Off Axis Laser- Any defense?

**Thumbs** · 07-28-2008, 12:24 PM

A couple of weeks worth of reading and I was ready to part with some cash for a detector and maybe even a laser jamer. Until..... coming home to Michigan from Ohio at dusk last night I saw a LEO shooting laser from an I-94 on-ramp in Ann Arbor, on the inside of a curve in the road. He was parked a good 100 yards off of the interstate and was completely shielded from view by the overpass. I did not notice if the LEO was shooting the rear of the vehicles, but it sure looked like he was hitting them obliquely from the front.

If I had been "equipped" (RD and LJ), I am wondering if the defenses would have done anything for me. I know there would be a decent chance of catching some scattering but that really seems to be a roll of the dice, doesn't it?

Since this sneaky LEO was in my town, I now feel like the odds are pretty stacked against me, and saving a bit of time on my run down I94 has become too risky.

Any thoughts from experienced folks?

Thanks,
Randy H.

**Doc What, son?** · 07-28-2008, 01:00 PM

Greetings and welcome to the forum. You will find it helpful, I'm very sure. It may even become a hobby!

If I'm picturing the scenario, your friendly neighborhood officer was pretty sneaky - unusually sneaky about how he uses radar/laser. Counter measures will not always save you, but they will definitely help. A lot, in most cases, I would say.

I know that the rear-end shot is not extraordinarily unusual in the US, but I've never seen it done in Canada. A good rule of thumb (ha ha) would be to condition your self to slow down when approaching overpasses.

Off-axis is almost sure to be radar, rather than laser. I think you have some chance of picking it up with a good radar detector as you approach. But I suspect the majority of radar encounters will continue to be head-on, often with police using Constant-on radar, sometimes "Intant-on".

So, get a good radar detector. Nothing less than the latest version of the Whistler model everyone raves about on this site, or one of the the Bel Vector series RD's. (the one that lets you turn off X band).

Use a rabbit for a radar decoy whenever possible, even in the city.

Paint your headlights with Laser Veil, which you can read about all over this forum.

Consider getting a jammer...but, wait a while to do a cost benefit assessment of that. Mine has already paid for itself, as I've been saved from a sure laser ticket on 3 definite occasions, and a 4th probable one.

I got a Bel RX 65 2 or 3 years ago after getting nailed with a speeding ticket. Haven't had a ticket since. Where I have saved the most money is from PhotoRadar. I used to get gouged with one or two, sometimes 3 every year! Haven't had any since.

Hope that helps.

**RoadShrink** · 07-28-2008, 04:08 PM

You saw the LEO before you got tagged... that's your best countermeasure right there. All others are secondary.

**erickonphoenix** · 07-28-2008, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by RoadShrink

You saw the LEO before you got tagged... that's your best countermeasure right there. All others are secondary.

Ditto that!!

I've picked up only one off-axis laser hit and it was so severe that I bet the officer overlooked me at first and then only shot at me on the off chance he could capture a speed before it error-ed out. You can't spray and pray with laser. You have to ID a target, then acquire it. I won't say it's harder than using a radar gun but it's a bit more interactive.

**djrams80** · 07-28-2008, 09:08 PM

Also, the larger the angle to the road, the further the laser reading will be from an accurate result, in your favor.

**upstatedoc** · 07-29-2008, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by djrams80

Also, the larger the angle to the road, the further the laser reading will be from an accurate result, in your favor.

What is the maximum angle that a laser gun can give an accurate reading? In all the laser encounters I've had, the LEO was not more than 10 feet from the yellow (or white) side line.

**erickonphoenix** · 07-29-2008, 08:11 AM

I don't think there's an absolute rule but certainly not more than 45˚ off axis.

**Freebird** · 07-29-2008, 08:32 AM

I find a CB radio as a good defense to Laser on the open road. Why, cause the officer using laser is normally in plain view and all the other CB users will alert you of his presence miles before you reach his location.

**upstatedoc** · 07-29-2008, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by Freebird

I find a CB radio as a good defense to Laser on the open road. Why, cause the officer using laser is normally in plain view and all the other CB users will alert you of his presence miles before you reach his location.

^^I have an old portable radio shack cb, maybe I should break it out.

**TSi+WRX** · 07-29-2008, 09:28 AM

One thing I'm somewhat worried about -

We all know well enough that the cosine effect always work to our favor.

We also all know well enough that panning error distinctly works against us (and is also not viable as evidence, and will cause the citation to be thrown out, on technical grounds of instrument/operator error)

What's the net combination of these effects, at closer ranges (thus with the gun nearly impossible to pan) and with the enforcer so off-axis?