When does radar lock your speed in???

**yemntftb** · 07-12-2006, 05:29 PM

Alright, at what point (feet, yards, meters?) can a radar gun lock in your speed? I'm sure it differs depending on the gun, and the band used...but I think this is pretty important to know. Maybe there is a general distance.

I would assume the police officer would have to visually verify you as the speeder, but if you're locked in before you make visual contact with the officer, and vise versa, can the cop just assume you were the speeder? Even if you're behind another car?

-YeM

**bauzer71487** · 07-12-2006, 05:51 PM

.3 miles is the limit in Michigan for Radar, the capabilities are there - but michigan won't let them due to visual abilities and the human eye - I'm not sure if this is applied elsewhere or not.

Laser is different, I believe 1500 is the limit but I'm not sure.

**AirMoore** · 07-12-2006, 05:55 PM

Some of the newest and best Ka guns can probably clock large SUV's (given favorable conditions) up to a mile away (it possible but not plausible)... great for us technology is getting better huh?

Edit: Bauzer has a good point, rules and regulations on targeting distance vary from place to place.

But the (longest range) depends on a few things: Line of sight, frontal area of the car, gun being used, weather etc etc, so there really is no (one) awnser to your question.

If your (directly) behind another car, the LEO cannot target and obtain your speed, but it can target the speed of the car infront of you, and one would logically assume that your going the same (or close to the same) speed, unless the officer saw the other car just pass you. (Radar is a bit to 'wide' to zero-in on only one car at any distance).

(Now there are some guns that can give the fastest speed and the strongest signal speed to the LEO, rather then just the strongest signal which most display[and have the LEO guess which signal is stronger]... but again if your directly behind a car this wouldnt matter, but if you were along side it... now theres something!)

But most of the time.... a LEO will set up a trap where by the time you can visually see the LEO's car, the LEO can and IS targeting you. (Just a General rule of thumb)

**yemntftb** · 07-12-2006, 07:04 PM

But most of the time.... a LEO will set up a trap where by the time you can visually see the LEO's car, the LEO can and IS targeting you. (Just a General rule of thumb)

We'll thats really interesting because with Ka-band, sometimes its hard to detect before you see the cop visually, Ie. long stretches of highway, or roads with curves...so if my X50 is ramped up half way, am I locked in?

If a police officer is ontop a hill, the radar isn't going to be going down and following traffic, even if you're detecting it...So you'd have to enter the band before it can be locked.

**bauzer71487** · 07-12-2006, 07:29 PM

I don't know if you understand how the radar works.

But if its ramping - chances are you aren't even close enough for him to know you are there.

If you are 1 mile away - he don't know about you. If you are 3 hops and a jump away - than he could have already gotten your speed.

Its hard to explain.

**jimbonzzz** · 07-12-2006, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by yemntftb

Alright, at what point (feet, yards, meters?) can a radar gun lock in your speed? I'm sure it differs depending on the gun, and the band used...but I think this is pretty important to know. Maybe there is a general distance.

I would assume the police officer would have to visually verify you as the speeder, but if you're locked in before you make visual contact with the officer, and vise versa, can the cop just assume you were the speeder? Even if you're behind another car?

-YeM

If you're talking about the maximum range at which radar units can acquire a speed reading, here's some info that I posted in another thread:

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

I do have some information, but comparing the numbers directly to our test results isn't going to tell you too much, and it isn't really relevant. Our tests were done at a steep angle or over a hill to make things difficult for the detectors, and these radar maximum range tests were straight-on line of sight.

First, the maximum possible target range will vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on the radar cross section. For example, here's a Car & Driver test from way back in 1979(!). They used a Kustom KR-11, results are in feet.

But of course, different models etc will have different maximum ranges against the same vehicle.

Here's a more recent study against some current guns. The target vehicle for the Stationary-Mode Maximum Range test was a Special Service Package Ford Expedition. This vehicle was otherwise used as the radar vehicle. For the Moving-Mode Maximum Range and Same Direction Maximum Range tests a Nissan Maxima was used as the target. All guns were Ka band except the Genesis II Directional which was K-Band.

Judging the "best detector" is subjective, and is always going to vary from person to person. For many, the best detector is the most sensitive detector, but not always. One always has to weigh performance, features, price etc etc.

Jim

**yemntftb** · 07-12-2006, 08:10 PM

By same direction, do they mean if the officer had the radar gun pointed toward traffic moving away from him, or coming to him???

Some of those radar guns pick up signals at around 1 mile...

How does a radar detector even help to give me time to slow down. If I'm ramped at 1Ka, I could still be locked in???

Just doesn't seem right...I've got to be within atlest 600 Feet for them to decide I'm the speeder...I mean 1000 feet out is far, just doesn't seem logical, let alone 5000 feet.

**jimbonzzz** · 07-12-2006, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by yemntftb

By same direction, do they mean if the officer had the radar gun pointed toward traffic moving away from him, or coming to him???

Some of those radar guns pick up signals at around 1 mile...

How does a radar detector even help to give me time to slow down. If I'm ramped at 1Ka, I could still be locked in???

Just doesn't seem right...I've got to be within atlest 600 Feet for them to decide I'm the speeder...I mean 1000 feet out is far, just doesn't seem logical, let alone 5000 feet.

Same Direction = Officer is clocking a vehicle driving the same direction he is.

Today's modern radar detectors can detect the police radar much further than radar units can obtain a speed reading, usually many times the distance. If all police ran constant-on radar, almost any detector would provide you with full protection, even the "crappy" detectors.

To detect the radar, it only has to travel from the gun to the vehicle. To get a speed reading, it has to travel twice the distance: from the gun, to the vehicle, and back to the gun again. The detector has a clear advantage here.

As a comparison to the "maximum range" numbers for the radar units, if there is line-of-sight a sensitive detector can easily detect the radar 5 miles out, and according to some tests 10+ miles out is not unheard of.

A sensitive detector is important for a couple of reasons. One is because a lot of times police are sneaky, and use "instant-on" where they only target certain vehicles which appear to be speeding. In this case, the detector must be sensitive enough to detect the radar being used against traffic ahead, otherwise you won't get a warning until you're being targeted yourself, and by then it is too late: he's already got you.

Another reason for a sensitive detector is for over hills and around curves, since there is very little radar to detect. Although a cheap detector might give plenty of warning on a straight highway, it might not give enough warning over hills or around curves before the radar sees you.

Hope this helps...

Jim

**yemntftb** · 07-13-2006, 06:19 AM

thanks jim

**alpinestars_2002795** · 07-13-2006, 08:16 AM

Hey airmoore just reading on mph industries site you are right on basicly everything but one point if the car is stantionary using same direction mode asd in mph terms you can clock a car behind car as long as the car behind the first one is going faster than the first car in line so yes it is possible to clock the speed of two cars the first and second if they are the only two... in same direction mode it says it right on the mph industry site..

AlPiNe~