Costa Mesa, California Speed Traps

Traveling Northbound on the 55 freeway just past the 405North interchange, there is a small dirt stop on the side of the freeway. I have never been pulled over there…but have seen CHP there many times when traveling late at night. I have seen them also during the day but at night its harder to see.

After you make a left onto Superior from Seventeenth street a 1/4 mile on the right 2 motorcycle cops got me…speed limit is 35, but then at 16th it goes up to 40mph…be careful

Motorcycle officer sits on the southside of Victoria at the Fairveiw park/flood control bicycle entrance and monitors the downhill westbound traffic. The officer is not visible until you go over the hill and around the turn. Posted limit is 40. Motorists typically go 55. This is right at the boundry of Huntington Bch. If your lucky and catch the light at Brookhurst green just continue on into Huntington Bch. and act like you didn’t see him. He won’t follow unless you obviousely instigate a pursuit. He will just use your radar image against the next motorist who gets stopped by the light or attempts to turn reguardless of his speed.(Like what happened to me.) Jurisdiction hassle in court otherwise and HBPD doesn’t play ball with CMPD on their Hazzard county antics. Costa Mesa’s overall inforcement picks up in fall through spring but drops off in the summer so as to not run off the tourists that pass through to spend money in Newport Bch. and there is still little or no inforcement N of 405 unless you are really doing something stupid. All court cases are handled at Newport Bch. Municipal Court. Newport residents and motorists with attorneys cases are typically suspended while everyone else is alienated,intimidated and words put into officers mouth by the judge if necessary to get a conviction. Forget traffic school option if you lose in a Newport Bch. court.

Costa Mesa has their own traffic engineers office located within the police station. The road surveys are not allways up to date(I got lucky once.) but thats not the norm. Speed sensors during the surveys are allways placed about 75 ft from stop intersections to insure that the 85 percentile is at or below the posted. Motorists are either slowing to a stop or still getting up to speed from a stop. No matter what street you call in on the average speed will be below the posted. Allways supeona the survey records reguardless of what the street engineers tell you. I beat one based on a lack of up to date status. The engineers verbally told me a recent date but the actual records showed othewise. They will lie on the phone. Best bet is to just stay the heck out of here! Make long detours if necessary it is just not worth it. I’m moving as soon as I can afford it.

Police hide in apartment building driveways and watch for for people exceeding the 25MPH limit. This is a school zone and carelesss motorists need to be delt with but CMPD as usual is going overboard to make easy money. Several officers will hide in different locations along the .9 mile stretch of road. I’ve seen them force 2 short pursuits where another officer hiding further down will cut them off or deliberately pull out and T-bone them as was done to a motorcyclist recently. This is pretty stupid behavior with kids walking up and down the street. There activities are mostly when children are out in the morning and afternoon weekdays but at least one officer is usually around on weekends. Watch the driveway at 607 Hamilton. They were using my driveway but when I see them I pull out make them move go around the block pull back in and back out until they get the hint and split and I’ve been doing it in other buildings driveways too just to be a jerk. Being layed off and bored has its perks.

I know this is a broad zone of police activity and may not fit the structure of this site but as a long time resident and "poor chump" I feel I must give everyone a heads up on where and what to watch out for. Victoria St.between Placentia and Harbor morning rush hour police (sometimes 5 cars deep) hide in a cul-de-sac called Charlie N. side Victoria and observe eastbound traffic. Traffic backs up here all the way to Huntington Bch. They watch for motorists that drive down the center turn lane more than 200 feet to make their left turn at Harbor. Fair St. between Harbor and Fairveiw 35 MPH speed limit anytime daylight hrs. Police hide around side street corners watching for speeders. Harbor at Wilson St. Police sit at Taco Bell and watch for anyone doing anything. Particularly northbound Harbor traffic to turn left across the double double yellow lines to get into the Jack in the Box parking lot. These lines are painted back from the intersection to right in the middle of the Jack in the Box’s driveway. Costa Mesa has been spending a lot of money over the past 5 years remodling the Police station,adding on to the city hall building,replacing their police cars,heliocopter and motorcycles (with BMW bikes). Costa Mesa is a dangerous place to conduct any buisiness by any means of transportation. Jay walkers, bicylists on on sidewalks, wrong side of road or lights and reflectors that don’t meet CMPD social standards, God forbid some kid skate-boards in public. North of the 405 I rarely see a cop. They primarily target the middle class neghborhood,middle class people, driving mid priced vehicles,work trucks and motorcylists that look like they can afford a ticket but not afford to fight it.