BajaNomad - Radar in Colonet

Radar in Colonet

BajaNomad - 12-28-2010 at 09:49 AM

Interesting and unusual to me.... driving through Colonet two days ago...

Aggressive speed enforcement with radar. Saw two people pulled over at different parts of town - both by Policia Federal - as we were making our way south through town (mid-day).

fyi

sanquintinsince73 - 12-28-2010 at 10:02 AM

The "federicos" were shooting radar about 7 klicks south of San Quintin a couple weeks ago too. Luckily they haven't mastered their "hiding in wait" skills to much. You can easily spot them from afar.

DENNIS - 12-28-2010 at 10:04 AM

Ah yes...the old "Tecate Can on a stick" game. I guess it's time [again] to put our Radar Detectors to use.

Maybe the police were just trying to get drivers involved in the Christmas Spirit and will hang it up til next year. I've seen the Feds working Radar on the highway here in the past and they seem to lose interest quickly.

DENNIS - 12-28-2010 at 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sanquintinsince73
Luckily they haven't mastered their "hiding in wait" skills to much. You can easily spot them from afar.

Problem is, when you finally see them, it's too late.

ncampion - 12-28-2010 at 10:20 AM

WOW it they start writing radar tickets on the open areas of Hwy !, we're all screwed. Can you imagine driving the length of Baja at 80 kph.

durrelllrobert - 12-28-2010 at 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by sanquintinsince73
Luckily they haven't mastered their "hiding in wait" skills to much. You can easily spot them from afar.

Problem is, when you finally see them, it's too late.

several time in Maryland I saw a guy dressed in bib overalls and holding a pitch fork standing next to pile of hay that concealed the radar and his walkie-talkie so he could call ahead to police car sitting just over the hill.

BajaBlanca - 12-28-2010 at 10:28 AM

we were driving thru 2 days ago and saw them from afar too .... I did not realize they had radar though .... that being said - we were also with people whose car couldnt drive more than 65-70 mph and the trip from San diego to La bocana took us a whopping 15 hours. and a lot of stress since Les usually drives a LOT faster. They may have saved us from getting a ticket

wilderone - 12-28-2010 at 10:50 AM

About 20 miles north of Chapala, I saw a car had been pulled over by a policia truck - I would assume to give the driver a ticket for something. That is the first time I've ever seen that - away from any town. Everyone speeds over the posted speed limit, makes illegal passes. Maybe new trucks, more police force, needed revenue will change the rules.

DENNIS - 12-28-2010 at 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ncampion
WOW it they start writing radar tickets on the open areas of Hwy !, we're all screwed. Can you imagine driving the length of Baja at 80 kph.

Yeah....makes little sense. If it weren't in Mexico, it would make none at all.
Highway-1, between Ensenada and Maneadero is posted at 60 KPH.............that's roughly 35 MPH. It would be suicidal to creep down the road at that speed.

DENNIS - 12-28-2010 at 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wilderone
Maybe needed revenue will change the rules.

"Needed revenue" is the rule.

BajaGringo - 12-28-2010 at 11:50 AM

Over the years I have seen them set up radar stops at several different points between Ensenada and El Rosario. I have become good friends with a captain currently stationed with the local federales de caminos here in San Quintin. He has told me that they routinely set up radar stops all along the Baja highways and that with some new equipment they received recently, that will probably escalate.

Just another good reason to slow down and will probably help keep more of us alive to celebrate the Holidays next year...

[Edited on 12-28-2010 by BajaGringo]

sanquintinsince73 - 12-28-2010 at 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo
Over the years I have seen them set up radar stops at several different points between Ensenada and El Rosario. I have become good friends with a captain currently stationed with the local federales de caminos here in San Quintin. He has told me that they routinely set up radar stops all along the Baja highways and that with some new equipment they received recently, that will probably escalate.

Just another good reason to slow down and will probably help keep more of us alive to celebrate the Holidays next year...

[Edited on 12-28-2010 by BajaGringo]

I concur. I'm sure you know that one of Don Alvaro's kid's spent a year in prison for killing a young girl while speading thru La Card##as about 3 years ago.

Bajahowodd - 12-28-2010 at 12:31 PM

I have mixed feelings on this. Any significant increase in speed enforcement should be a good thing. However, there are so many miles of Highway One that carry an unrealistically low posted speed limit.

That said, I cannot count how many times there have been posts on here by people who say they made it from the border to La Paz or Cabo in two days.

David K - 12-28-2010 at 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ncampion
WOW it they start writing radar tickets on the open areas of Hwy !, we're all screwed. Can you imagine driving the length of Baja at 80 kph.

