Misuse of radar guns

**cyber3d** · 01-27-2009, 02:51 AM

What prevents an officer from using a radar gun on some poor slob doing 70mph - not clearing the reading and using it on the next guy claiming he's doing 70mph also?

**Espresso** · 01-27-2009, 03:18 AM

Time Stamp.

But regardless....
Buy a GPS unit & if you get caught speeding when you know you were not. Tell him that your GPS can prove him wrong. It can, it does & they trump radar or laser guns in court.

**cyber3d** · 01-27-2009, 04:09 AM

But, how do you prove your reading on GPS in court? I'd bet the officers get away with it more than not. I mean, how many citizens are going to take the time to fight it?

I had a ticket dismissed when I stated to the judge that I use a radar detector as a self imposed deterrent to speeding. He found that compelling (if not funny) and cut me slack. This was the 70mph radar ticket.

**Espresso** · 01-27-2009, 04:48 AM

Sorry I should have been clearer. I am not talking about a WalMart type GPS unit like TomTom.
You need a GPS tracker/logger. They are not the turn by turn ones. They are they ones used in Lo-Jack & "asset protection" type vehicles( very close to the OnStar in GM vehicles..but you monitor it yourself).
You can get them for as low as $200 for a single tracker or over $1000 for multi vehicle families.

**petrified.rabbit** · 01-27-2009, 02:11 PM

from my understanding (since my car came with Onstar) if i get pulled over i can hit the button to ask them what my speed was... and have them send it to me in an email or letter? I haven't tried it, and you have to have the upgrades service to hit the button when it is not an emergency. And i am not paying for something that won't work for anything but my airbags going off anyhow..

**AveoRob** · 01-27-2009, 02:24 PM

My advice is to be polite and accept the ticket. Never challenge the officer on the side of the road. Like I said accept the ticket and go to court and plea it down to a no point ticket. It will be a few bucks more than the speeding ticket, but no points so no insurance surcharge.

**Monzaveo** · 01-27-2009, 03:10 PM

You can say some right things...as they ask some trick questions looking for an admission of guilt. If you admit, your toast. "do you know how fast you were going''? They always ask that for a reason. There are instances where you can get let go with a warning but they are far and few between, and everything has to be just right.

I've led a cop on 5 road speed chase and gotten out with a taillight out ticket.

I've been rolling with traffic and gotten nailed to the wall with 16 over, no plea's. (city court)
fought it all the way.

I dont know the exact correct way to approach it, there are some books about getting pulled over. And ways to get out of tickets. And there's also paying for a good lawyer, if you got the $$ upfront.

Its best to be polite as stated above and to accept the ticket, because (at least the NYS troopers do)...they print out the deposition right with your ticket. there's no more 'hoping you never recieve it' to get thrown out of court.

99% of officers have gone through enough training that they dont need a radar gun to give a speeding ticket to you. Without a lawyer, the judge will trust the officers training every time.

Keep in mind, 99% of the time, this is much more about $$$ for your state than it is about you speeding down an expressway. No one gives a ****, even the judge and cops all speed.

Its just an explainable way to dip into your wallet and keep the country rolling.

Keep a look out people, because in these tough times, one of the more lucrative ways for the state to make revenue is traffic enforcement. Your more likely now than ever to be pulled over.

I myself have a bad urge to speed at any given time. Its not as bad as it was years ago, but I still find myself going "whoooaaa Pony better ease it up a bit."

Its the reason I was willing to cut into my cars wiring system to install cruise control.

Then of course I never see any cops, but hey good for me.

That just made me think though...I travel for my job and on quite a few trips, I passed a State Trooper in the median, who came flying out....passed me by and pulled over the guy in front of me. (who had just passed me by a while back)

If I had my way there would be an autobahn in the US.

So yeah, cops can misuse radar, and certainly there's a margin of error in their somewhere.

Not sure if their so dumb as to make the error you suggest, but then again theirs a wide variety situations out their.
Im thinking of state highway patrols with the absolute latest in laser technology.. You trip their wires and your ass is done. plain and simple.

But I suppose their are some town level "barney fife" radar trap situations out their.

Most courts will reduce this to the equivalent of running a stop sign.

Think about this....many insurance companies think this is worse than speeding.

So maybe the plea deal isnt so good after all.