Malibu, California Speed Traps

The rule of thumb for locals on PCH across the 27 miles of Malibu is "60 or under and they leave you alone". The big excepton is once you get into the area of "downtown" Malibu near the pier (heading south it’s after Cross Creek, heading north it’s when the strip of shops and restaurants begin). Here the speed limit goes down to 40 and it’s just crawling with CHPs. Once, while standing in the Malibu Inn parking lot, I witnessed five motorists being pulled over in 20 minutes.

Heading south on PCH at Peperdine University, there is a steep down hill with a rapidly decreasing speed limit coming up to Webb Way. The officer parks on the west side of the road about half way down the hill and deploys his radar/lazar. You can’t see him until you come over the top of the hill and by then it is two late. Be careful, radar won’t help you here but a lazar jamber will.

Going southbound on PCH, (towards santa monica from malibu) going down that hill passing Geoffries restaurant, a motorcycle cop hides at the bottom behind a tree branch at the bus stop, using laser. Motorcyle cops will do the same thing with northbound traffic, directly on the other side of PCH, where there is a little street that they can hide in, and blast you with their laser as soon as you come around the blind curve.

On Kanan Dume, police like to sit in every hidden spot they can. They catch speeders uphill an downhill. I live in the area, and over the past 10 years have noticed that the only safe areas are between the first and third tunnel either coming from PCH or the 101.

From BIG ROCK to the MALIBU PIER radar is in almost daily use. Cops drive "down" the coast hwy toward "going home" traffic. Rarely parked.