The straight-as-an-arrow highway from Guerrero Negro to Vizcaino is a highly radared zone with an insane 80 kph speed limit. Either wait for a semi to zoom past and stick with him or set the cruise control and take a nap whith the steering wheel bungeed straight! :lol:

windgrrl - 12-28-2010 at 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
I have mixed feelings on this. Any significant increase in speed enforcement should be a good thing. However, there are so many miles of Highway One that carry an unrealistically low posted speed limit.

That said, I cannot count how many times there have been posts on here by people who say they made it from the border to La Paz or Cabo in two days.

We left Tecate, obeyed all the speed limits, stopped regularly for breaks, for 5-6 inspections stops drove only during daylight and arrived in La Paz 2.5 days later. :dudette:

Bajahowodd - 12-28-2010 at 04:42 PM

Thank you. Maybe I'm too cynical, but when one considers places along Mex 1 such as the Valle de los Cirios; many stretches of flat, straight highway, my belief is suspended to think anyone is traveling 50mph there. And, in fact, there are numerous stretches where the posted limit is less than 80kmph. Think about the approach from the North to Guerrero Negro. Or as David mentioned, South of there through Vizcaino. Or Cd. Constitucion to La Paz. The speed limits are nuts. And with the exception of locals driving banged-up, worn-down old vehicles, virtually everyone is exceeding the posted limit.

windgrrl - 12-28-2010 at 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lencho

Quote:

Originally posted by windgrrl
We left Tecate, obeyed all the speed limits...

That I find astounding. I don't cast doubt on your honesty, but is that a literal statement (ie you carefully watched for all the limit signs and brought your speed into compliance), or general policy?

I say this because of the absurdity of some of the limits I've run into along the Peninsula... I'm a pretty careful driver and doubt there's been a day in Baja without my violating some speed limit.

Yup...carefullly watched and it is our general policy. Even as we left Ciudad Constitution...waited for the posted highway speed! :saint:

BajaGringo - 12-28-2010 at 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Thank you. Maybe I'm too cynical, but when one considers places along Mex 1 such as the Valle de los Cirios; many stretches of flat, straight highway, my belief is suspended to think anyone is traveling 50mph there. And, in fact, there are numerous stretches where the posted limit is less than 80kmph. Think about the approach from the North to Guerrero Negro. Or as David mentioned, South of there through Vizcaino. Or Cd. Constitucion to La Paz. The speed limits are nuts. And with the exception of locals driving banged-up, worn-down old vehicles, virtually everyone is exceeding the posted limit.

I drive Hwy 1 from Ensenada to San Quintin many times a month and along that stretch my experience has been that they aren't pulling folks over for simply exceeding 80 kph. They are targeting the ones going over 80mph...

BajaGringo - 12-28-2010 at 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sanquintinsince73

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo
...Just another good reason to slow down and will probably help keep more of us alive to celebrate the Holidays next year...

I concur. I'm sure you know that one of Don Alvaro's kid's spent a year in prison for killing a young girl while speading thru La Card##as about 3 years ago.

Another local relative of Don Alvaro did time for an accident up near Colonet as well...

woody with a view - 12-28-2010 at 07:49 PM

funny thing is, is there aren't too many places i'd want to go over 80mph on that stretch.

now, south of el rosario......

BajaGringo - 12-28-2010 at 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
funny thing is, is there aren't too many places i'd want to go over 80mph on that stretch.

now, south of el rosario......

We totally agree on that one my friend but trust me, they do. Last week I was doing about 65 on the flat stretch a few miles south of San Vicente (at night) and was just about blown off the road by a Ford Excursion pulling a trailer that passed me. They had to be doing at least 85 as fast as they passed me and their tail-lights disappeared into the darkness ahead.

I was really expecting to catch up to them, upside down, on fire and wheels still spinning...

Sound like any of you Nomads???

:?:

Marc - 2-4-2011 at 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ncampion
WOW it they start writing radar tickets on the open areas of Hwy !, we're all screwed. Can you imagine driving the length of Baja at 80 kph.

Can you imagine driving at 80 mph??

acadist - 2-4-2011 at 07:58 PM

Guilty :yes:

Quote:

vgabndo - 2-4-2011 at 10:01 PM

I disagree that the stretch to the north of Viscaino Junction is a place to open up at all. That is still one of the narrowest remaining stretches of the northen half, and very busy. In an 8'-6" wide vehicle, my gut reminds me that this is a place to hold a tight rein especially because of the temptation to drive too fast.

Some of the new super highway in the north should certainly have a 65 mph limit.

[Edited on 2-5-2011 by vgabndo]