The Truth about Speed Enforcement - Escort Radar

1 For a free printed copy of this report, call toll free 1-888-8 Escort . The secret they don't want you to know: When tra c Radar shows a Speed reading, it does not indicate which vehicle is being clocked. The Truth about Speed Enforcement How Radar and laser guns measure your Speed Why they make mistakes How they are used unfairly How to protect yourself Radar How tra c Radar works How far away can Radar clock you? If all vehicles were identical, the strongest re ection would be from the Tra c Radar units send out a wide Radar range depends on the size and closest car. But di erent vehicles re ect Radar beam that's similar to an invisible shape of the vehicle. Radar can track a di erent amounts of the Radar signal. spotlight. The Radar beam widens as it large truck from over one mile away, even travels, and measures several hundred too far to be seen by eye. But some sports Radar 's most common error: feet wide at a distance of one-half mile. So cars bounce back such a weak signal that mistaken identity a tra c Radar unit simultaneously sees they must be within 500 feet to be clocked.

2 Virtually all cars in sight. The Radar beam Because of this inherent aw of hits oncoming cars, and is re ected back tra c Radar , an o cer could be to the Radar unit, which can calculate looking at your car while his Radar speeds from those re ections. unit is actually clocking the Speed of a large truck far down Radar can be used from a police car the road perhaps even out of that's either stationary or moving, since sight. And since his Radar doesn't it does not require precise aiming to tell him which vehicle it is reading, clock tra c speeds. There are also hand- the police o cer might mistakenly held units that can be operated from a think that you are responsible for the car, motorcycle, or an o cer standing at Radar Speed readings caused by distant trucks Speed displayed. And give a ticket to the side of the road. are a common source of undeserved tickets. you instead of the truck driver. How Radar makes mistakes More than a dozen technical errors for tra c Radar have also Although tra c Radar receives been documented, but mistaken identity re ected signals from all cars within (technically called a target identi cation range, it has no way to display all the error ) is by far the most common.

3 Di erent speeds, and no way to even decide which car is traveling which The bottom line Speed . In fact, tra c Radar displays only Since Radar does not require precise aiming, a single number, usually the Speed of the Tickets can be given anywhere, for it is even used by unmanned Speed trailers. strongest re ected signal. any reason, at any time. laser How laser works at a speci c vehicle, and pulls the trigger, can re ections of laser light from sending out a beam of light. When highway structures and other vehicles. laser works very di erently from this beam is re ected back to the laser Radar . The laser gun sends out a beam of unit, the unit provides a Speed reading. As with any complex electronic laser light that is so narrow and precise Because of the narrow beams, laser device, there can be technical it must be aimed with an optical sight, units are hand-held, and can only be malfunctions and miscalibrations. It's like those used by sharpshooters.

4 The used from a stationary position. even possible for the optical sight to be operator looks through the sight, aims misaligned, so the operator aims at one Common laser errors vehicle, and clocks another. Both human error and the nature of laser is inherently more di cult laser light contribute to errors. For to use and sensitive to environmental example, laser can only be used at a conditions. In fact, because of distance of a thousand feet. This does inaccuracies, some jurisdictions have not give much time for aiming or vehicle refused to give laser judicial notice, identi cation. Environmental and usage which is required before a device is conditions also a ect laser . Rain, fog, authorized to be used for measuring laser guns are aimed with a sight, like a ri e. and snow can lead to false readings, as Speed by law Enforcement agencies. Radar and laser : Fair or unfair? Why Radar and laser are used: The fact is, Radar and laser Speed of Radar and laser clocked tickets has it's not always about safety measurement are used to make it easier balanced more than one town's budget.

5 To give tra c tickets. They are often set One town in West Virginia with a When a driver is blatantly ignoring up in areas where there are no safety population of only 3,200 issued more safe driving techniques ( , speeding or tra c problems, simply high tra c than 18,000 tickets in a single year, through school zones or weaving in volume. Many times they are set up to booking almost $4 million in revenue. and out of tra c) police are rightfully monitor the Speed of every vehicle that enforcing tra c safety laws. But more passes. The high cost to the motorist often than not, tra c Radar is not about safety. It's about revenue. And Enforcement is often highly The cost of a single ticket can add selective, with almost all vehicles up to thousands of dollars. The ne exceeding an often unreasonably-low itself can range from $200 to $400 or posted Speed limit, but only a few more, with insurance increases that vehicles stopped. can add as much as $1,000 to $1,500 in additional premiums.

