Tell me about highway speed protocol in AZ (Phoenix, Tucson: dangerous, relocating to)

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by 49erfan916

THIS.


Back home, I use to see police hiding underneath overpasses and in "dark corners" of the freeway, with their radar guns, waiting to pull people over. When I moved to Phoenix, I haven't seen this yet.

You’re more likely to see this out of town here. Especially on I10 between Phoenix and Tucson

[veritased]

Radar detectors useful in AZ ?
In CA, CHP uses Ka frequency band... what does the AZ highway patrol use ?

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by veritased

Radar detectors useful in AZ ?
In CA, CHP uses Ka frequency band... what does the AZ highway patrol use ?

The only times I have been pulled over involved a cop going the opposite direction. They can get a measurement on you moving or stationary, coming or going. Like all the posts above are telling you, you really need to be hauling before you are going to get stopped. In my most recent case, I was doing 86 in a 55 (I had been following a snowbird and was frustrated. The cop was coming the other way from quite a distance. Turned on his lights and swung around and chased me down. The cop let me off with a warning maybe because I have Vet plates and I am an old guy. I was told that Vet plates and a vet DL will get you out of a ticket. When he handed back my license and gave me the slow down talk he thanked me for my service as well. The same thing happened to me in Oklahoma (not as fast though)

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by veritased

Radar detectors useful in AZ ?
In CA, CHP uses Ka frequency band... what does the AZ highway patrol use ?

Radar detector is an instant ticket. Not even sure why you would bother with them at this point. You can do 80-85 on the highways once you are out of the cities and frankly...probably wouldn't want to go much faster than that. Except the 10 to CA...even on that the semis are going to limit your speed and they have high performance pursuit vehicles to run you down. 90 on the 10 is usually okay unless the LEO is having a bad day or wants to make an example of you.

[Casey73]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

On the 101 Loop, no matter how fast you go you’re always going to be slower than somebody else. The people who are determined to “win” will make sure of that.

I see very little traffic enforcement.

Get your AZ plates as soon as possible. A few jerks take it upon themselves to harass Californians.

I've driven in Socal many times and they do tend to be a bit more aggressive than here, don't like turn signals and don't understand that tailgating is a disaster waiting to happen. I know it isn't all California drivers, but their reputation as unsafe drivers has some validity based on my observations. Hence the term "California left turn". Having said that, before the current influx of California transplants, we already had plenty of common sense challenged drivers on the road, and they are from all over the place.

[Casey73]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Don't sit in the left lane...that is for passing. 10 over is okay for the most part...just don't be driving erratically. The HOV lane is only part time...during morning rush hour and evening...otherwise it is the left lane. If you don't want someone riding your tail, 74/75 in the middle lane unless you want to pass and everyone is happy. As you are driving around you will notice people flying through traffic (they tend to stay on the left) and some doing exactly the speed limit almost causing accidents as the flow of traffic has to go around them. Stay out of the right lane unless you are getting off or coming on the freeway...lots of accidents happen in the merge lanes. Having learned to drive and lived in AZ for the past 31 years...if you aren't going 5-10 over you are going too slow.

I agree. Going 65 (the posted limit in town) really can be hazardous, even in the right lanes. I try and go 70-75 to stay with traffic in the middle lanes and let the crazies fly by in the two or three left lanes (depending on how many you are working with). But I also like having a large buffer in front of and behind me (3 second rule) and will tap my brake if someone crawls up my ass. I've got creamed by someone texting years ago and really like my space now.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by Casey73

I agree. Going 65 (the posted limit in town) really can be hazardous, even in the right lanes. I try and go 70-75 to stay with traffic in the middle lanes and let the crazies fly by in the two or three left lanes (depending on how many you are working with). But I also like having a large buffer in front of and behind me (3 second rule) and will tap my brake if someone crawls up my ass. I've got creamed by someone texting years ago and really like my space now.

Buffers are good but sometimes hard to maintain. During rush hour, it is pretty much impossible but during "normal" hours, I get in the middle left lane and set the cruise control. Tapping your breaks is just going to **** someone off so...they can climb up my tail all they want....go around...I'm already doing 75. Don't like people around you? If you have ever looked at a non-congested traffic pattern on a freeway there are clumps of cars that all got on about the same time, a huge less congested space, and then another clump of cars. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The problem is the less congested space makes the person who thinks they are in a race to get to the next clump of cars. Frustration, jockeying for position etc. ensues and the driver gets aggravated. I search for that empty space, set the cruise and get to where I am going. It works most of the time until you run into the octogenarian that won't do over 55 cause...you know "55 saves lives" and anything faster than that is wasting gas.

[veritased]

Wow, how different from your neighboring state to the west. I look forward to a change of pace, I guess.

[49erfan916]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

You’re more likely to see this out of town here. Especially on I10 between Phoenix and Tucson

Yea, you're right. Between LA and PHX, I saw some sketchy **** by police.

[Chairmaker13]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Don't sit in the left lane...that is for passing. 10 over is okay for the most part...just don't be driving erratically. The HOV lane is only part time...during morning rush hour and evening...otherwise it is the left lane. If you don't want someone riding your tail, 74/75 in the middle lane unless you want to pass and everyone is happy. As you are driving around you will notice people flying through traffic (they tend to stay on the left) and some doing exactly the speed limit almost causing accidents as the flow of traffic has to go around them. Stay out of the right lane unless you are getting off or coming on the freeway...lots of accidents happen in the merge lanes. Having learned to drive and lived in AZ for the past 31 years...if you aren't going 5-10 over you are going too slow.

I've only been here a couple of weeks and those driving 75 are the exception, not the norm. You are safe at 65 mph as I have experienced on SR51 and the 101. Of course I-10'S top speed seems to be 45 mph to and from work.