1982 CHP Mustang E870255

[Steve]

Originally Posted by mac88chp

Great memory. Those tomato haulers used to also travel SR152 up and over the Pacheco Pass when the canneries were still operating in the Santa Clara Valley. In the early '80s I lived in Sunnyvale and used to commute back and forth to Fresno via that pass on weekends to see my girlfriend. The road up there was still a narrow and twisty two laner back then and those trucks would regularly spill parts of their loads on the corners. Then the critters would come out of the hills to feast on that bounty and a large percentage of them became roadkill. I sure felt bad always seeing all the dead animals but I absolutely HATED having to wash off that god-awful mixture of rotten tomato and wildlife carnage off my car after each trip!

She must have been something special for you to make that long drive from Sunnyvale to Fresno and back! I used to have a girlfriend in Gilroy when I lived in San Jose and I thought that was a long round trip.

SR152 over Pacheco pass was a killer in those days. Narrow, very windy, nothing separating opposing traffic but a double yellow painted line. Since then they have widened it and added a median concrete barrier. Saved many lives no doubt.

The Los Banos area included SR 152 West all the way to Dinosaur Point, the County line. 0255 and I spent a lot of time up there. Perhaps I'll recall some more memories from there.

[mac88chp]

Originally Posted by Steve

She must have been something special for you to make that long drive from Sunnyvale to Fresno and back! I used to have a girlfriend in Gilroy when I lived in San Jose and I thought that was a long round trip.

SR152 over Pacheco pass was a killer in those days. Narrow, very windy, nothing separating opposing traffic but a double yellow painted line. Since then they have widened it and added a median concrete barrier. Saved many lives no doubt.

The Los Banos area included SR 152 West all the way to Dinosaur Point, the County line. 0255 and I spent a lot of time up there. Perhaps I'll recall some more memories from there.

Yeah, she was special enough to make that drive for abut a year before she became wife #1 and moved over to the Bay Area with me. Still have a strong memory of those Friday night dashes to the Valley circa 1983-84. As a young guy with an objective like I had, once I came off the two-lane pass I was always pushing 10-15 mph over all the way around the reservoir and down and across SR152 then south down Highway 99. I learned quick to be vigilant and alert and I pretty much knew where to watch and slow down. Never got cited and had only one "white door warning" the whole time.

Repeated the drill 26 years later while courting wife #2 only this time for three years and the route was Monterey Bay to North SF Bay. Lots more traffic and congestion this time around made for a much less frantic pace.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by mac88chp

Repeated the drill 26 years later while courting wife #2 only this time for three years and the route was Monterey Bay to North SF Bay. Lots more traffic and congestion this time around made for a much less frantic pace.

Yes, the memories from those early days. So many. The time period for your Fresno trips (1983-1984); that was exactly when 0255 and I were in service in the Los Banos area. You drove right past the CHP office in Los Banos each direction. I mostly worked day shift there, but occasionally evenings (off duty at about 10 pm) so it's possible you might have driven SR152 when I was out there. Who knows, I might have seen your vehicle on my beat.

Even though the speed limit was 55 at the time, and they wanted it enforced, I typically never stopped anyone for speed alone until they exceeded 70 (lots of white-door warnings), and even then it depended on traffic conditions. On holiday weekends the highways had a lot of traffic and the traffic flow usually exceeded 70. My main concern in those conditions was patrolling the beat to show a presence (visibility) so drivers hopefully would at least try to pay attention and drive safe, plus assist disabled vehicles (no cell phones, or emergency phones along the highway in those days). I always, as a personal philosophy, balanced enforcement with service.

[mac88chp]

Originally Posted by Steve

Yes, the memories from those early days. So many. The time period for your Fresno trips (1983-1984); that was exactly when 0255 and I were in service in the Los Banos area. You drove right past the CHP office in Los Banos each direction. I mostly worked day shift there, but occasionally evenings (off duty at about 10 pm) so it's possible you might have driven SR152 when I was out there. Who knows, I might have seen your vehicle on my beat.

Even though the speed limit was 55 at the time, and they wanted it enforced, I typically never stopped anyone for speed alone until they exceeded 70 (lots of white-door warnings), and even then it depended on traffic conditions. On holiday weekends the highways had a lot of traffic and the traffic flow usually exceeded 70. My main concern in those conditions was patrolling the beat to show a presence (visibility) so drivers hopefully would at least try to pay attention and drive safe, plus assist disabled vehicles (no cell phones, or emergency phones along the highway in those days). I always, as a personal philosophy, balanced enforcement with service.

