Speeding citation

[Patton]

The officer with a stopwatch now watches the videos and pictures. The speed is calculated to a tenth of a mph. Reflex is the biggest marketer of this technology. My old Chief got one, contested and lost.

[Sam1]

I wouldn't spend to much debating the specifics of any system, because almost every cop out there uses radar, then laser comes in second.  a radar detector, even a cheap one, helps out on almost every single situation.

[2.ooohhh]

The officer with a stopwatch now watches the videos and pictures. The speed is calculated to a tenth of a mph. Reflex is the biggest marketer of this technology. My old Chief got one, contested and lost.

Calculation of speed is not where the issue arises, the vascar machine is good at it's very limited math. The human operating the machine must activate the switch to begin the timing cycle and again to end the timing cycle bring the method of measurement into question.

 

Calculating to the nearest tenth mph was the same my ticket in TX had. What the Highway patrol hadn't explained to speeders or the judge previously is that the way the lines were painted at 100' intervals made for quite the margin for error in the officer's measurement due to officer reaction time variance.

 

At 60mph a vehicle travels 88 feet per second so 1.136 seconds to travel 100' A human measuring a vehicle traveling at those speeds factoring in natural reaction variance due to anticipation will measure between 0.921(74mph) and 1.571(a little over 43mph) The percent the of error climbs as speeds increase since the reaction time variance remains constant as the measured value decreases.

 

To measure with an accuracy that is within the limitation of the math with in the vascar box(0.1 MPH)you would need to measure the cars over a distance closer to 1000'. By increasing the distance you essentially lessen the margin of error due to reaction time until it is a non issue. Down side being that it now takes the officer 10x as long to measure the speed of each vehicle, but the measurement method is much more accurate and will stand the scrutiny of a good attorney with a physics teacher for an expert witness. :up:

 

 

As to Sam1, yes, my radar detector has saved my bacon MANY more times over the last 10 years than my math skills. :woohoo:

[safeandsecure]

Gettin' old means seldom speeding.  Don't have the reflexes, eyesight, or nerve I once had. Also hate the thought of throwing money out the window, so to speak, to pay a speeding ticket.  Less cash available to spend on guns.   :shake:

 

Never have had a moving citation, either, though God (and many LEOs) know that I've deserved a boatload. 

[Patton]

I am not referring to Barney Fife and his stopwatch, i understand that is the roots of VASCAR. Today's technology an officer sets up the complete system measuring the speed of the vehicle within the field of view using a sensor-based camera-vision system that calculates speed based on distance over time inputs. Boxes are set up on the computer screen with measurements and calculations of the vehicles lines and profile are taken, one every 1/10th of a second. The FPS is calculated into mph and the violators are mailed a ticket with two photographs of the violation. If they choose to come to court all ten photographs are shown as well as the video of the violation, all will have the speed displayed as well as the speed of the other vehicles on the road. People get all white in the face when this is shown.

[Sam1]

That stuff is very rare, and again I would say when you see the vascar lines painted on the road, just slow down for a second and your problem is solved if worried about it.

 

We have just as good of a chance to be clocked by a 27 year old nun from Brazil employed by Blackwater flying drones overhead, than we do from a high speed camera vascar system here in TN.

[Patton]

There are no lines on the road, they set up cones during the installation or setup then remove them. The cameras are on telephone poles, mounted on trailers, or mounted in vehicles on the side of the road. In TN if it is not a permanently mounted device an officer has to be within sight of the device. If it is permanent the officer only needs to check the device before and after retrieving data.
This type of system isn't too common in TN, they are there though. I worked at a department with one.

[2.ooohhh]

Ah, yeah never been caught by the mounted cameras in TN and likely never will be as they are all marked by POI's in the GPS these days.

 

[Sam1]

Yeah and a lot of the radar detectors have gps now so it's not even a concern for the permanently mounted ones any longer, and the live networks that run through ones like an escort let people report them on the fly.

