Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ulose.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!prls!amdimage!amdcad!decwrl!decvax!ulose!bob From: bob@ulose.UUCP ( Bob Bismuth ) Newsgroups: net.auto,net.legal Subject: Re: Radar Surveillance Message-ID: <115@ulose.UUCP> Date: Fri, 9-Aug-85 13:45:38 EDT Article-I.D.: ulose.115 Posted: Fri Aug 9 13:45:38 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 12-Aug-85 07:11:46 EDT References: <1081@homxa.UUCP> <4891@allegra.UUCP> Organization: CADMUS Computer Systems, Lowell, MA. Lines: 46 Xref: linus net.auto:6554 net.legal:1656 > > > > Radar guns should be unconstiutional but the case has never made it to the > > Supreme Court. ... Most > > If we disallow radar guns, how should speed laws be enforced (for all > of our safety)? By helicopter?! (I couldn't believe it when I first > saw those signs on the parkway.) > > jay hyman (allegra!jay) For your reference, hand held radar guns cannot be used in the UK for the purpose of speed limit enforcement. The only radar which may be used MUST be mounted either on a stationary vehicle or on a tripod stand. This resulted from the police using a radar gun (made I believe in the US) on a car which was not exceeding the local speed limit. If memory serves me correctly, the driver was charged with exceeding the limit by over 20 mph, as indicated on the radar gun. Unfortunately for the police, the driver was a research scientist at the Royal Radar Establishment and had been testing hand held guns for the government. He went to court and was able to conclusively prove that it was impossible to obtain a reliable speed indication of a stationary object, let alone a moving object. For that reason I would agree with the original article's position that radar guns should not be allowed. I do however, agree that saying the use of radar infringes constitutional rights is pushing things a bit far ... There are other ways of measuring speed and I belive that the British police rely more on vehicle timing between designated landmarks. This is usually done by two vehicles using a radio link and occasionally by aircraft. I can't help humourously wondering if timing my course between landmarks would cause some people to claim my constitutional rights had been infringed ... :>) -- bob (decvax!ulose!bob)