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Police radar and laser speed guns can be extremely inaccurate.  Not only are they subject to user error caused by inexperienced police officers, their accuracy can also be compromised by environmental factors, multiple vehicles or other moving objects in the area, the speed and movement of their patrol car, and the angle that they use to measure vehicles speed.

Not only is the equipment inaccurate, but the officers themselves are usually bias due to the fact that their department is atleast partially funded by the citations that they write.  The CHP (California Highway Patrol) is almost entirely funded by the fines that their officers issue. 

There are so many ways to cheat the current system, so it’s not surprising that so many tickets are issued by law enforcement agencies across the country.

Environmental Factors

There are many environmental factors that could greatly effect the accuracy of the police radar guns.  Since radar and laser reads the speed of a moving object they can be greatly affected by the movement of the police cruiser.  If they are shooting radar while moving behind a moving car, their reading could be affected by the speed of their cruiser and this can even more true if they are measuring the speed of an oncoming car. It is extemely difficult to calibrate the constantly changing speed of their car to their radar gun, so they most likely won’t have an accurate speed reading if their vehicle is moving as well.  That’s why most officers prefer to hide and shoot radar or laser from a stationary position.

Wind, rain, and snow can also greatly effect the speed readings that they can receive and so can all the electrical equipment in their car. 

Radar/Laser Positioning Issues

The radar or laser speed guns work in a line of site manner, neither can bend around curves nor can they follow the contour of the hilly terrain.  If the gun is not properly positioned, it may seem to clock the next approaching car when it’s actually clocking another car in the background.

Look-Past Issues

Even if the officer aims his gun properly, the radar gun is still subject to the look-past error.  This is caused when the radar passes a smaller vehicle in the front and hits a larger vehicle behind the smaller one.  The smaller vehicle only sends back a small amount of the radar waves and the bigger truck sends back a bigger signal.  Thus the speed of the larger vehicle in the back is being measured and not the smaller vehicle in the front.

It’s a common mistake among officers to think that their radar reading will always be measuring the closest vehicle and not another vehicle thats further away.  There are times due to geographic and traffic conditions that the closest vehicle is not the one being measured.  Generally larger vehicles give off large signals and can have their speed measured from further away.
Vehicle Interference Issues

This type of error usually occurs when an officer is using his radar or laser gun from a moving police cruiser.  The traffic ahead of the cruiser can confuse the radar or laser gun’s estimated speed of the patrol car.  These moving radar or laser guns calculate the target speed by subtracting the speed of the patrol car from the speed of the cars in front of them.  These type of readings are subject to 5-10 mph inaccuracy, which can cause an erroneous speed reading which can lead to a speeding ticket.  Slower vehicles can also throw off the speed reading if the officer is behind the vehicle in question, that’s why it’s always more accurate for the officer to measure a vehicle’s speed when he is behind them with his own speedometer rather than his laser or radar gun.

Cosine Issue

A cosine error is caused by a stationary object on the side off the road.  This object could be a building, a broken down car, or even a sign.  This stationary object can reflect radar signals which can interfere with the reading on the radar gun.  If this object reflecting the radar signals was straight ahead on the road, it wouldn’t interfere with the reading much, however if the object is located at the right angle it might interfere with the reading of the moving patrol car’s speed (making it less) and thus the car in front of the patrol car would be measured higher than the actual speed. 

Double Bounce Issue

Radar works when microwave beams are reflected off of objects.  Sometimes the reflection occurs accurately and other times there is a bad reading where they are actually measuring several objects rather than just one vehicle.  This can either make their reading higher or lower than their actual speed.

Reflection Issue

Police radar guns mounted inside of police cruisers can be reflected off of the rearview mirror making the readings inaccurate.  Street signs can also effect the readings on police radar guns.

Issues with Laser Guns

Police radar guns are far more accurate than the traditional radar guns.  However they are only accurate to 1000 feet.  At 1000 feet the laser beam is around 36 inches wide which can accurately applied to a single vehicle.  However, at 2000 feet the beam expands to 72 inches wide and becomes far less accurate.  It’s also more likely that they will be measuring the speed of another car at this distance.  So if you are pulled over by a laser gun, find out the distance and if it’s over 1200 feet than you have a far chance of fighting it due to the inaccuracy at this range.

