Radar Gun vs. GPS: Radar Gun Wins
In a challenge to the accuracy of a radar gun vs. a GPS unit, radar has won. The Sonoma County Superior Court has ruled that 17-year-old Shaun Malone was guilty of speeding, despite his GPS data.
Malone's family initially purchased the GPS system to keep tabs on Malone's location and driving habits, as in fact many families are doing nowadays. On July 4th he was clocked by a Petaluma police office at 62 MPH in a 45 MPH zone. According to his family, the car's GPS system showed he was driving at 45 mph at virtually the same time and at the same place where the ticket was issued.
If Malone is ever noted by the GPS as speeding, his stepfather, Roger Rude (an ex-Sonoma County Sheriff's lieutenant), takes away his car keys. Malone, of course, isn't a fan of the system, but Rude and his mother, Karen Kahn, made a deal with him that if there was ever a case where the GPS disagreed with a speeding ticket, they would back Malone up in court. So that's one of the reasons for the court case. The other is that Rude and Kahn want to publicize the use of such tracking systems in saving teens' lives.
Rude had argued that the data from the GPS showed the radar gun had likely targeted another vehicle or was calibrated incorrectly. The judge in the case disagreed, and though no reason for the ruling was given, Petaluma Police Captain Dave Sears speculated on at least two possible reasons:
- Distance between the radar gun reading and the GPS reading: the further the distance between the points of readings, the less relevant the GPS data.
- Timing of the GPS readings: speed is only recorded every 30 seconds.
- Although Rick Fry, the CIO of Rocky Mountain Tracking Inc., the company that supplied Malone's GPS unit and data, said he would testify if necessary in an appeal, it seems to me data obtained from earthbound distances would be more accurate than satellite distances (assuming, of course, the correct vehicle was targeted).
- 45 MPH in a 45 MPH zone? No one drives the exact speed limit. Anyone who does gets a sharp horn in their butt in California. I would assume, despite the family's use of GPS to monitor his speed, they'd cut him some slack, and let him drive normally. That number seems strange because of that.
- You'd take the word of a 17-year-old over a police officer who might be needed to pad his ticket quota ... oh, wait, that never happens!
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17 comments:
The judge had to rule against the evidence because to do otherwise could tend to create doubt in the absolute veracity of police testimony.
I would think the GPS system would be more accurate. Just because someone is a Police Officer doesn't mean their word is gold. We had a Police Captain and a Detectives in Springfield Oregon that lied about the facts and circumstances surrounding a New Years Eve assault. The Captain and Detective were accidently recorded lying to the assault survivor about facts and witnesses. The survivor went on TV, put up posters and found a witnessed to the attack and found at least one had called 911 about the attack but the Police Captain and Detective lied and said there were no witnesses. The assault survivor also tracked down at least 3 more witnesses to a local hotel room, but laws prohibited the Hotel giving her the information. She gave the information to the Poliace Captain and Detective and they did nothing. Once she pushed the fact that she had them accidently recorded on tape lying to her about the fact their were witnesses, these same two Detectives threatened to arrest and charge HER for illegally taping their conversation even though you can hear on the tape it was accidently recorded. And guess what? One of these Police Employees went on to become the Chief of Police!!!
What irrany. I wonder how much the assailant paid them to lie.
I have a radar detector that has a GPS system in it and Its off by
2mph. The cop has to be wrong because he either shot hte wrong car or hasn't calibrated the unit in a while.
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO USING A SPEEDOMETER, MY VEHICLES HAVE THEM ??
I believe that the Police officers Radar gun is inaccurate due to several reasons, heat and Humidity and the density of the metal of the car or vehicle being targeted along with the frequency used by the Radar gun. If you clock an old hyundai that cannot do 60MPH compared to a Volvo The Volvo will have the highest speed reading due to the metal density and shape of the vehicle.
I can gurantee that! Please continue to fight that Ticket.
Electronic Engineers who work with radar measurements know that there are many incorrect readings from radar guns (no matter the band used c/x/Ka etc....). For example if two cars are passing each other in opposite directions and the radar is tracking one, there is often a "shadow effect" or ambiguity (interaction of the two large metal bodies and the radar signal) a known law of physics. The manufacturers of Radar equipment have published and documented these results in field test, but they are most interested in selling their expensive devices to police departments; as if they are always without measurment errors. The makers will not argue laws of physics, that prove their equipments "known" errors, because it is simply not good for business.
The judges have their jobs because of who they know, not what they know. Any new technology is suspect, so just 'listen to the cop' is the easy way to rule. No judge is worried about losing his job by playing it safe!
There Is One Rule.
The Police Are Always Right!
Right ?
Anonymous said...
There Is One Rule.
The Police Are Always Right!
Right ?
No, there are TWO Rules!
Rule #1 - The Police are always right
Rule #2 - When, without a doubt, the Police are wrong, see Rule #1
There are several overriding rules to go by in our justice system:
1.- Our courts are the last place to find justice (unless you've got lots of time and money).
