Speed enforcement / waving

[Scruit]

Last month I was drivingdown a road and not paying attention to my speed. I noted a cruiser by the side of the road with a laser gun hanging our the driver's window. Of course, I check my speed and realise that I'm about 15 over the limit (40 in a 25).

I immediately slowed down, but obviously not in time. I made eye contact with the officer and waved. I was trying to say "Ok, my bad. I'm slowing down." He started to pull his seatbelt on, but stopped as I waved. He grinned as I want past and went back to playing laser tag...

Question: When you are running radar/laser, do you find it's more effective to actually stop a vehicle and hand out a ticket/warning etc, or would you consider a driver who slows/waves to have been 'warned'? :confused:

[Valor55]

I usually set a speed I will tag people with. Sometimes I like to scare the borderline folks. Gain voluntary compliance with the adrenaline dump and sphincter pucker when people see my lights come on. When they go off and I'm not pulling out I know they are relieved and probably pay better attention to their speed for a while.

[fetom]

I usually set a speed I will tag people with. Sometimes I like to scare the borderline folks. Gain voluntary compliance with the adrenaline dump and sphincter pucker when people see my lights come on. When they go off and I'm not pulling out I know they are relieved and probably pay better attention to their speed for a while.

Almost word for word what I had formualted. :cool:


Once they get pulled up though, there are very very rare cases where a warning is issued. For the most part, a verbal warning is not worth the paper it;s written on. ;)

[JR_23]

Do any of you guys actually write down a written warning? Everybody around here just hands a business card with the Field Interview number on it...I can't see the point in pulling paper for a verbal.

[scott715us]

Do any of you guys actually write down a written warning? Everybody around here just hands a business card with the Field Interview number on it...I can't see the point in pulling paper for a verbal.

We don't have written warnings and neither does the Metro PD in my area. I do know some smaller depts in Middle TN that have them. I don't know why. A verbal warning is warning enough. If it's on paper, then it's citation city. ;)

[JR_23]

If they wanted me to write a half a ticket for a verbal warning, then I'd just write everything...

[Oldbillplod]

Changing the subject, we are not allowed to sit in the vehicle whilst operating radar, something about the vehilce equipment could have an effect on the reading, anyone else been told this?

[bigm051]

I know using the radar in our vehicles (which is fine) sometimes the fan in the heater/Air Con screws around with the reading?

[Wombat311]

I know using the radar in our vehicles (which is fine) sometimes the fan in the heater/Air Con screws around with the reading?

Yep. Point it at the fan and it tells you how fast the fan is spinning.

45 km/h on full. :D

Solution: Don't point it at the fan.

[R1364]

Deleted by poster

[Darin]

Yep. Point it at the fan and it tells you how fast the fan is spinning.

45 km/h on full. :D

Solution: Don't point it at the fan.

Our antennas are mounted on the dashboard and they will sometimes pick up the fan motor. I'll just turn the heat/AC off and that does the trick. Sometimes it will still pick up the fan on the motor but when a vehicle comes into the beam, that vehicle will over ride fan interference and you'll get a good RADAR reading.

[Darin]

Oh and Scruit....whenever someone waves then you KNOW they are guilty of something ;)

[TX-LEO]

Changing the subject, we are not allowed to sit in the vehicle whilst operating radar, something about the vehilce equipment could have an effect on the reading, anyone else been told this?

:rolleyes:

[fetom]

Our antennas are mounted on the dashboard and they will sometimes pick up the fan motor. I'll just turn the heat/AC off and that does the trick. Sometimes it will still pick up the fan on the motor but when a vehicle comes into the beam, that vehicle will over ride fan interference and you'll get a good RADAR reading.

Most non Traffic Units here use hand held radar and prefer to use them windows up to stop the A/C getting out or the cold air getting in. I prefer to keep the thing outside my confined environment so as to keep the dose of microwave energy to the minimum. :D We have our moving mode mounted inside on the unmarked and on the light bar on the outside, the little white tube next to the blue light. :cool:

[Valor55]

I prefer to keep the thing outside my confined environment so as to keep the dose of microwave energy to the minimum.

I saw a diagram once of different objects and how much electromagnetic radiation they emit. Our cell phones put out way more power than a radar unit. If you won't hold the radar gun to your head maybe you should stop using a cell phone. :D