[Duck]

I used to run a Valentine radar detector That saved my tail many times. I did find myself traveling faster because I had one. I used to get false reading in certain parts of Knoxville because they put radar signals on telephone poles for some reason. A few months back I thought I had been had, a motorcycle cop outside of Chattanooga was shooting cars as they past. My Valentine never made a sound. A week later it was in the mail 65mph in a 45mph speed zone. It was only $50 so I paid it. He was using a laser device that took photos, it looked like a regular radar gun. There was a link on the citation to go online to see the video but I knew I was speeding. It did say on the ticket Laser confirmed 65mph at 90 ft or something similar. I asked around and apparently with laser you only have 50% chance of a warning and even they already know your speed.

[Sam1]

yep, the only thing that gets laser is a jammer, all a radar detector does is let you know you just got a ticket when it goes off.

[Duck]

I had gotten warnings of laser before but this time nothing. I was told photo enforcement is the thing of the future, apparently they can get thousands of tickets an hour.$$$$$. I talked to a lawyer about it and he advised that I pay. I was concearned about my Nuclear Clearance, but it doesn't effect it.c If I went to court and lost it would cost more and be on my driving record. Apparently the photo enforcement cameras are stronger than an officers word because they have evidence verify the violation.

[Patton]

I don't like using LiDAR(laser) unless I have to with heavy traffic or some other circumstance. I have been so focused on targeting vehicles I had someone walk right up on me and I didn't know it. Like wise, I don't like for motorist to actually know I am running speed enforcement. I sit in the open with the radar antenna or gun hidden acting like I am just watching vehicles. I rarely sit anyway and LiDAR can't be used moving so I ride around wit my moving radar on standby with my thumb on the instant on.
True if your detector goes off with Laser they already know your speed.

[tnguy]

I heard you can even do that class online, now. You might check into that, instead of having to schedule some inconvenience.

 

Do the in-person class. I was in and out in 20 minutes at one. The online class was a 4-hour snoozefest with no way to speed it up.

[tnguy]

A radar detector is good to get to learn where the cops hang out. It's also a good notification to check your speed. At least two or three tickets I have had have been for traveling faster than my intended speed. Besides speeding, it can also be a good hint not to perform safe but ticketable maneuvers if it goes off.

[Sam1]

I don't like using LiDAR(laser) unless I have to with heavy traffic or some other circumstance. I have been so focused on targeting vehicles I had someone walk right up on me and I didn't know it. Like wise, I don't like for motorist to actually know I am running speed enforcement. I sit in the open with the radar antenna or gun hidden acting like I am just watching vehicles. I rarely sit anyway and LiDAR can't be used moving so I ride around wit my moving radar on standby with my thumb on the instant on.
True if your detector goes off with Laser they already know your speed.

 

Didn't a couple of Knoxville biker cops get plowed into around Pellissippi & i-40 a year or two doing this on the side of the road?

[tnguy]

I haveta say, we're told how dangerous it is for cops working the side of the road which, having been there myself, it is, somewhat. Yet still they're out there chasing down quite trivial cases of speeding. Personally, I think not actually endangering anyone should be a reasonable defense to speeding.

[Jesse]

I leave early enough so i can take it easy and do the speed limits. I may be only American that doesnt rush my life away. If you actually do the math. Speeding in the city will not get you there no more than a few minutes compared to someone doing the speed limit. A few minutes isnt worth a day missed from work for traffic school and fines. Slow down and take it easy my fellow Americans. Enjoy the ride.

[QuietDan]

No a speeding ticket if payed will not hurt you when buying a firearm. Since this is your first you may want to look in to the defensive driving course. Frequently this option can satisfy the citation and avoid points on your license

Yep. And just about as cheap. No points on your license. Don't let it time-lapse though . . . then they can arrest you on a non-appearance warrant, yank your license, etc, etc. Others know better than me, but I'm thinking the non-appearance warrant and/or an arrest for non-appearance will screw up your HCP.

[tnguy]

I leave early enough so i can take it easy and do the speed limits. I may be only American that doesnt rush my life away. If you actually do the math. Speeding in the city will not get you there no more than a few minutes compared to someone doing the speed limit. A few minutes isnt worth a day missed from work for traffic school and fines. Slow down and take it easy my fellow Americans. Enjoy the ride.

 

Zzzz... 

 

Sorry, I fell asleep ;)

 

I rarely drive in the city. When I do, typically speed is somewhat constrained by other traffic anyway. I try not to swerve or barge in and generally try to maintain lane discipline and be considerate of others.

 

Not everywhere is city though :)

Edited August 24, 2013 by tnguy