Generally officers target a front or rear license plate. If you don’t have a front license plate, they will try to target a headlight which is far less accurate and more prone to errors and false reading off of other cars.

Also the angle at which the laser hits the car will effect the reading.  If the car is hit head on it will have a more accurate reading than if it were hit at a 45 degree or 60 degree angle.

Get a Good Radar/Laser Detector

The Valentine One is one of the highest performing radar detectors on the market. One reason for this is multiple radar antennas! The only other detector with two radar antennas is the Bel STi Driver, but in the STi both antennas face forward. In the Valentine One, there is one forward antenna and one rear-facing antenna. Using this combination of antennas, it effectively tells you the band and strength of the radar signal, along with the number of “bogeys,” or radar units being detected. It will also tell you what direction the signal is coming from, and provide the best rear detection out of every other windshield-mounted detector on the market. Even when this sounds too good to be true, theres more. The Valentine One has excellent laser reception, consistently appearing at the top of tests in this category.

Escort Passport 9500i

The all-new PASSPORT 9500i, has revolutionized the radar detector category again. Its blistering performance is derived from the “World’s Best” PASSPORT 8500 X50, which means it delivers the best protection possible against all speed measuring devices. We added advanced GPS-powered intelligence, which makes the PASSPORT 9500i the best performing, quietest and most user-friendly radar detector ever designed.

There is a GPS based database which keeps track of known speedtrap locations and photo radar cameras and your detector will use GPS technology to track your position and alert you when you approach these known police hot spots.  It can also measure your current speed to do speed variable detection.

Conclusion

The factors above can all be used to dispute speeding tickets in court.  They can be used to prove the inaccuracy of the radar or laser gun according to the situation and environment where the speed reading took place.  If you want to fight a ticket it may be beneficial to hire a traffic attorney. 
 

Out here in Sonoma County there is a very interesting legal battle going on right now over a speeding ticket.  This case is getting national attention and it’s outcome could have a major effect on the future of speeding tickets across the nation.

It all started back on July 4th after 17-year-old Shaun Malone was pulled over on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma after motorcycle officer Steve Johnson used his radar gun to clock Malone’s 2000 Toyota Celica GTS going 62 mph in a 45 mph zone.  Malone was given a $190.00 speeding ticket and sent on his way.

However Malone’s family contends that a GPS system they installed in the teen’s car to track his speed shows him driving 45 mph at virtually the exact same time and place where the officer said he was exceeding the speed limit.

Malone’s stepfather happened to be Roger Rude, a retired lieutenant of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, who served for over 20 years as the area’s law enforcement media spokesperson.  Over this time he was able to build up lots of relationships and influence among both law enforcement and the court systems in the area.  Thus he knew exactly how to fight this speeding ticket and has decided to turn this case into an expensive legal battle involving local officials, lawyers, and satellite technology experts pitting the newer global positioning system technology installed in his son’s car against the time-tested police radar gun. 

This is a rather unusual position for Rude, whose career was spent defending the law.

The citation issued to Malone by Officer Johnson noted that the violation occurred at 7:45 a.m. at Lakeville and South McDowell and that the teen was going 62 mph.  The time and location are approximations. In his notes, Johnson noted a spot 400 feet west of South McDowell — but it’s unclear whether that is where he started tracking the car or where he pulled the trigger on the radar gun. Officers are supposed to visually track a vehicle before noting speed with radar, which is supposed to confirm those observations.

Malone’s GPS tracker, timed to record his location every ten seconds, reported that he was going a maximum of 45 mph at 7:43 a.m.  The latitude and longitude coordinates placed the Celica about 300 feet west of South McDowell, a difference of 100 feet as noted in the officer’s written description of the encounter.

Lt. Rude said it would have been impossible for his stepson to accelerate or slow 17 mph to equal 62 mph over that short distance. In his affidavit, the former lawman offers several possibilities for the discrepancy in the two accounts, including that the radar gun’s calibration may have been off or that another vehicle may have been caught in the radar’s sights.  He also suggests Johnson may have been in a hurry.