6 Many people pay Safety, or revenue? tra c nes out of convenience, never realizing that insurance companies Many times, Speed Enforcement treat payment of nes as a reason to is motivated by revenue, not safety. increase your premiums, regardless of The virtually perfect conviction rate whether you were guilty or not. One town in West Virginia with a population of only 3,200 issued more than 18,000 tickets in a single year, booking almost $4 million in revenue How to protect yourself with a Radar and laser detector Fortunately, there is help. Modern How detectors provide beam to hit your car and bounce back. Radar and laser detectors are e ective advanced warning But your Radar detector can pick up tools to defend against unfair tickets. re ections from the microwave beam Can a Radar detector nd police Radar well before it hits you directly. You can Today's Radar detectors are high- before it nds you? The answer is yes. see it before it sees you.

7 Performance, high-technology devices. Suppose you're heading right into the In the last decade, advances in beam of a Radar trap. To measure your Instant-on Radar and laser microcircuitry, signal processing and Speed , the Radar beam has to hit you chip design have led to the design of and be re ected back to the Radar unit, One technique can be hard to defend premium Radar detectors which virtually returning with enough strength to be against, the so-called Instant- on. Here, eliminate false alarms and provide sensed by the calculating circuitry. the Radar or laser unit is in a stand-by longer range warning of Radar and laser mode until a vehicle approaches. It is not with great accuracy. Your Radar detector, however, has a emitting a beam so your detector can't job that's considerably easier, since the nd it. Then, when you are within range, How a Radar detector works signal only has to travel one way to reach the operator switches the unit on and it you.

8 As a result, you'll be able to detect calculates your Speed within one second. A Radar detector is simply a receiver Radar before it can detect you. tuned to detect the presence of the Radar A good Radar detector protects you and laser frequencies used by tra c Radar can't work around curves. by warning you when the operator zaps . monitors. When it picks up one of these But Radar detectors can. one of the cars up ahead. The detector signals, the detector warns you. There has to be sensitive enough to pick up are three di erent Radar bands approved A Radar beam acts like the beam these brief, weak signals. And reliable by the FCC in use by tra c monitoring from a ashlight on a foggy night. The enough so you don't interpret them as units: X, K, and Ka band. person holding the ashlight can't see random false alarms and ignore them. you until the beam makes a direct hit. But you can see the beam through the Photo Radar X-band K-band fog-as it re ects o moisture and dust in the air long before it falls on you.

9 Approximately 200 short-range stationary photo Radar units are in use In much the same way, police Radar around the country. Fortunately, a good Ka-band laser can't see you over a hill or around a Radar detector can provide advanced corner, because there's no way for the warning of these new systems. Types of Radar and laser detectors Conventional, Windshield-mounted Cordless, Windshield-mounted Custom-installed Most Radar detectors are portable, Cordless detectors are powered by A custom-installed Radar and laser and mount in seconds to your car's batteries instead of a car cord, and are detector is a multi-piece system that can windshield with a suction cup mount. A a great choice for drivers who move be mounted in your car's dashboard. It power cord plugs into your car's lighter the detector from car to car, and for is discreet, remarkably e ective and socket to provide power for the unit. business travelers. very easy to use. Escort Passport 8500 Radar and laser detector.

10 Escort Solo S2 cordless Radar and laser detector. PassportSRXcustom-installedradar-laserde tector. How to select a Radar and laser detector When choosing a Radar detector, Beware of false and misleading How to choose the right you should focus on .. claims and advertising Radar detector High Sensitivity: A good detector Inexpensive detectors use design Before purchasing any Radar detector, is very sensitive. This means the unit is shortcuts to meet lower price points, do your homework. Independent tests able to pick up weak and distant signals. but at a high cost to the user. Inferior compare Radar detectors, including auto performance and frequent false alarms enthusiast magazines such as Motor Excellent Selectivity: A good make these Radar detectors ine ective Trend and AutoWeek, and websites such detector is also very selective. This and distracting. as and means that the unit has the ability to pick Escort Radar and laser detectors stand out the right signals and reject the rest.