Radar Gun that doesn't show speed?

[NYY]

I was pulled over in NY for doing 40 in a 30 in a construction zone. After the ticket was issued, I walked back to the police car and asked to see the speed on the radar gun and when I looked at it, it was flickering between 45 and 46, which I thought was odd. He just siad. "That's not showing the speed right now." I thought that was also odd.

I don't believe I have the right to see the gun in NYS, but once I asked and he allowed it, shouldn't a speed be indicated on the gun?

Thank you for your time and help.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Most radar units have a capability of temporarily locking the speed on the display. It's up to the officers and their local protocol to decide what they do, but I've never heard of it being a legal requirement.

[Joeyd6]

Lucky you did not get shot. You never get out of your car when stopped by the police unless ordered to. And there is no law or legal right to see the radar gun. In fact, he does not even have to use one. He can use a visual estimate ebased upon his training and experience or pacing or other methods.

[ChesCopPodz]

Bad idea to walk back to the police car first off. Secondly, if he didn't lock the radar in, your speed wouldn't still have been on it when you looked.

[deputywave]

Be glad your estate isn't paying for your ticket.

[Piggy]

I haven't worked in Michigan since 1997, but back then it was not permissable to even have a radar that locked speed.

[Safety Steve]

You can ask, but down here our policy states we don't have to show you the laser or radar and I won't show you! You ask to see something you know nothing about!



Be Safe.

[Chef_Au]

Nothing to say he didn't clear the RADAR after issuing the ticket and the flickering speed you saw was an approaching vehicle. All radars have different visual displays. No legal compulsion here to show you either.

[Outshined]

I don't believe I have the right to see the gun in NYS, but once I asked and he allowed it, shouldn't a speed be indicated on the gun?.

No.

[Legoate]

I never lock speeds into radar. If someone asks to see them I tell them no. Once you lock speed cant match the doppler sound to the displayed speed, something that judges want to hear about when you testify in court.

[kels]

I normally show the speed if asked.
But then I am the exception to the rule.
(that of course depends on the violators attitude.)

The last guy that complained to the judge that I didnt show the speed
was a little slow on the uptake. He got the judges full attention and it ended
up costing him about twice as much.

[greg72982]

Nothing to say he didn't clear the RADAR after issuing the ticket and the flickering speed you saw was an approaching vehicle. All radars have different visual displays. No legal compulsion here to show you either.

That was my thoughts. We don't use RADAR but what we do use I generally clear after writing the info down on the cite.

[Curt581]

I occasionally get people asking (sometimes demanding) to "see the radar". When I was first assigned to patrol many years ago, I'd take them back to my car and let them if they were decent about it. Needless to say, I stopped doing that in short order.

With one or two exceptions, none had never set eyes on a radar unit in their lives. They had no idea what they were looking at, what it did, or how it did it. Since I wasn't about to stand next to busy expressway lanes and give someone a crash course in the theory behind police radar use and the operating procedures of my particular unit, what was the point of seeing it?

In nearly all cases, immediately after seeing the funny gray box with the flashing red LED numbers, the first thing out of their mouths was, "How do I know that was me?" Answer: You don't know it was you... *I* know it was you, and that's all I need to stop and give you a ticket.

The next thing they wanted was a "print-out" or receipt from the unit. Imagine the fun I had trying to explain that no radar unit I am aware of prints out anything. When they heard that, the answer I got was "Then you don't have any proof!" Oh, yes I do. I have my personal observations and can testify to that, despite our YouTube-everything-is-on-video society.

In order to avoid such nonsense in the future, I stopped allowing people to get out of the car on a speeding stop. If I use LIDAR, I'll occasionally take the unit with me on the initial contact, but only during daylight so I can keep at least one hand free.

In nearly all cases, when an officer stops someone for speeding, he'll tell the driver why he was stopped and how fast he/she was going. If you get all indignant and demand to see the radar, all you're really doing is calling the officer a liar. A guaranteed way to get an expensive ticket instead of being let off a warning.

Drivers need to understand that cops are NOT going to lay out their entire case to them on the side of the road or prove their certification by explaining the scientific theory and inner workings of their equipment. The time for that is in a courtroom. I have to convince a judge and/or jury that you did what I saw you do. I do not have to convince you that you did it before I can write a ticket.

[scott715us]

That's why I don't show it either Curt. There are no state laws that require it, but I believe there are a few remote agencies that make it agency policy if requested (which I think is ridiculous). I know if I oblige someone's request, the next thing out of their mouth is "how do you know it was me" or something else to argue about. I alleviate that problem by telling them they can't see it. I don't lock speeds anyway. People want to have a court hearing on the shoulder of the road and it's not happening.

[RoadKingTrooper]

Agree guys!

First question

Can I see the reading on your radar gun?

Second question

How do I know that was my speed?