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We will try to make this blog a bit more entertaining so we are adding a few things that we find amusing, but very relavant to our Radar Gun blog. Our traffic road signs are installed by many municipalities and used by police, but here is an interesting example of a traffice sign use that was emailed to us by one of our customers.
You don't need a radar gun to catch speeders in quite a few places now with the traffic so slow it goes well below the allowed speed limit.

Stay safe on the roads and give yourself enough time to get to work!

http://www.RadarGuns.com

Some Bonne Terre Missouri (a small town about 100 miles southwest of St. Louis) residents wanted to change the speed limit of Church Street from 30 mph back to 20 mph. Residents believe the lower speed limit would slow down the many speeders (it won't).

The nearby city of Farmington offered Bonne Terre the use of a safety radar, but discovered the unit was broke. Farmington than offered their speed counter (measures number of vehicles, speed and weight), but unfortunately the counter was also broken (nice try but no dice).

Bonne Terre police finally just manually ran radar one day for 14 hours. A total of 548 vehicle speeds were measured, the average speed was 28.68 mph (below the 30 mph speed limit). Vehicles traveling above the 30 mph limit were usually traveling 35 mph of less. Only a few vehicles were traveling faster than 35 mph. Based on the data (14 hours one day) it seems the public perception of speeders on Church Street is in error. Perhaps more data gathered automatically by a safety radar would provide more accurate (different?) results (a larger sample collected over more time will yield more reliable statistics).

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Orland Illinois (near Chicago) notorious for grid lock is purposing to use red light cameras, travel signs (estimates travel time to next way-point), and radar speed monitors (including safety radar) to improve traffic flow. These systems are operated by community service officers, relieving police from many traffic duties. The systems are hoped to relieve traffic congestion. Also using community service officers is much less expensive than using police.

Chicago has 120 full time community service officers (traffic control aids), and about 800 part time officers. The part timers are usually only utilized for special events (parades, sports, political, large conventions, severe weather etc.).

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This year the state of Illinois (state police) purchased and started operating 3 photo radars. Also see FAQ for safety radar (photo radar) operation. One radar operates in the Chicago area, one covers the state north of Chicago, and one covers the rest of the state (south of Chicago). Standard operating procedure has an officer inside the van observing potential violations on a video/computer monitor and/or through the front or rear windshield.

Photographs of the driver and vehicle license plate are recorded when a violation is measured. Recorded photographs and data (speed, time, date, place, license plate, etc.) are uploaded to a Washington based firm to verify accuracy. I wonder if they check the photo radar photograph against the registered vehicle owner's driver license photograph? The firm then returns the speeding tickets to the police -- the officer that observed the violation must then sign an affidavit. Finally the registered vehicle owner gets a speeding ticket in the mail.

For a photo radar van to accurately measures AND record a speeding violator the cameras (front and rear) MUST be adjusted for each setup (radar location to road, traffic lane(s) measured, and speed violation range). Also for an accurate speed measurement the radar must be exactly parallel to the road (traffic direction). Even when the radar is exactly parallel to the road and the front and rear cameras are properly aligned, multiple vehicles can pose a problem in identifying the vehicle measured.

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Citizen complaints about speeders have once again caused police to deploy traffic radar. The Charlottetown Canada city council approved overtime for police to run radar speed traps. Police keep moving the traps and changing the time of day (running radar) to keep the (speeding) public guessing. The council approved $20,000 for the last three months of this year, and plan to approve more money for more overtime to run radar next year.

In September, before the crackdown, police issued about 320 speeding citations. The first month (October) of the radar crackdown police issued almost twice the speeding citations as the previous month -- almost 600 speeding tickets! During one period, about an hour and a half long, at one location police wrote 21 speeding tickets (that averages a ticket every 4.2 minutes).

The city is considering using photo radar for speed enforcement. Photo radar takes much more time to set up making it more difficult to change locations. Radar alignment is critical to get an accurate speed measurement. In addition the cameras (front and rear) must be adjusted for expected speed violations and radar location to the road, otherwise the photographs could miss the driver and/or license plate.

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A number of police agencies throughout the United States will be out in force this Thanksgiving holiday. The goal is to reduce crashes (and especially deaths and injuries) by targeting speeders and drunk drivers.

