I cannot stress enough that this is a major revenue-producing area. CHP wait with radar or lidar in or near a rest area at the bottom of a straight, 2-3 mile long downhill section at the top of the Grapevine. Very easy to exceed the limit in this area if you’re not paying attention. Almost always a car or two pulled over when I go through this area.

I recently went to the little courthouse in Taft for a radar ticket in the Lamont area and got it dismissed (cop didn’t show – always fight those tickets!!), and nearly all of the cases I observed while waiting my turn were radar or lidar tickets for I-5 northbound near the Fort Tejon rest area. The cops who did show obviously attend court on a regular basis, brought all of the requisite training certificates with them, and had snappy responses to all defenses given. Judge did reduce penalty for some 90+ drivers and offered traffic school to those who didn’t win their cases.