For those who are familiar with Highway 5 to LA, I was hoping to get your suggestions.

This weekend we have to drive to Irvine for a wedding and I was trying to plan out the trip. We plan to take highway 5 there on Friday. On the way back, I wanted to take the PCH and see some of nice vista points. I think I have the return trip well laid out, but I'm not sure if there is anything worth seeing on our way there. I'm reading that highway 5 is just farm lands. Anything worth stopping at?

Also, google maps says its over 6 hours from San Jose to Irvine. That seems very long for a highway I hear is very fast. I'm curious how well patrolled that highway is...

 

Eye in the sky. Over 80 mph you're bait. Once you hit the beginnings of LA it's the traffic that screws you all the way to the OC (Irvine).

I usually stop at Kettleman City for stretch/pit-stop/food/fuel. I5 scenery is boooring in Central Valley. Nothing worth sight-seeing and stopping for imho other than the previous mentioned necessities. Coalinga is another basically half-way stop point too.

The coastal route will take a very long time back to home, but if you're not in a hurry there's much to see, stop and enjoy that way back. MPH limit lower too btw.

Patience is the key with the many idiots that travel that faster I5 route. I've seen some really stupid stuff people have done. Roll overs too...such morons.

Safe travels.

 

it's illegal to get someone from a plane so thats not true but there are A LOT of CHP on 5 so watch out, they sneak up on you.

 

Then the posted signs 'patrolled by aircraft' are illegal too I guess. CHP and eye in the sky talk to one another btw....

 

thanks for the tips!

 

With the storm rolling in, not sure how the grapevine is going to be. Not sure if the storm will reach that far

Another thing about the storm, sand sucks on paint..

 

California Speed Trap Laws

These sections of the CVC relate directly to the use of "speedtraps" within California:

40801 Speed Trap Prohibition
40802 Definition of a Speed Trap
40803 Speed Trap Evidence
40804 Testimony Based on Speed Trap
40805 Admission of Speed Trap Evidence
40808 Speed Trap Evidense

Here are the most important paragraphs:

40801:
No peace officer or other person shall use a speed trap in arresting, or participating or assisting in the arrest of, any person for any alleged violation of this code nor shall any speed trap be used in securing evidence as to the speed of any vehicle for the purpose of an arrest or prosecution under this code.

40802 A "speed trap" is either of the following:
(a) A particular section of a highway measured as to distance and with boundaries marked, designated, or otherwise determined in order that the speed of a vehicle may be calculated by securing the time it takes the vehicle to travel the known distance.

This means that "airplane surveillance" tickets are illegal in California, unless the arresting officer paces your vehicle to determine your speed. I received two such tickets (in 1990 and 1992) and contested them. In both cases it was not necessary for me to say anything -- the judge asked the arresting officer if this case was related to airplane surveillance, and the charges were dismissed "in the interest of justice."

Why does the California Highway Patrol continue with airplane surveillance? Because most people don't know the law and just send in their fine, and because many drivers *are* paced, not realizing that a CHP cruiser has pulled in behind them.

CHP officers do know the law. One officer laughed when he told me "The airplane gotcha." His demeanor changed when I asked if he had read section 40801, and if he had used something other than a speed trap to determine my speed. He said "I'm just the gofer. I have to give you the ticket anyway."

 

I drive from San Diego to The Bay area at least once a month to visit family.

Once you pass Santa Clarita, there isn't much to see until you get to the Bay Area.

The best rest stops and gas stations are T/A and Pilot. They have the largest stores for goodies and clean restrooms. Also the gas is the cheapest at those places. You will see a few on the way.

Don't worry about running out of gas. There is a gas station every 20-50 miles.

I avoid "Rest Areas" at night like a plague. The are not very well lit and there is almost no restroom maintenance.

Make sure you pay attention to the signs at where the 5 and 99 split near Bakersfield. and where to 5 and 580 split up north.

People generally travel 80-90 on the 5. Lot's of places to max out.

There are lots of Semi's. The will mainly stay in the slow lane.

You will get idiots that will want to drive 60 in the fast lane. Not only that, it will take them 5 minutes to overtake a slow moving semi. It will seem like an eternity.

You WILL smell the cows. You'll know what I'm talking about when you get there.

