Is there a real Dead Mans Curve?

It's down this road.
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I recall it being on Sunset Blvd. going east right before you get to UCLA. In the 60's there were several crashes (some fatal) at this spot from racing and exhibition driving. Dean Torrance (of Jan and Dean) went to University High in West LA in the 60's. (I went to Uni at that time).

They finally banked the curve to cut down on the accidents.

 

There are mixed thoughts where the actual curve is. Starrgate mentioned one. The other is further West in Beverly Hills, just before you reach Whittier Dr. There is a very deep curve with a reverse bank.

 

I may be wrong, but I always thought it was in Ojai or near there.

 

Iwas wrong...http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/deadman.htm

 

There is a real dead man curve on the Angeles Crest HWY, there is another name to this curve that escapes me now (Something with "Leap"). It's about four miles above Newcomb ranch, a long Left hand sweeper nagatively banked that led many bikers to find their death in the guard rail, the trees or down the cliff had they managed to escaped those two..
Any seasoned biker in SoCal knows what I'm talking about..

EDIT: it's called "The Squid's Leap"..

 

I thought Coldwater Cyn, but over the last couple of months, it's been close to Stunt Road.

 

I know that curve and have heard it called that. I didn't realize how off camber that turn was the first time I took it, good thing I wasn't going to fast.

 

Dead mans curve was on Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point right at the turn where Hobie Alters shop used to be. The turn was off camber, on a hill and there was a telephone poll that had a way of coming out and tagging you if you blew the turn.

 

Exactly where Los Angeles' version of "dead man's curve" can be found is the subject of some debate, but by general consensus it's a tight corner of Sunset Boulevard near the Bel-Air Estates north of UCLA's Drake Stadium. (In this map of the UCLA campus, it's the curve of Sunset just above Drake Stadium, which is identified with a yellow number 78.) This turn is particularly tricky for persons driving eastbound (left to right on the map above) on Sunset, as a long downhill stretch on which it's all too easy to spurt well over the 35 MPH speed limit leads up to the curve, where a driver suddenly finds he must bank sharply left or centrifugal force will send his car crashing through a wall of trees bordering the UCLA campus. Motorists unfamiliar with this part of Sunset Blvd. (or those who know about it but opt to tempt fate and test their driving abilities by approaching the turn without slowing down) can easily find themselves yanking the steering wheel too hard to the left and spinning off the road or into oncoming traffic.

The most renowned victim of Los Angeles' infamous curve was Mel Blanc, famous as the voice of Bugs Bunny and hundreds of other cartoon characters. In January 1961, Blanc was driving his sports car eastbound on Sunset Blvd. one evening around 9:30 P.M., and at "dead man's curve" he collided head-on with another car. Blanc was pried from the wreckage unconscious, having suffered head injuries, a broken pelvis, and two broken legs; he barely escaped death and spent weeks in a coma. Just a few days after Blanc's accident, Los Angeles' Board of Public Works approved making changes to the banking of that portion of Sunset Blvd. to lessen the danger posed by the downhill curve, a city engineer testifying that it had been the scene of 26 accidents — three of them fatal — within a two-year stretch.

 

As much as I hate to agree with anyone who went to Uni, I agree.
Howard, BHHS 1959

 

on HWY 49 at the start up above Truckee (north of lake tahoe) there is also a sign that says "Motorcyclist Beware Dead Mans Curve 17 miles ahead". Came across it this weekend but didn't snap a pic.

 

There are a couple of areas that have them.
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1) Glendora Mtn Rd.
2) Sand Canyon
3) Azuza Cny Hwy39
4) Angels crest Rd
5) Back side of Angles crest rd drops you back into Palm Dale.
6) Altadena cny rd.

 

Karim

You're right. There have been lots of windy roads called Dead Man's Curve.

During the early 60's era, we used to race Dead Man's Curve on Sunset with Kathy Torrance (Dean's Sister) along. Dean also went to Uni High althoug a couple of years earlier. The song was definitely about that particular stretch.

Thanks for the back up Howard.

 

I thought there was a deadman's on mulholland too, according to the old "mulholland raceway" tales.

 

dont forget hwy 46 in central cali - do not drive this road its heavly used by a lot of commercial vehiciles and they do not like to YIELD. You can reach stupid fast speeds on it loaded with CHP.

 

There's always Dead Man's Curve in Pawhuska, Oklahoma!