San Bernardino, California Speed Traps

Going up Highway 18 to the mountains, say, Lake Arrowhead, maybe? Watch yourself, not only are the CHP monitoring for any speed violations but they will happily ticket all variety of occurences, from out of date registration to passing or lane changes and failure to signal a turn within the legal limits, they are on the prowl for anything!…most prominately seen just after the speed limits change right before and after a community area, and the downhill traffic side on the way back down to Highland and highway 30, but the areas afford many natural "blinds" each way to park and watch all the way up. Many people drive like idiots on a mountain road so they are always! busy even though I see a lot of drivers get away with a lot, but during slower times of a day/month/year they will pull over anything within reach for whatever they can. And if a CHP stops you, you WILL get something to sign even if it wasn’t the original reason for the stop; so check those signal lamps, windshield pocks, loose mufflers, exhausts, tires, etc., because they’ll be in the same spots every day, at differing times, and watching…remember, the slower the speed zones the more they can scope for vehicle violations as you drive by. They also patrol all the communities up there as most roads in and around them are state routes, too, so be careful not to help fill their coffers once you do get where you are going.

Motorcycles cops hide on the side of the freeway bridge wall so you can’t see them. Your going downhill so your picking up speed. They are there every Sunday rain or shine. They also stay on the on ramp by the bushes so you can’t see them if your going west.

Between I-15 and Highway 2, near Phelan/Wrightwood, there is a strech of Highway 138 which is one lane in each direction. There are 3 main points that are gunned in this stretch: (Coming from the 15) After going under the railroad tracks, there is a hill which is frequently gunned. The next blind hill in the stretch is also gunned. The third and final blind hill is the most commonly gunned area. Officers show absolutely no mercy with their stops, and the lonely mountain road lands the Highway Patrol a hefty sum of money.