 

wooo the smelly cows on I5 in coalinga, stop by that one steak house while in the 5 (i think its called harris ranch after the smelly cows) that place is gooood. oh and btw sir CHICKEN N WAFFLES

 

you guys are forgeting the most important thing.................tape of the front end of your car!!!

 

Roscoe's FTW

The tape isnt going to help with the storm, especially along the coast.

 

I go from Northridge in LA to San Ramon once a month... it takes me about 4-5 hrs to get there, but i'm averaging about 85mph the whole way... the key to this is watching drivers ahead of you and their brake lights, they usually give heads up if someone is posted by overpasses... another thing is not to swerve in and out of lanes, you're just asking for trouble if you do this.

If you do come across a slow person, don't ride their tails, you don't want to be the cause of the accident. Be patient, let them notice you're behind them and possibly more cars as well, and let them make the move over... this allows you to avoid the swerving in and out of lanes ordeal.

I usually grab a bite to eat when I drive off, something to munch on helps keep you busy and awake versus just staring aimlessly into the boring I-5. I also place my music on random, so you're not bored of the same stuff over and over again... either music or a book cd, that usually gets me driving. I also grab a bottle of NOS energy drink (great stuff LOL)... a little insurance for the road. Oh yeah, I drive by myself, so it would be a big plus to have someone drive with you. GL on your trip

 

Try to travel during the day if you do not have a radar detector because most of the CHPs' hide under over passes on the 5(lurking in the shade). Take the 152 across to the 5 if your coming from San Jose.

 

well blue tape for rocks, bugs and tar. id tape regardless of the storm for those very reasons

 

It's not considered a speed trap. Those signs are real. A good friend of mine is an AirCop - they give dozens of tickets a day. The way around the verbiage above is that the airplane follows behind you off your passenger side so you can't see it. They go your speed, then use markers that are along the highway (these are clearly visible, and that's what they're used for) to time how long it takes THE PLANE to go between the markers. They can not pace YOU, they pace themselves and since they are hovering above you, that equates to YOUR speed. It is a lousy work around, but it works and this is what he currently DOES FOR A LIVING. It is a very serious business, and is especially popular on I5, 99, and north of Sac on 12.

Once they have your time/distance, they radio ahead and a cop pulls you over. The good thing is that you have two chances to beat the ticket. One is in the Trial by Declaration, and if you lose, you can request an actual trial that BOTH the aircop (the arresting officer) and the CHP that pulled you over (the citing cop) have to show up. If either one doesn't, you win. If they both do, you lose.

 

if you're super Filipino like me, hook up your magic sing mic to the doubledin screen (if you got one) and sing kareoke to your hearts desire

 

BTW, the CHP on I5 use standard K-band radar, which is very easy to pick up far away. I have never seen them use LIDAR on I5. Make sure you have a good radar detector if you plan to go over 75mph. If you'd like to borrow my Valentine1, you're welcome to it. I just made the drive down and back on I5 over Thanksgiving, and I picked up a few cops on the way down from a mile away, giving plenty of time to slow down. I did see one helicopter lurking around, but it was tough to tell if it was a CHP or other. There were 1/2 mile marking lines on the side of the highway, so it was a patrol area.

 

I went to LA last month. It was so windy (I5). Watch for the tumbleweeds.

 

The only place worth stopping is Pinks Hot Dogs enroute to Irvine, that's if you go through down town L.A.

Only other tip for the drive is if the unfortunate does happen. Always request it at the time and write it on the ticket "REQUESTED COUNTY SEAT". It will make it tougher for the L.E. if you decide to fight the ticket.

Other than that stock up on your road trip food and beverages to keep you awake on the boring drive.

On the return route if you go PCH 1, there is always the snake crawl through Newport, H.Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Malibu and Point Mugu cannot be missed (a giant sand dune on PCH 1). Good for photo shot. Or bypass all the traffic and head for the twisties on Mullholland Drive (hwy 23) out of Westlake to Malibu. It's a sports car and motorcycle dream ride carving the canyon to the coast. Don't miss the famous Rock Store along the way, you may see Jay Leno in one of his vintage cars or Vincent motorcycle hanging out there, it's a favorite for the stars.

 

scott, where did you get your V1 ive been looking for one.