale hiding somewhere out of town. What about El Rosario?

fdt - 12-20-2006 at 04:53 PM

Ciudad Constitucion

Frank - 12-20-2006 at 05:24 PM

Bypass road in La Paz is not a speed trap, its just a trap.

Sharksbaja - 12-20-2006 at 06:03 PM

N or S of BOLA turn-off

Got some air in an RV hitting this one...

Lee - 12-20-2006 at 06:09 PM

Villa Jesus Maria at about the Pemex station. Watch out.

:cool:

Phil S - 12-20-2006 at 09:10 PM

Guerra Negro. Going into town where you come into the really nice paved wide street (4 lanes) There are stop signs on each corner, and they will stop you whether you stop or not. If you've driven Baja much you'll begin to figure out to the Mexican's, the sign ALTO is only a suggestion. However, if you copy the locals, to the police it's an OPPORTUNITY!!!!!! I got stopped one time for passing a very slow farm worker bus ON A BRIDGE.??????? The officer was talked out of it after about 15 minutes of arguing there was no sign indicating I couldn't on any bridge. Anyone seen or heard of this one????

bajalou - 12-20-2006 at 09:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Phil S
Guerra Negro. Going into town where you come into the really nice paved wide street (4 lanes) There are stop signs on each corner, and they will stop you whether you stop or not. If you've driven Baja much you'll begin to figure out to the Mexican's, the sign ALTO is only a suggestion. However, if you copy the locals, to the police it's an OPPORTUNITY!!!!!! I got stopped one time for passing a very slow farm worker bus ON A BRIDGE.??????? The officer was talked out of it after about 15 minutes of arguing there was no sign indicating I couldn't on any bridge. Anyone seen or heard of this one????


No passing if the center line is a solid line - only if it's a broken line.

Phil S - 12-21-2006 at 01:31 PM

Well your right on that one Lou. I had forgotten about that, and bridges are all solid lines. Eeeeee gads. Guess he just gave up on me, and walked away. that was years ago, when I first starting going & coming from Baja.
Amazing how experience makes you wiser.

Progress

Skipjack Joe - 12-21-2006 at 02:22 PM

El Rosario has become just one giant speed trap. It starts just north of the gas station and proceeds southwardly all the way through town. What a drag. Bumping along endlessly. I say get rid of those damn things and just place a couple of ALTO signs.

The old TOPES have gone out of favor and are being replaced by VIBRADORES. Personally I prefer a single large bump to entire city blocks of these annoying smaller ones. And now they're placing them on both lanes so you can't drive around them except for going off the pavement.

Summanus - 12-21-2006 at 02:27 PM

My dog hates topes, my wife hates topes, my kids hate topes, I hate topes. I also hate the people who made putting those irratating speed bumps on the roads mandatory.

Joelt - 12-21-2006 at 03:58 PM

In El Rosario there are 25 of the smaller and very annoying speed bumps on each side of the larger topes. Try counting them while you drive through. Just something to do while your suspension is being ripped out from under your car. As for speed traps, there is a police officer in Palo Verde who once pulled over a guy and said that he was speeding past the school. The guy was only going about 5mph and complained to the officer. The officer told him that it wasn't for today but for last week. Conserving gas I guess.

Summanus - 12-21-2006 at 04:16 PM

Here's a speed trap story for you. Just about 3 weeks ago I had left Malarrimo's motel in GN and was headed south very early...before dawn. I punched it pretty good and was going a little over the limit when I noticed the headlights picking up the patrol car that is usually parked on the roadside looking for some unsuspecting motorist to fleece.

Carumba! I had forgot about him!

So I immediately hit the brakes, turned on the left-turn signal, and swung around to pull up alongside him...stopping and walking over to his car just as he hit the red lights. He was mite surprised at this and asked me where I headed. I told him my destination in broken but understandable Spanish and said mi novia was eager to see me, which is why I was in a hurry. He smiled, shook my hand and said... Have a good trip! Hey, you never know when fortune will smile! Now, if my wife should hear of this, I am in trouble.

Speed bumps vs. speed traps

capn.sharky - 12-21-2006 at 04:26 PM

Topes are speed bumps. A speed trap is where the police hide and wait for you. Just wanted to clear this up in case there was some misunderstanding. :lol:

Losing your innocence in baja

Skipjack Joe - 12-21-2006 at 05:40 PM

My wife and I were vacationing in baja for the first time with a dodge van I had converted to a camper. I was driving on what appeared to be an open highway around El Triumfo when we suddenly went airborne. "What the @@!!@@ was that?". There was a loud bang that felt as though there must have been some serious damage.

Basically you felt as though you had been in a car accident. As we drove away my wife leaned over and asked me if I had noticed the sign by the side of the road. No. It spelled T.O.P.E.S. That must their word for speed bump, she said.

And so I learned.

But I never liked.

Barry A. - 12-21-2006 at 05:42 PM

We all should gather late at night and remove all the TOPES.

MUY MALO!!!!!

Summanus - 12-21-2006 at 05:44 PM

I did take one out in Mulege a while back with my E-Z-Loader boat trailer. Those babies are low hung and I managed to scrap most of that tope off in passing.

Bob and Susan - 12-21-2006 at 05:51 PM

the speed bumps in el rosario probably have saved a few dogs lives but...

the income from tickets must be $0 now...

no way can you speed in town;)

David K - 12-21-2006 at 06:39 PM

Also, the El Rosario speed bumps have stopped the truckers from zooming down the hill and jake breaking right to the sharp bend... Sleeping at Baja Cactus or Mama' Espinoza's Las Cabaņas motels is much easier!

Heck, all the other towns along the highway have them, one more town to add them (El Rosario) shouldn't be that big of a deal... It really needed it... to control the 18 wheelers primarily... 'No Frene Con Motor' please!

No frene con motor

Skipjack Joe - 12-21-2006 at 06:53 PM

After the post I became curious about it's meaning and found this link for all roadsigns in baja:


http://www.ontheroadin.com/mexican_road_sign_translations_f.htm

Summanus - 12-21-2006 at 06:58 PM

Thanks, Skipjack Joe. That is a very helpful site on road signs we see so often, but often don't fully understand.

So, go prove you weren't speeding

Dave - 12-21-2006 at 08:47 PM

Since Mexico is governed by Napoleonic law, anywhere and everywhere is a speed trap.

Think about it. ;)