There's a catch-all in the California Vehicle Code referred to as the Basic Speed Law - no doubt that's how he was written up even though he was under the posted speed limit.
V C Section 22350 Basic Speed Law
Basic Speed Law
22350. No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.
Since you seem to be very well informed, I'll ask you. My father in law is an ex cop but he retired from the SDPD almost 20 years ago. He was a criminal justice professor but concentrated on things like organized crime, drug dealing, etc... Much bigger things than traffic laws. So he's not completely up to speed on that stuff. But I asked him how cops can pull someone over on a twisty mountain road where the POSTED speed limit is 55 for doing 50 in a corner that has a SUGGESTED speed of 25. (A friend of mine got that exact ticket and he's going to try and fight it.) He said he's not sure what they would write that up as but most likely reckless driving since that's considered to be at the officers discretion. If he feels like you going 50 around that turn isn't safe (even if it really is perfectly in control and not pushing any kind of limits at all) he can write you up for reckless driving. But from what you're saying, reckless driving seems like a lot bigger violation than what he's describing.
Just like Mfischler said. 22350 CVC is the unsafe speed law. Any road that is NOT a maximum speed limit (55 or 65) is posted at what has been deemed the safe speed for the roadway given the ideal conditions (dry, clear sky,...). Now if your on any road (even a freeway posted 65 MPH max) but its foggy and visibility is only 50 feet, than the safe speed for the road at that time may be 30-35 MPH. Depends on the conditions and what the officer deems is a safe speed at that time.
As for the turn recommending 25 on a 55 max, and getting cited for 50...I don't see how reckless driving could be cited, that would be kind of chicken shit in my opinion...unless there was other factors making it unsafe. But that's just my opinion. Now, if that turn happens to be a turn that there are multiple crashes at all the time due to people taking too much speed into it...then that could be legit to cite just for the speed, but I couldn't see reckless driving. That's a stretch.
As for your father-in-laws hatred for CHP, I put that up to the same as when I was in the Air Force. Every branch thinks they're the best and all the others suck.
In reality, each has their own reasons for being and functions they play, no one being more important than the other. Those that talk bad about the others either, 1) Have no idea about what the other REALLY does, 2) Is disgrunted because the other wouldn't hire them, 3) is jealous or 4) they're just joking around. My Marine and Army buddies give me crap about the Air Force..."Pre-madonna's, couldn't hack a 20 mile hike....) I had no problems staying in hotels all around the world instead of tents in the desert (although I have) or having better housing, chow halls, hospitals,....
BUT I have full respect for every other branch out there and what they do for each other.
It's too bad some people are just too full of themselves.