Kentucky State Troopers will be out in force this Thanksgiving holiday (6 pm Wednesday, November 22nd until 11:59 pm Sunday November 26th). Troopers will be using microwave radar, laser radar (lidar), video recorders, and passive alcohol sensors to catch speeders and drunk drivers.

Last Thanksgiving in the state of Kentucky there were;
-- 1,132 vehicle crashes,
-- 12 deaths (9 victims were not wearing seat belts),
-- 367 injuries.

It's always a good idea to be careful, but be extra careful on holidays due to the increase in traffic (and cops).

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Recently a 41 year old New South Wales (Australia) Senior Constable (police officer) running lidar (outside and away from his patrol car) on a freeway was killed by a 4 wheel drive vehicle. The tragic event caused local police to temporarily suspend running lidar (and radar) pending an investigation. School zones were an exception, police can (did) run radar/lidar in school speed zones.

Some suggested running lidar/radar on a highway is too dangerous (benefit/cost ratio too small) and should be completely stopped. Others recommended not operating radar/lidar in speed zones greater than 100 km/hr (62 mph).

As of this writing (due to the tragedy) police changed their Standard Operating Procedures to require officers operate radar/lidar from the patrol vehicle. Microwave police radar antennas can be operated or mounted (fixed systems) from inside or outside the patrol vehicle. Lidars should be operated in the clear, not from behind any obstruction such as glass (especially tinted and/or safety glass). Also see Radar FAQ.

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Recently in several news publications microwave and laser police traffic radar's method of determining speed have been misreported. The terminology can be confusing and depends somewhat on how one uses certain terms. Some terms (unfortunately) are commonly misused. Below is precise language used in the strict sense of proper definitions.

There are 2 very different types of police radar that measure vehicle (really anything big enough and moving) speed;
-- microwave radar,
-- lidar (laser radar).

BACKGROUND
Police microwave radars have been around since the late 1940's and are still the most common today. These radars, as implied by the name, use microwaves (high frequency radio waves) to detect Doppler shifts (echo's from moving targets are frequency shifted off transmit frequency -- Doppler shift). Microwaves are typically defined as any frequency between about 2 GHz to about 36 GHz (2 billion cycles per second to about 36 billion cycles per second).

Police lidar laser radar) started showing up in the early 1990's. Lidars use pulsed infrared (IR) laser light invisible to the human eye to detect a vehicle's reflection. Lidar measures change in range versus time to calculate speed (speed = change in range / change in time). While microwaves and IR waves are both electromagnetic in nature, different physical characteristics apply to each (the frequency difference forces distinct variations).

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Someone completely destroyed a safety radar (across the road microwave radar) trailer Friday, October 27th in Fayetteville, North Carolina. This trailer was one of four police had available to deploy to troubled (lots of speeders or complaints of speeders) locations. Police are still asking anyone with information about the crime to contact CrimeStoppers at 483-8477. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward.

This really is a senseless crime because safety radars, by definition, are not responsible for (or capable of) issuing speeding citations (unlike photo radar). Safety radars show driver's speed with a large display -- intended only to alert the driver of current speed (not issue a ticket).

Some safety radars collect (record) speed data, and nothing else (do not, cannot, measure or collect vehicle or individual driver information). Some safety radars can collect (measure and record) number of vehicles, each speed measured, average of all speeds measured, and time parameters.

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In the United Kingdom a 42 year old blind and deaf man received a speeding ticket in the mail thanks to photo radar. Police claim the man was photographed speeding 36 mph in a 30 mph zone. The ticket carries a fine of £60 ($110 USD), and a three point penalty on his driver's license (he does not have a driver's license). The man and his wife claim they were 180 miles away from the alleged speeding location on the day the photo radar supposedly got his wife's vehicle (registered in his name).

In many places where police use photo radar the police are suppose to check the photo radar photograph against the registered owner's driver's license photograph (obtained from vehicle license plate on photo radar photograph). If the photo radar photograph matches the registered owner's photograph a ticket is issued by mail, if not a letter is sent requesting the owner to rat out who was driving. In some places if the registered owner doesn't rat, the registered owner gets the ticket.

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Pittsfield, Maine residents, city council, and high school recently complained to police about the large number of motorists speeding excessively. Residents stated some speeders pass in "No Passing" zones regularly. During a city council meeting when the police chief was reporting on under age drinking enforcement, council members brought up the speeding issue. Maine Central Institute (high school) reported 3 collisions (where speed was a factor) the first week of school.

