Ticket accuracy

PurdueGuy · 05-03-2005, 08:55 PM

Ok, the other night I was driving home on a highway in the middle of nowhere (no towns, stop signs, stop lights, etc for 20+ miles), and I set the cruise at 67 or 68 (beautifully smooth road - better than some sections of interstate). I've never seen a police car on this road, so I figure it's safe. Figure again, I got pulled over. Got away with a warning - *whew*.

Here's the thing - he says he clocked me at 71 mph. Since I know the speedo was set just above the mark halfway between 65 and 70 (why do they put a mark at 67.5 mph? anyway...), I know my cruise wasn't set at 71. So, what do you think is the case:

1. The officer's reading was inaccurate.
2. My speedo is inaccurate (nothing is modded to my knowledge).
3. The officer bumped the speed up to make the concequences more drastic if he were to have given me a ticket.

Just wonderin.

SouthwestVelocity · 05-03-2005, 09:13 PM

its possible that it could be a bit of both. speedo's are not always exact, as well as the cops gun could be out of calibration. What was the speed limit?

PurdueGuy · 05-03-2005, 09:19 PM

madbrad · 05-03-2005, 10:21 PM

I think the cop can lie about the speed if he intends to let you off. Speedo error is allowed for in court but that's only for if your speedo said the speed limit and he clocked you at a few mph faster. Cops seldom neglect to calibrate the guns at the beginning of each shift, and do the paperwork, because they are wise to that tactic in court. The tuning forks they use are another matter though. They need to be calibrated every 6 months, and I can tell you they never are. In court, if you ask the cop to produce the paperwork for that, and he can't, his evidence(the radar gun reading) becomes inadmissible. Case dismissed.

gotboostvr · 05-03-2005, 11:32 PM

you can ask to see the radar cant you? ive heard that they have to show you if you ask, but i may be wrong.

PurdueGuy · 05-03-2005, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotboostvr

you can ask to see the radar cant you? ive heard that they have to show you if you ask, but i may be wrong.

I've heard that as well, but since then I have heard that they no longer allow that or something.

Coldsolderjoint · 05-04-2005, 01:15 AM

ahhaha! you got pwnd!

anyways, he prolly did bump it up a few to get you "over 15"

like when i got my ticket in north carlolina, i was doing 85 in a 70 on I95, and he said i was doing 92, but "was going to be nice and give me a 80 in a 70"

picksl1 · 05-04-2005, 01:29 AM

since you got off on a warning i really wouldnt worry about it. but YES you are allowed to see the radar by law...at least in jersey. i got tagged by a statey with laser for doin 89 in a 65 by laser and the first thing i asked was can i see the radar. his response. whats the matter the radar detection didnt catch me. i can show you the reading, but it involves all this paperwork of gettin you out of the car. so i said ok dont worry about it. he comes back with the ticket and asks you wanna see the radar. i was like no thats ok bc i know the radar detector picked it up. and i swear i was doin 92 at 11PM and not many people on the highway. so i got lucky bc after 90 in jersey you lose your license.

YES they are supposed to be calibrated at the beginning of EVERY shift. all cops as far as i know run 12 hour shifts. it may be 4AM-4PM or 4PM-4AM, but thats still a 12 hour shift regardless. ive heard stories of the guns not being calibrated and clocking stop signs in the breeze doin 45 MPH....WHOA.

all depends on what kind of radar he shot you with as well. laser is point click and shoot the specific vehicle you are trying to catch. all other bands can cath the vibration of other objects near you if the gun is not calibreated correctly.

to test your speedo you can do 1 of 2 things...or both if you prefer. police stations have trailers that they plant around town at random to slow speeders down. some of those trailers can snap a shot of your plates and you get mailed a ticket, and others are just used to "scare" speeders. when you pass one look at the speedo and see if they match up. the other option you have is to drive next to a friend (or family member) in another car and do the same speed. take it to a highway and tell them to do 60 MPH for ~1 mile and you do the same right next to them.

one thing that may set the speedo off is having bigger/smaller tires and wheels

Cool1Net6 · 05-04-2005, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by picksl1

... ive heard stories of the guns not being calibrated and clocking stop signs in the breeze doin 45 MPH....WHOA...

ROFL

Heard of birds being clocked at 100MPH.

SouthwestVelocity · 05-04-2005, 04:40 PM

I have heard that you can ask to see the radar as well, however I would wait until I was actually getting a ticket before I call BS on a cop.

I have a few good friends who are cops and they say that there is an error margin for everything, they are sometimes left for human judgment, good equiptment is very expensive and most police forces are still using 10-15 year old technology.

They just installed those cameras at the stop lights here and those are creating a huge problem now cuz the camera only snaps the license plate and cant pick up whos driving, tickets are mailed to the registered owner.