deputydawg
Lieutenant Commander
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2004
- Messages
- 1,607
Re: Traffic Light Violations By Camera???
Someone mentioned clocking trees speeding. I don't know what kind of speed reading device is used there. About 15 years ago one of the news programs had a story where they filmed a RADAR device clocking a 65 mile per hour tree. <br />Not long after that aired one of the companies that deals in RADAR devices complained to the network. The reply was that they were not trying to say the tree was speeding, they were trying to show RFI (radio frequency interferrance). They had a 2 way radio. They held it close to the RADAR antenna and keyed the mic. This gave a false reading. They claimed that the part with the radio was accidentaly edited. They then a few weeks later made a statement on the program about the "accident". But it was a 5 second spot aired after the credits when everyone was refilling their popcorn bowls. <br /><br />It is possible to gte false readings, reflections off of signs or store windows, older bank alarms, power transformers, cellular phones within 3 feet of the antenna etc. BUT these problems will not give a doppler tone, and would not be considered a reliable reading. They won't even hold a steady signal giving a jumping speed reading. I almost forgot it is also possible to get a speed reading of 35 to 45 miles per hour off of the defroster fan reflecting off of the window but again no steady doppler tone. There should be more to it than just turning the antenna on and locking the reading. The officer must do a visual estimate then make sure the visual estimate is within 5 mph of the actual reading. Then a doppler tone must be heard steady getting louder as the target vehicle approaches then stopping after the target passes. <br /><br />There is no way the cameras for speed citations can be accurate without these human factors! <br /><br />The speed trailers we use here have a RADAR antenna and a large digital display. They have a white flashing light if the vehicle is over the speed limit, as a warning to the motorist. People think they are photographing because of that but they are not. These trailers we use is a public service, serving as both a reminder to watch speed and as a way to test speedometers. <br /><br />The main reason we work traffic is to be visible. It is even written in our policies, using visibility as a deterant or a reminder to check speed. To us here that is the most important, but we are not one of the jurisdictions that collect revenue off of tickets so nobody cares if we write any or not.
Someone mentioned clocking trees speeding. I don't know what kind of speed reading device is used there. About 15 years ago one of the news programs had a story where they filmed a RADAR device clocking a 65 mile per hour tree. <br />Not long after that aired one of the companies that deals in RADAR devices complained to the network. The reply was that they were not trying to say the tree was speeding, they were trying to show RFI (radio frequency interferrance). They had a 2 way radio. They held it close to the RADAR antenna and keyed the mic. This gave a false reading. They claimed that the part with the radio was accidentaly edited. They then a few weeks later made a statement on the program about the "accident". But it was a 5 second spot aired after the credits when everyone was refilling their popcorn bowls. <br /><br />It is possible to gte false readings, reflections off of signs or store windows, older bank alarms, power transformers, cellular phones within 3 feet of the antenna etc. BUT these problems will not give a doppler tone, and would not be considered a reliable reading. They won't even hold a steady signal giving a jumping speed reading. I almost forgot it is also possible to get a speed reading of 35 to 45 miles per hour off of the defroster fan reflecting off of the window but again no steady doppler tone. There should be more to it than just turning the antenna on and locking the reading. The officer must do a visual estimate then make sure the visual estimate is within 5 mph of the actual reading. Then a doppler tone must be heard steady getting louder as the target vehicle approaches then stopping after the target passes. <br /><br />There is no way the cameras for speed citations can be accurate without these human factors! <br /><br />The speed trailers we use here have a RADAR antenna and a large digital display. They have a white flashing light if the vehicle is over the speed limit, as a warning to the motorist. People think they are photographing because of that but they are not. These trailers we use is a public service, serving as both a reminder to watch speed and as a way to test speedometers. <br /><br />The main reason we work traffic is to be visible. It is even written in our policies, using visibility as a deterant or a reminder to check speed. To us here that is the most important, but we are not one of the jurisdictions that collect revenue off of tickets so nobody cares if we write any or not.
