BajaNomad

......everybody on this road speeds. A travel warning.

mcfez - 11-26-2011 at 08:34 AM

Here's a post from Shirley Thompson of the www.sanfelipe.com.mx and she is also a resident of our Campos...been there for 30 some odd years. I am posting this because it's a good travel warning going for the San Felipe highway. I myself have never had issues.....while driving down there....but we should keep Shirley's event in mind.


Last week, I was driving down mid-week after a visit to the dentist in Mexicali. Since I was not feeling so great, I was taking things easy. I was on a deserted stretch south of the start of the four-lane highway but north of Cerro El Moreno (where the microwave towers are at the start of the north campo region). There was essentially no traffic in either direction.

There are long stretches of the road where you can see 2-3 miles ahead and there was not a vehicle in sight - except for the flashing lights of a Federal Highway Patrol car parked way in the distance. Since I was not speeding, I did not have any qualms about proceeding. As I got closer I saw that the patrol officer had stopped an old truck and had just finished "giving him a ticket". I was surprised to see the officer walk into the middle of the road and wave his flashlight at me to stop when I was still several hundred yards away. I slowed and stopped next to his patrol car, rolled down my window and he told me I had been speeding and would be issued a ticket. Of course I protested I had not been speeding but he insisted I had because the limit was 80kph (50 mph) even though the last limit notice I had seen said 110 kph. I asked him how he knew I was exceeding the limit and he told me with a perfectly straight face that everybody on this road speeds!

At this point I was prepared to follow him into San Felipe and pay the ticket but a miracle happened. Another Federal patrol car appeared, heading north from San Felipe, and stopped in the fast lane opposite us with his lights also flashing. My officer looked over at the other patrol car, looked at me and told me to get going. I suspect that we have already entered the season of goodwill where police at every level are expected to be productive and earn their Christmas bonuses.

[Edited on 11-26-2011 by mcfez]

Woooosh - 11-26-2011 at 09:41 AM

I saw a radar-enforced speed patrol on the Toll road between TJ and Rosarito the other day. First time in four or so years. Heads up. No, I am not sure they are really the police doing it and they did have a car pulled over (US plates).

wessongroup - 11-26-2011 at 11:09 AM

Always wondered why ... more "valid" ticketing was not done ... as it seems to be a means of revenue and increased safety for the "people" of Baja and/or Mexico .. derived from enforcement of "traffic laws" on both toll roads and others... just like in the States ...

Know speed limits on the toll road and the old road are not followed all that much... just saying ...

Old and slow... had a Lexus SUV pass me one morning (5 am) coming north .. just pass Rosarito ... before the right bend where is strightens out for a few miles along the beach ... was going so fast I punched it, to catch up, to see just how fast he was going ... 100 mph ... that's just too fast IMHO for a "street" car to be running





[Edited on 11-26-2011 by wessongroup]

Woooosh - 11-26-2011 at 12:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wessongroup
Always wondered why ... more "valid" ticketing was not done ... as it seems to be a means of revenue and increased safety for the "people" of Baja and/or Mexico .. derived from enforcement of "traffic laws" on both toll roads and others... just like in the States ...

Know speed limits on the toll road and the old road are not followed all that much... just saying ...

Old and slow... had a Lexus SUV pass me one morning (5 am) coming north .. just pass Rosarito ... before the right bend where is strightens out for a few miles along the beach ... was going so fast I punched it, to catch up, to see just how fast he was going ... 100 mph ... that's just too fast IMHO for a "street" car to be running

[Edited on 11-26-2011 by wessongroup]

They considered themselves sitting ducks for the narcos and stopped parking by the side of the road alone to catch speeders.

[Edited on 11-26-2011 by Woooosh]