Police responded with increased radar speed enforcement. During one typical morning police issued 4 speeding tickets and six written warning tickets. During a typical full shift police issued 28 speeding citations and 13 warnings.

Police saw and ticketed a number of motorists traveling around 80 mph in a 35 mph construction zone. A van was caught by moving mode radar traveling 71 mph where the speed limit was 30 mph. In another case a motorists was traveling 31 mph in a 15 mph school zone (16 mph over the posted limit is a $360 fine -- ouch). The police chief is quoted as saying "It's working" referring to the speed enforcement using radar.

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Thanks to grants by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) 7 police agencies will get lidars designed to measure distances between 2 vehicles to determine if a vehicle is following another vehicle too closely. Last year in Oregon almost one in three crashes involved rear end collisions (13,400 out of 44,878 total crashes).

Laser Technology, Inc., also known as LTI (a Colorado company), has recently introduce a lidar intended to measure how close a vehicle is tailgating another. LTI has not released any useful information describing how the tailgate measuring system works.

This type of technology has not been scrutinized by any outside parties or agencies, or challenged in court -- yet. Also see Radar FAQ .

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Residents in Cape Coral, Florida complained about speeders in their neighborhoods. Some vehicles were reported to be traveling at 50 or 60 mph or more in a 30 mph speed zone. Residents demanded action (including lowering speed limits) by local officials.

Lowering speed limits does not slow down speeders. Unreasonably low speed limits are commonly violated by most motorists according to the Florida Department of Transportation (I believe this is universally true).

Local (Cape Coral) police responded with their Neighborhood Speedwatch program, part of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program. The Speedwatch program trains resident volunteers how to properly operate radar to monitor local streets (and residents). Three volunteers are required to operate a radar site, one volunteer to operate the radar, one volunteer records the license plate number, and another logs vehicle description. Police mail a letter a few days later to speeders (recorded by volunteers) reminding them to slow down. Speeders do not get a ticket (only police can issue tickets).

County (Lee County) police use safety radar ("Smart Machines") in problem residential areas instead of volunteers. Safety radars display (to drivers) drivers current speed.

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A recent Shenandoah (Texas) Police Department press release (dated October 30) boost the department received 2 lidars valued at about $2,500 each. The press release states the lidars have an effective range of up to 3,280 feet (1,093 yards -- about 3 football fields end to end) and can measure vehicle speeds between "1 mph to 200 mph with unsurpassed accuracy". The release goes on to state lidars are more advanced than standard microwave police radar.

While the lidar electronic circuits and software may process vehicles at a range of 3,280 feet, reality is at that distance the target vehicle reflected energy is going to be too small to detect the echo (except maybe under vary specific and set up circumstances). Effective lidar range is typically less than 1,000 feet.

Also the slower the vehicle speed, the more difficult it is for police radar (laser or microwave) to measure speed accurately. Typically 5 or 10 mph minimum speed is required. Also lidars do not possess unsurpassed accuracy, most microwave radars are at least as accurate as lidar (± 1 mph). Lidars are not more advanced than microwave, only newer and different (better target selection, but shorter operating range and should not be operated from behind glass -- windshields, side windows etc.).

Also see RadarGuns.com Frequently Asked Questins (FAQ) for more details.

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Near the end of October three elementary students became victims of a hit and run driver in Memphis Tennessee. Reports indicate a small green or blue car was speeding when it hit the 3 students, and then just kept on driving (speeded away like nothing happened). The offense occurred at the school crossing intersection at Winchester and Boeingshire. Anyone that might have any information concerning the car or driver that drove away is requested to contact Crime Stoppers at 528-cash.

The school crossing was suppose to have 2 crossing guards on duty at the time of the hit and run, however no guards were present. Both guards were fired. The following week (Monday October 30) 2 police officers made their presence known at the crossing with flashing lights and of course police traffic radar. Even with flashing lights and radar running several motorists were ticketed for speeding in the school crossing during school hours (amazing).

A relatively easy way to alert and remind drivers to slow down in a school zone is with a stand alone (automatic) radar that measures vehicle speed and displays the speed to the driver (safety radar). A radar display probably would not have made any difference in the above situation, but it could (might) make a difference by slowing down other motorists (it worked on me the first time I ran across a safety radar near a school zone).

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