Columbia, South Carolina Speed Traps

Beware Instant-On radar trap between Starbucks at Forest Plaza and the Lazy Boy furniature store. They sit in that old dry cleaners lot, with lights off at night, hiding behind hedge, nailing people coming down the hill from I-77 towards Forest Acres center. (Instant-On means they only zap cars once in a while — radars you only when suspected of speeding — radar detector can’t sense with enough warning when instant-on technique employed.) I’ve seen ’em out there from about 11:30 pm to about 3am. Watch out!

Right when Taylor Street turns into Forest I have been pulled and seen several other vehicles being pulled for speeding. It is the area in the neighborhood right before you get to Richland Mall.

Cop sits in median of Forest Drive in the vicinity of Providence Hospital or the nursing home. Because of a slight rise and the general traffic, you don’t notice him. Additionally, there is a drug store close by that activates radar detectors. If you drive this street every day, you drop your guard.

Beware of the semi-marked Crown Vic of the Columbia College Dept. of Public Safety cops in front of the college. They’re using radar to clock traffic – especially between 12 noon and 4:00 p.m. The cop likes to sit across from the college, against the curb – not too far from the church, clocking unsuspecting motorists (ones without radar detectors). Unless you have a detector, you’re on top of the cop before you notice him (her) in the 25 mph zone. Speeding in excess of 15 mph in a "school" zone will net you four points on your SC DL and at least a $150 fine.

At the interchange, which is at the top of a broad hill, there are orange and white, temporary hydro barriers which give the impression of construction underway. The construction was finished years ago! The SCHP hides behind these barriers, and even "fixes" them when they get displaced (by wrecks, wind, etc.). If you slow down & look, you will notice there’s a network of paved strips behind the barricades. This lets them work both sides without getting muddy.

The posted limit is sixty (60) MPH, but the normal flow of traffic is more like 70 plus. There is an on-ramp beside it where SC302 merges, and traffic on the on-ramp will blow right past you (on the right – which is legal here) if you’re only going 60.
PS: In SC it’s illegal (56-5-1560) to impede the flow of traffic. This "particular enforcement activity" forces you to violate that law. Plus it diminishes the effect of the barrier.