Drivers of high-performance vehicles traveling through Santa Barbara County might want to mind their miles per hour.
California Highway Patrol officers from the Buellton area were busy on Wednesday after receiving multiple reports of speeders in distinctive exotic vehicles traveling at especially high speeds.
The officers, working with air operations crews, conducted a number of traffic enforcement stops for speeding drivers on Highways 154 and 101, Officer Michael Griffith told Noozhawk.
As of mid-afternoon Wednesday, officers had issued seven citations for excessive speed — with speeds reportedly topping 90 mph, he said.
At least one driver also was ticketed for reckless driving.
“We kind of got a tip-off they would be heading this way,” Griffith said.
That “be on the lookout” warning let CHP officers get into position in case the drivers continued their antics through the Santa Ynez Valley.
They did.
Vehicles involved included Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche — all high-end sports cars, Griffith said.
In addition to exceeding the speed limit, some Highway 154 drivers passed on the double-yellow lines and took other dangerous actions.
The CHP noted the enforcement action on its Facebook page along with a picture of a traffic stop involving a trio of white high-end performance vehicles.
A comment on the Facebook post speculated the drivers of the exotic cars were en route to Monterey Car Week.
Social media users noted other scofflaws on Central Coast roads, with one writing, “They flew through Nipomo, too.”
Another user included a photo of a different traffic stop in the San Luis Obispo area.
Drivers might want to continue to mind speeding ways after the Monterey show ends.
“We’re going to be out there in force with air ops taking proper enforcement actions,” Griffith said.
Buellton CHP officers along with local elected officials and residents have revved up enforcement efforts amid concerns about the number of crashes on Highway 154 and other local roads.
Griffith said one CHP officer asked a driver Wednesday why they were speeding and received a two-word explanation: mob mentality.
“It’s unfortunate that’s the attitude when it places innocent people’s lives at risk and people’s property in danger.” Griffith added.
It’s the second time in less than a year that sports car drivers speeding along Highway 154 have landed in the news.
A Southern California man behind the wheel of a Lamborghini landed in trouble after he was stopped for driving 152 mph on Highway 154 in November.
Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at [email protected] .
