Snowmobiling put on Notice - Radar Guns Clock Their Speeds Too!

I'm always on the lookout for new ways to use a radar gun. I wrote a while back on Radar Guns for Swooping, or Skydiving, and I thought that was pretty cool. But as it's almost January and the temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, so a different use for radar guns has presented itself: snowmobiling.

There are two ways that radar guns are being used for snowmobiling. First, police radar guns are used by Conservation Officers and State Deputies on Snowmobile trails to make sure no one is exceeding the speed limit. This is a lot like those police officers using radar on bicyclists in Dallas, as there is a great need to make sure people are safe when out in the wilderness.

Snowmobiles can travel at speeds up to 150mph. That's crazy fast when you consider it's always on icy roads, and there may not be anyone to help you after a crash. You could be miles from the nearest person when you wipe out on your snowmobile, and if you're knocked unconscious or don't have a cell phone or radio you may not be able to call for help. Deaths occur every winter because of this.

Forest Rangers try to get out to the busiest snowmobile intersections with police radar guns to hand out warnings and tickets to keep injuries and deaths to a minimum.

The other snowmobile use for radar guns is more fun. A lot of snowmobilers like to check out their speed, and while they have on board speedometers it can be more fun to have a friend clock how fast you fly by. I'd suggest a traffic radar gun for this type of purpose, as they're designed for a vehicle, and the Decatur Genesis Handheld Directional Police Radar Gun would be a great choice. It can clock speeds from 12 to 200 mph, and it's pretty tough, so you shouldn't have any problems seeing how fast your snowmobile is traveling.

One thing to note is that heavy snow can affect the accuracy of your radar gun, so you'll want to do your speed testing after the heavy snowfall, not during it.

Look at that! Another cool way to make your radar gun useful!

Labels: radar gun uses, snowmobile