2.- Traffic court is designed to collect your money and provide income for the judge and the city.
I have a military background with radio and radar. Unless the radar antenna is moving or unless it is able to fix on the vehicle and then contrast object moving around the vehicle, it cant be accurate. Angle of target is very critical. still despite its supposed accuracy, it really is not fool proof. I have been clocked exceeding 10 mph over the speed limit too many times when it was not the case. Example, Symrna TN, notorious town to write 2 tickets a day at minimum or from the testimony of a former officer " they had to write a report why they did not write a minimum of 2 tickets. Case, driving a 1964 Chevrolet pickup, 6cyl, small one barrel carb ( for economy ) poor shocks, loaded with toolboxes and a few truck axles ( parts for another antique vehicle ) The truck struggled to maintain 65 mph on the interstate because of gearing ( very low ) and the carburetor, especially on hills, Symrna City police, clocked my truck through a barbwire fence and at a near 90 Degree angle doing 68 in a 35 zone that was so curvy and crooked that my truck would be pressed to handle the curves at 25 and not slide into a ditch.
second case, on sam ridley parkway, 4 lane divided highway, traveling in the right lane in bumper to bumper traffic, surging in speed but under the speed limit. a Symrna police officer from the far outside right lane coming from the other direction, pulled out my vehicle while ignoring a city maintenance truck with a yellow light flashing who passed me doing two car lengths a second and another truck behind him doing about a car length a second ,, both passing me in left lane the nearest to the officer. cited me for 69 in a 55 in bumper-to-bumper traffic
Alabama HWP, north Alabama , hwy 72, 1 mile tract of divided highway 1/4 mile drop into a river basin on both sides, a bridge in the middle and a total of ½ mile between drop-off. conditions sunny and clear. saw the trooper as we both crested opposite sides of the river, checked speed to insure compliance, was pulled over for doing 72 in a 55 zone. culprit, this basin is know for some very nasty winds funneling through it, sign between us oscillates in the breeze given the right wind speed. I paid this one, but got wiser. discovered 2 other locals with the same fine, and speed and believe me there is no place to hide in this valley, they too were clocked by moving radar while watching their speedometers but yet were exceeding the speed by over 10 mph. In my case, the officer apparently was unaware of the law in that he turned in the median far before reaching a distance of LESS than 1/4 mile from me to cite his radar having clocked me at 72 in a 55 zone. knowing what I know now, I would have fought that ticket in court, It really cost me in insurance rates.
Though, Ever wondered why ticket are often not written in the rain, other than the officer does not want to get wet. Radar will false signal in the rain, although different frequency, think about weather radar, and it will come between you and the sending unit, It is my understanding that Laser has limitations in a downpour.!!!
Food for thought.
After over 300,000 miles, If in doubt to the integrity of the officers, I run a radar detector just to know when they are making their claim, location, actual speed. if it costs me more time, I re trace the exact location making copious notes on environment and conditions.
A membership in Pre Paid Legal Services also helps too. Many of the officers have this service too.
I am a member of Pre-Paid Legal Services, excellent service, and get free representation for a speeding ticket, but how would you go about proving that a ticket given as the result of a radar gun for 66 in a 45, when I had the cruise control set at 50 going down a hill at night, and there were 2 lanes of traffic and I was in the left lane, is wrong. I don't just want the speed dropped and the fine dropped, I want it totally thrown out. I can't afford to have my insurance go up or points! Thanks.
I had a similar incident when I was clocked at 90 in a 70 zone. My GPS, a Garmin 2720 was brought to court, plugged in and the judge witnessed that the MAX speed recorded by the GPS was only 75 .. MAX !!!!! The case was dismissed. Therefore it makes no difference regarding the distance travelled as opposed to the radar's distance.
Ummmm, don't those things like cruise missles, smart bombs, and virtually everything military run via GPS?
I'd trust GPS over a cops reading and word anyday.
Remember, it is a BIG system and they have this mentality of "us versus them" attitude. Funny thing, we the people bullshit sort of makes us all one pea out of the same pod. Then again...
Unfortunately, corruption and greed among politicians and crooked judges has denied Americans equal protection under the law. No matter how much proof you have that you are innocent, even the US Supreme Court upholds the notion that driving is only a privilege, that being arrested and raped with a needle by an untrained and unsterilized cop to draw blood for an inept and inaccurate blood alcohol reading is only a minor inconvenience. Being 100% stone cold sober is no longer an adequate defense. Being asleep in the back seat alone in a car is now probable cause for arrest and prosecution for DUI (Prima Facia). Driving anywhere near an airport is now probable cause for arrest and detention as an enemy combatant. Most outrageous lies of all: speed kills and they only care about your safety.
The truth is: if you want to take your country back, then join the NMA at motorists.org, and be prepared for a very bloody and drawn-out war. It is virtually impossible to win an argument with idiots.
I have used technology to successfully challenge a court case just like this one. Instead of a GPS that updates a log once every 30 seconds, mine imprints the speed on realtime video. Here's a copy of my the video I used i court - on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5se8n5XSuY
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