police lasers

toyotapower · 01-19-2006, 03:04 AM

i'm not sure where i heard this, but i was under the assumption that in order for an officer to clock your speed with the laser, he had to be parked. however, today i pulled out onto a street about a quarter mile in front of the nearest car, which happened to be a cop. obviously i wasn't speeding because i had just turned, but my radar detector went crazy and said laser. so what other things about radar and lasers should the unsuspecting public know?

ASCI_Blue · 01-19-2006, 03:06 AM

A laser only has to be on your vehicle. If a cop can drive and acquire targets why not do so?

LiterTwin · 01-19-2006, 07:01 AM

Laser (LIDAR) units MUST be stationary to get an accurate speed reading. LIDAR units use a time-of-flight algorithm to determine speed, whereas radar, including the X, K and Ka flavor, use a measurement of Doppler shift to calculate speed. Radar can be used while moving, in both, or the same direction of travel, depending on the device.

If your detector said Laser and the only officer in sight was moving, your detector was wrong.

Anyone else have any Radar / LIDAR questions? I have a bit of experience in the "field", as it were.

likebikes · 01-19-2006, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiterTwin

Anyone else have any Radar / LIDAR questions? I have a bit of experience in the "field", as it were.

Is it true that radar will only "see" the largest target? For example, if you were speeding past an 18-wheeler and they radared you, they would only get the speed of the truck? I heard this one a while back.

Kawisixer01 · 01-19-2006, 08:56 AM

is there a working jammer made and has there been a ruling on whether they are legal. last I heard there was an argument taking place under the belief that the signal coming back to the gun was "your signal" because you altered it with your vehicle so therefore you could do with that signal what you want. couldn't you build your own jammer with a security device or door opener from an automatic door?

decius · 01-19-2006, 02:30 PM

I got nailed with a Kustom Eagle Radar by a cop who was driving towards me. It has sensors that point forwards and backwards. He first got me as I was driving towards him, but he locked on to me while I was driving away.

Two minutes later I was pulled over and ticketed

BTW, some good info here about fighting tickets, if you choose to do so: http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/forum/v...ic.php?t=28893

OFFICER737 · 01-19-2006, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiterTwin

Laser (LIDAR) units MUST be stationary to get an accurate speed reading. LIDAR units use a time-of-flight algorithm to determine speed, whereas radar, including the X, K and Ka flavor, use a measurement of Doppler shift to calculate speed. Radar can be used while moving, in both, or the same direction of travel, depending on the device.

If your detector said Laser and the only officer in sight was moving, your detector was wrong.

Anyone else have any Radar / LIDAR questions? I have a bit of experience in the "field", as it were.

Liter nailed it! LIDAR has to be stationary. The officer may have just shot the laser anyways though it would not register on the gun but it would emit the laser.

OFFICER737 · 01-19-2006, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by likebikes

Is it true that radar will only "see" the largest target? For example, if you were speeding past an 18-wheeler and they radared you, they would only get the speed of the truck? I heard this one a while back.

It picks the "target" with the strongest signal. Sometimes it is the bigger vehicle and sometimes not. It doesn't always pick the closest vehicle either.

OFFICER737 · 01-19-2006, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawisixer01

is there a working jammer made and has there been a ruling on whether they are legal. last I heard there was an argument taking place under the belief that the signal coming back to the gun was "your signal" because you altered it with your vehicle so therefore you could do with that signal what you want. couldn't you build your own jammer with a security device or door opener from an automatic door?

In most states jammers are not legal. The argument for the police has always been that it prevents the officer from doing their job and acknowledges that it is okay to break the laws of the land.

EEfz6 · 01-19-2006, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawisixer01

is there a working jammer made and has there been a ruling on whether they are legal. last I heard there was an argument taking place under the belief that the signal coming back to the gun was "your signal" because you altered it with your vehicle so therefore you could do with that signal what you want. couldn't you build your own jammer with a security device or door opener from an automatic door?

A guy I work with, while in college, made a device to tell the radar what speed you are going. Had a three way rotarty switch, and the radar clocking him told what speed, he had it set to. He tested it with a cop friend of his, and it worked perfectly. He never actually used it, though (that he will admit). Very illegal here.

Rascus · 01-19-2006, 04:51 PM

In Virginia (last i checked) it was illegal to even have one in your car.

liquid486 · 01-19-2006, 04:53 PM

I figure this could be put to rest: The waxes that supposedly reflect radar are bullshit right?

OFFICER737 · 01-19-2006, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liquid486

I figure this could be put to rest: The waxes that supposedly reflect radar are bullshit right?

It might distort it but you can still get a laser lock on it. With the laser you want a flat surface to lock on (windshield, headlight, grill, bumper, etc....).

tekrsq · 01-19-2006, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rascus

In Virginia (last i checked) it was illegal to even have one in your car.

Still is. You'll probably get more time for a radar detector than murder. And you don't EVEN want to discuss what happens if they catch you with a jammer !!!!!

DEMIAN1970 · 01-19-2006, 07:42 PM

Last time I checked, radar (K,Ka & K band) were regulated by the FCC which has obviously strict rules governing the use(and "jamming") of radar.For some strange reason,Laser is not governed by the FCC but by the Food and Drug administration,which has no laws prohibiting tampering with laser "waves",i.e. jamming or manipulating them.