Carl Fors, president of Speed Measurement Laboratories Inc., a Fort Worth, Texas-based company that specializes in radar technology, trains police around the country in the use of radar. He said it is subject to both human and technical error. In one notable example, he said an officer he observed using radar clocked a rock going 72 mph. The error was caused by the heater fan blowing air inside the officer’s car. He said the CHP was forced to dismiss a case every few months because the calibrations on the radar gun were off. “I used to have situations where officers in part of the county would pull two or three cars over at once, and it would be difficult for them to sort out who did what to whom,” he said.  Some law enforcement agencies now use laser speed detectors, which are more accurate and can reach longer distances. Fors said some models also can take photos to match the targeted vehicle.

Sgt. Tim Lyons, who oversees the traffic unit, said that Officer Johnson has been handling traffic cases for six years and is trained on how to use radar. “He knows how to work traffic and write speeding tickets. I would trust his judgment,” Lyons said.  Lyons also questioned the GPS’s accuracy. “GPS can be hampered by cloud cover, power lines, tall trees — almost anything that blocks the signal from the satellites. And there’s nothing to say that the person using it hasn’t tampered with the device.”  He also says that there may be more of a delay with GPS than there is with a police officer and his radar gun.

But so long as the sky is clear and the device is working properly, GPS trackers are accurate within 1 mph, said Rick Fry, chief information officer for Rocky Mountain Tracking Inc., a Colorado-based company that supplied Malone’s unit. He said the company’s system is the same the Air Force uses to fly drones. The case has been submitted to Commissioner Carla Bonilla, who will issue a ruling. Malone can appeal that decision.

The case has attracted national attention for potentially setting a precedent for using GPS to contest speeding tickets, which is becoming standard in vehicles as a mapping or tracking device.Legal experts say that this case will most likely be appealed to the State Court System within a few months and has the potential for eventually reaching the Supreme Court.

In the United States, this is the first record of this GPS technology being used to this extent to fight a speeding ticket. If Malone wins this case, it may mean that GPS devices can be used in future cases to contest speeding tickets in court.  The ruling in the case could have a major effect on the future of traffic control across the nation.

Click here to see an AP News Video on this case.

I also wonder what type of effect this could have on the Automobile Insurance industry.  One day Auto Insurance companies could install GPS systems in cars and be able to track your driving habits.  They will we able to judge who the good drivers and bad drivers are based on a variety of different criteria.  Thus your true driving habits could influence your auto insurance rates.

To effectively avoid staying out trouble with the police you need to know your rights. There are some things you should do, some things you must do and some things you cannot do. If you are in the middle of a police encounter, you may need a handy and quick reference to remind you of your rights and obligations.

If necessary you can print this entry and carry it in your wallet, pocket or glove compartment to give you quick access to your rights and obligations concerning police encounters.

Be polite and respectful. Never bad-mouth a police officer.

Stay calm and in control of your words, body language and emotions.  Think about what you say or do before you speak or act.

Don’t get into an argument with the police.  If anything be overly nice and polite.  Sometimes being super polite will be more effective and irritate people more than getting upset with them.  Be nice!

Remember, anything you say or do can be used against you.  So shut up and say as little as possible.  You have the right to remain silent, so take advantage of this.

Keep your hands where the police can see them.

Don’t run.  Don’t touch any police officer.  They love to nail people for resisting arrest or assault.

Don’t resist even if you believe you are innocent.

Don’t complain on the scene or tell the police they’re wrong or that you’re going to file a complaint.  File the complaint later on when you can walk into the police station and talk to a supervisor.

Do not make any statements regarding the incident. The police often have tape recorders in their pockets and will try to use anything you say against you.  They do not have to read you your rights until you are arrested.  Before your arrest they are just investigating the situation and treating you as a witness.  Often times your own words are used as the best evidence against you.  They are not obligated to read you your rights until your actual arrest.  Ask for a lawyer immediately upon your arrest.

Remember officers’ badge & patrol car numbers.

