cop pointing speedgun on motorway

Euphoria1z

hi

There was a policeman pointing a handheld device probably a speedgun at on coming traffic on the motorway this morning.

now there would have been alot of cars going past, some speeding, how would the speedgun catch the speeders? would all get caught or only the first one? can the speedgun process more than one at one time?

i.e say theres 10 cars, 5 in each lane, and half are speeding in either of the lanes, so would the first car get caught only or all 5 speeders regardless of their position?

can they convict if your speeding by pointing at you from front or does it have to be from the back or both?

thanks.

aliasojo

I've often wondered how it worked too. I'll be interested in the replies.

andygb

I thought that they usually used this to pinpoint really excessive speeders, and then radio to another car up the road to keep a look out for them (usually sitting up a sliproad out of site - speeding car goes by, and they can then get on its tail) I got followed by a pair of French traffic cops on bikes years ago, and I am sure they used this method.

berkshiregaz

The main Speed Enforcement Device that Police use other than fixed/mobile cameras is a Laser Gun, The Officer would have to point at individual cars to measure their speed. Ordinarily they would be in radio contact with officers further up the road.
It is generally impracable for them to be "zapping" loads of cars and then issue NIP's later on, it suits their evidence and procedures to "zap" a car and then pull that individual car further on. That way they can evidentially prove who was driving at the time of the offence.
You may well find that if they had caught someone excessively speeding they would have been pulled over further on, but for the rest the sight of them pointing the gun will deter speeding for some time on!

brat

All of the laser devices have accurate targeting systems that allow them to pinpoint a particular car. They show a positive reading for cars approaching and a negative reading for cars moving away. They can detect vehicle speed from 1000m.

The officer may follow and stop the vehicle, they may radio ahead or they may use the conditional offer (correspondence) system.

forgotmyname

Then can usually pinpoint your numberplate. He could get the speed of several cars quite quickly. But usually the ones at the front or whoever looked to be travelling the fastest or swapping lanes the most. Target them.

They will usually radio ahead or come after you. Maybe a warning letter in the post? Ticket in th epost from a handheld device??? Not sure?

brat

forgotmyname wrote: »

Ticket in th epost from a handheld device??? Not sure?

Theoretically it's not a problem. Practically, it requires a good eye, and often prior agreement from the ticket office who will be required to do the admin.

daveyjp

Police tend to target excessive speeders and those driving without due care, they don't use the gun to hand out a ticket for everyone they see speeding.

On a motorway they will look for the 90mph+ drivers and ensure these are dealt with.

tim9966

On Traffic Cops (or some programme like that on TV) they showed the Police doing this, and the Police man on there said he wouldn't bother with anyone doing under 95 mph, and if he waits for a bit he will soon find someone doing 130, so he'll go after them.

brat

tim9966 wrote: »

On Traffic Cops (or some programme like that on TV) they showed the Police doing this, and the Police man on there said he wouldn't bother with anyone doing under 95 mph, and if he waits for a bit he will soon find someone doing 130, so he'll go after them.

Don't rely on that level of discretion. It's one officer's interpretation of what he believes to be an appropriate intervention level. If weather or driving conditions are poorer, most officers will reduce their discretionary level accordingly.

What I would say is that most drivers who get a ticket from a traffic cop will have deserved it.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

a few years ago whilst travelling to work, i came round a bend, (after being pre warned by 30 other drivers a speed trap was set on that road) i watched my speed as i entered the 30 zone from 40 and was travelling at 30MPH by my speedometer. regardless i was pulled over by the bike cop, he showed me doing by his hand laser device to be driving approx 38MPH, on his calibrated device, showing me the stamp on the side of it, and true enough it had been calibrated 3 months prior, i protedted to the officer that A. i was watching my speedometer and i didnt veer over 30MPH, and i wanted him to prove the device was working correctly.

he insisted my speedo was underreading, by i said look at the end of the day i can throw excuses at you you can throw theory at me, but i want you to prove that the device works, he pointed it at a stationary object (a van) at the approx distance he had clocked me at the results were stationary object was doing 9MPH.

going rather red in the face, and tearing his ticket up, he said, "sometimes rough roads, takes it toll on the bikes equipment" these guns have sensitive lasers in them and being kept on a bike eventhough in padded boxes, get knocked about quite often.

i was also stopped a year later in another area, by a traffic car using laser, 46 in a 40 apparently, he didnt offer to show me the calibration cert and the stamp on the gun was missing, so i asked for it, was told to keep my speed down but he wont give me a ticket this time! after handing my license back and closing his file part way through writing up my ticket. why i dont know to this day i usually ponder over it because i know i was doing over 40 probably 42 43 mph, as i was de accellrating at the time to pre empt the 30 zone coming up 400 yards down the road when he pulled me over into chevrons by traffic calming just by the 30 sign.