Radar Question

[Karrs]

If I am driving south toward a cop with constant on radar on a two lane road and the cop is driving north but behind another vehicle by about 10 ft, can he obtain my speed as we approach each other? It seems to me that his radar will be reading the car in front of him......

Please teach me......

[FUCCO]

There are two options for moving radar opposite lane and same directional. Therfore to answer your question yes he can pick up your speed northbound vs southbound . Tailing a car in front of him might just decrease the range he can pick you up but thats about it

[AirMoore]

There are two options for moving radar opposite lane and same directional. Therfore to answer your question yes he can pick up your speed northbound vs southbound . Tailing a car in front of him might just decrease the range he can pick you up but thats about it

Yeah I have to agree...
Thats pretty much the bottom line right there.

[edweird]

Yes, he should be able to read your speed, but as the other person posted, if the car in front of him is blocking some of the signal it should be at a reduced range.

One thing to look out for, is if the radar mistakes the closing rate on the vehicle ahead of the patrol car, for the actual speed of the patrol car(normally the ground return). This can result in an error calculating your (the target's) speed. Some of the newer radar units have the ability to get a vehicle speed sensor (VSS) input from the patrol vehicle, which keeps this from happening.

Ed

[Switchback]

if the units not using the vss, this is the most common cause of tickets being written in error, there is a huge chance of "bounce-back" error where the radar unit reads the vehicles speed in front of it, and subtracts that from patrol speed making it look like your speed is almost double of actual. Many tickets have been wrongfully written due to ignorant leo's for this very reason.

But, with a vehicle speed sensor being used, this now opens up the prosecution to show that the vehicles speed sensor was in-fact calibrated, and if the sheet from the calibrating technician is not in court (and less than 6-months old in most cases) then the issue of that speedometer or sensoor being accurate is hearsay at best.

So, for every item radar manufacturers incorporate into the units to decrease inaccurate readings, (which helps the innocent) it also leads to more verification that the prosecution must present in court if you ask for it as proof.

But, if your local court is part of the "good-ole-boy network" you still aren't going to win if the cop is blind and he said he saw you speeding!!