Write down everything you remember ASAP.

Try to find witnesses & their names & phone numbers.

If you are injured, take photographs of the injuries as soon as possible, but make sure you seek medical attention first.

If you feel your rights have been violated, file a written complaint with police department’s internal affairs division or civilian complaint board.

IF YOU HAVE A POLICE ENCOUNTER, YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF.

1. What you say to the police is always important. What you say can be used against you, and it can give the police an excuse to arrest you, especially if you bad-mouth a police officer.  Remember that police often hide tape-recorders in their pockets or video cameras on their car as proof of your and their actions.  If you do something wrong they will have it recorded, if they do something wrong then the tape will go missing.

2. You don’t have to answer a police officer’s questions, but you must show your driver’s license and registration when stopped in a car. In other situations, you can’t legally be arrested for refusing to identify yourself to a police officer.  However, you can be arrested for providing fake identification.  Never give them your social security number even after being taken in and arrested.

3. You don’t have to consent to any search of yourself, your car or your house. If you DO consent to a search, it can affect your rights later in court. If the police say they have a search warrant, ASK TO SEE IT.  If they have probable cause they can search your car, but still try to contest it, make it clear that you do NOT want them to search.

4. Do not interfere with, or obstruct the police — you can be arrested for it.

IF YOU ARE STOPPED FOR QUESTIONING

1. It’s not a crime to refuse to answer questions, but refusing to answer can make the police suspicious about you. You can’t be arrested merely for refusing to identify yourself on the street.

2. Police may “pat-down” your clothing if they suspect a concealed weapon. Don’t physically resist, but make it clear that you don’t consent to any further search.

3. Ask if you are under arrest. If you are, you have a right to know why.

4. Don’t bad-mouth the police officer or run away, even if you believe what is happening is unreasonable. That could lead to your arrest.

IF YOU’RE STOPPED IN YOUR CAR

1. Upon request, show them your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance. In certain cases, your car can be searched without a warrant as long as the police have probable cause. To protect yourself later, you should make it clear that you do not consent to a search. It is not lawful for police to arrest you simply for refusing to consent to a search.

2. If you’re given a ticket, you should sign it; otherwise you can be arrested. You can always fight the case in court later.

3. If you’re suspected of drunk driving (DWI) and refuse to take a blood, urine or breath test, your driver’s license may be suspended.

IN YOUR HOME

1. If the police knock and ask to enter your home, you don’t have to admit them unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.

2. However, in some emergency situations (like when a person is screaming for help inside, or when the police are chasing someone) officers are allowed to enter and search your home without a warrant.

3. If you are arrested, the police can search you and the area close by. If you are in a building, “close by” usually means just the room you are in.

We all recognize the need for effective law enforcement, but we should also understand our own rights and responsibilities — especially in our relationships with the police. Everyone, including minors, has the right to courteous and respectful police treatment.

If your rights are violated, don’t try to deal with the situation at the scene. You can discuss the matter with an attorney afterwards, or file a complaint with the Internal Affairs or Civilian Complaint Board.

IF YOU’RE ARRESTED OR TAKEN TO A POLICE STATION

1. You have the right to remain silent and to talk to a lawyer before you talk to the police. Tell the police nothing except your name and address. Don’t give any explanations, excuses or stories. You can make your defense later, in court, based on what you and your lawyer decide is best.

2. Ask to see a lawyer immediately. If you can’t pay for a lawyer, you have a right to a free one, and should ask the police how the lawyer can be contacted. Don’t say anything without a lawyer.

3. Within a reasonable time after your arrest, or booking, you have the right to make a local phone call: to a lawyer, bail bondsman, a relative or any other person. The police may not listen to the call to the lawyer.

4. Sometimes you can be released without bail, or have bail lowered. Have your lawyer ask the judge about this possibility. You must be taken before the judge on the next court day after arrest.

5. Do not make any decisions in your case until you have talked with a lawyer.

6. They have to provide you with one or more (sometimes unlimited) phone calls. Use these calls to call a bails bondman or a lawyer to get you out. You can alo call a friend or family member to bail you out.