Had to be very tough to vigorously enforce the double-nickel by that time, esp. in the rural areas. I pretty much follow the basic speed law and never drive too fast for conditions and it's always kept me out of trouble. Yep, I'd always see the CHP office right on the main drag in Banos. How far east did the office cover on SR152?

Here's what I was driving back then, you'll notice I added those big fog lights which were super effective and a must have for those nighttime runs in that nasty valley fog.



I'd be passing thru Los Banos between 6-7pm on Fridays then back again between 5-6am on Monday mornings. Got my only white door warning while on 152 just past the SR33 Dos Palos exit. It was Friday about 7:30pm and a Mustang came up on me from the EB onramp after I passed the interchange. I knew the headlight signature well and had plenty of time to slow down and move to the #2 lane before he could get a pace. He knew I made him...what different times those were before radar and lidar!

[Steve]

I knew I'd seen that vehicle before...there was an enlarged photo of it in the briefing room with the caption "Watch out for this guy!" LOL, just kidding.

Seriously, do you remember if that white door warning was from an '82? Because that could have been me and 0255. Most of the time I was in Los Banos I worked day shift the East side of the area (beat 30-16), which included SR 152 East from Los Banos city to the Madera County line and SR 33 from the Dos Palos Y to just South of Mendota, and all the County roads and areas in between. A very large area, parts of 3 counties.

The Dos Palos exit off of SR 152 you referred to, we called that the Dos Palos Y because of the configuration of the interchange. One of my favorite breakfast and coffee pit stops was there; in fact coming out of that restaurant was where the pursuit I referred to in the first post on this thread started from. I would get up at 4:30 am on weekdays to get into the office for day shift, head out of Los Banos East to make an SR 152 beat check, then go get breakfast. So it is possible you saw 0255 and I out there.

Thinking about that area brings back even more memories.

[mac88chp]

Originally Posted by Steve

I knew I'd seen that vehicle before...there was an enlarged photo of it in the briefing room with the caption "Watch out for this guy!" LOL, just kidding.

Seriously, do you remember if that white door warning was from an '82? Because that could have been me and 0255. Most of the time I was in Los Banos I worked day shift the East side of the area (beat 30-16), which included SR 152 East from Los Banos city to the Madera County line and SR 33 from the Dos Palos Y to just South of Mendota, and all the County roads and areas in between. A very large area, parts of 3 counties.

The Dos Palos exit off of SR 152 you referred to, we called that the Dos Palos Y because of the configuration of the interchange. One of my favorite breakfast and coffee pit stops was there; in fact coming out of that restaurant was where the pursuit I referred to in the first post on this thread started from. I would get up at 4:30 am on weekdays to get into the office for day shift, head out of Los Banos East to make an SR 152 beat check, then go get breakfast. So it is possible you saw 0255 and I out there.

Thinking about that area brings back even more memories.

Phew, glad I wasn't a BOL, didn't want to end up like this poor guy! LOL



Steve, I honestly can't recall the year of the Mustang or even the exact year ('83 or '84) that white door warning happened to me. I do remember it was enhanced by a quick on-off flash of the ruby in my direction before the officer floored it and disappeared into the night.

Who knows, we very well may have laid eyes upon one another out there in the westlands badland once upon a time.

[MOstang]

Originally Posted by mac88chp

Phew, glad I wasn't a BOL, didn't want to end up like this poor guy! LOL

One foot on the break and one on the gas....yep you can't drive 55, LOL!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by mac88chp

Steve, I honestly can't recall the year of the Mustang or even the exact year ('83 or '84) that white door warning happened to me. I do remember it was enhanced by a quick on-off flash of the ruby in my direction before the officer floored it and disappeared into the night.

Who knows, we very well may have laid eyes upon one another out there in the westlands badland once upon a time.

It is possible. When I did work evening shift it was always on beat 30-16 (Westside). Some Officers didn't like driving the Mustangs, they drove the Dodge Diplomat instead. So it was likely one of only 3 or 4 possible officers that evening. Los Banos was a small office in those days; I think only about 16 or so Officers plus 2 or 3 Sergeants, a Lieutenant, and the Captain. Day shift would have 3 or 4 units, evenings the same, and Graveyard a single 2-man car. But sometimes vacations, court time, sick time, etc. would reduce the lineup. I remember one time when I was the only unit for the entire area on day shift. I put about 350 miles on 0255 in 8 hrs just trying to beat check all the main roadways at least once.