LA to Phx run tomorrow a.m. Any tips?

[CarreraS2]

Can I have the pedal to the metal the whole way, or are there a bunch of speed traps?

Any particular places to be extra careful?

Tips appreciated!

[motion]

I did my last real estate run to Phoenix in the Porsche and didn't see one cop, Brian. But hey, you of all people know what the ramifications of getting caught are

Good luck out there.

[MarkY]

Since you're coming from LA, I assume you'll be coming down I10? If that's the case watch your speed in Palm Springs and for the first 20 miles or so once you cross the border into Arizona. Some places are patrolled by aircraft, although I have my doubts.

I travel with my Valentine, and am never the lead dog.

[Sonic dB]

Fun drive. I did this about 4 weeks ago. Once I got out of LA, it was a breeze.... Very windy near Palm Desert, and you will see those cool windmills out there. Between Palm Desert and Phoenix, there is like one decent sized town and two little ones. The closest town to Phoenix is a little hole called Buckeye, which is about 30 miles away. Being a Michigan Wolverine fan, I wasnt too pleased to see that "Welcome to Buckeye sign"

I made it in about 5 and a half going there...and about 4 and a half going back. Maybe the wind was at my back on the way back.

Top speed was 120 as I raced against this chick in an Oldsmobile Alero, surprisingly enough. She kept up with me till about 110, and the I was still accellerating away from her and hit 120. Shortly after, I looked across the devider and saw a vehicle that had just overturned.....bags, and bodies were scattered all over the highway. People had stopped their cars and were running over to assist the injured.

I decided to slow down a bit.....

[FenderGuy]

that ride sucks after you leave palm springs yeah the windmills are cool i did a trip to phoenix to orange county in 3 hours and 30 minutes. Not to many cops but i think they are out there

[FenderGuy]

the speed limit was 110 for us lol ....you just have to see what parts you can go that fast

[Sonic dB]

Yes...its 75 mph speed limit. Some beautiful scenery out there to gaze at... long stretches of near empty highway. Lots of freaky people in RVs too, for some reason.

[dd74]

105 mph, at least...

Should get there in what, four hours?

[rich22]

If you plan to speed in Arizona, bring some cash with you. If you get busted and you're from out of state, they will probably take you to jail to pay up. BTW, some Arizona Highway Patrol consider 1 mph over to be speeding, and 90 to be reckless driving, in which you get taken to jail whether you're in-state or out. You can also count on 99.9% of every law enforcement vehicle in Arizona to have radar at a minimum. Some have laser, and some have VASCAR, which is undetectable. Besides the usual marked cruisers, I've seen Mustangs, Camaros, a beat-to-hell pickup, and a luxo-barge Buick being used by the cops.

[MarkY]

Keep in mind the speed limit on I10 is 75 in ARIZONA. In California it is 70.

[williel]

Around Quartzsite and Buckeye there are DPS stationed there. Otherwise, you're clear. I'm not certain if they use aircraft any longer. My bro in law used to be DPS patrol till recently.
Going back to LA is a better, faster ride esp. in the downhill sections just before Indio, saw 165 there in the 500E, little less in the 911.

[Emission]

I'd use a radar detector.

I've done that trip many times, and you can easily cruise 85-90. I've done 130 in my '02 Passat (I wouldn't go any faster as it only wore "HR-rated" tires) on a lonely stretch of highway on the way to Phoenix (wife and son asleep in the back).

[LeeH]

With a limit of 75, you can run 80 with little or now worries. Watch it as you come into Phoenix. Seems they like to catch people where the speed limit had just gone down. They know it's tough to drive 65 after you've been cruising at 80 all day. Don't assume that if you see somebody pulled over that you're in the clear. It's common practice to have another car drive by to keep an eye on the officer doing the stop.

I'm not sure about west of Phoenix, but between here and Tucson there's a lot of border patrol working. They're looking for truckloads of illegals, but I always wonder how much they communicate with DPS - like if they see you go by at 130. If you see a jacked up green 4x4 sitting in the median, it's probably the border patrol.

[Emission]

Glad you made it without any unscheduled stops (law enforcement)!

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
On the open road, no one blocks the fast lane. It was wide open all the way there and all the way back. Everyone pulls over as soon as they see you coming up. Not one blocker the whole trip.

my impression is that the 70 & 75mph limits relax all drivers.. and the HP is more concerned about safety that a toll tax.
pre tourist season roads also helps having a nice ride.

[azasadny]

What, no pictures for us folks "trapped" in the cold part of the country?

[Joeaksa]

You want pics of AZ??? We got lots of them... from sunrise in the desert to sunset in the mountains just North of here!

[azasadny]

Joeaksa,

Thanks, that looks beautiful!

[W911inGarage]

SoCal911SC,

So were you looking at a car, or for work?