Ph should be between 7.2-7.8 to be comfortable and not do damage to your pool. Usually, 7.4-7.6 is best. When speaking about chlorine above the max - well it depends on how high above max you are talking, so I can't really comment on that.

As far as whether or not it is safe to swim in cloudy water - that depends on why it is cloudy. If it is because your calcium is a little high, that is one thing, but if it is because you are at the beginning of an algae bloom , then that is something else entirely. You have to trust your readings. Typically cloudy water with algae starting to grow will cause you to have a CC reading.