Radar setup angles

[thehollowmen]

I get what you guys are getting at - am I right in your talking about the hand held radar guns and the copper being on the side of the road.

Some of those... also discussing the car mounted ones that are at an angle... ca n even do the speed cameras...


if you worked on them.. you could answer... they only measure the speed in the same plane that the radar gun / antenna is pointing... right?

[TwoSeven]

I dont really know much about the technicalities of how the actual 'lectronics work - i'm not a boffin. Just know about the s/w side of it - the bit that actually processes the data that the camera has gathered.

But since gatso and mini gatso cameras have to be set up pointing in a specific direction, i'd say they would use a fairly narrow 'beam' so to speak.

Radar is (I think) classified using a type number. A quick google shows gatso being type 24. Not sure what the stats is for that.

Being that they are usually pointed at the back end of a car moving away (or down a motorway lane) - i'd suggest they have a small angle.

[marty]

the camera vans/fixed sites are calibrated for the angle - i think it's 38 degrees

[marty]

i'm gonna be a whore soon!!!!

[thehollowmen]

i'm gonna be a whore soon!!!!

Congratulations

Those fixed ones.. can understand the calabration...

Now does the "cosign defense" work with people close to the camera or prople on the horizon? If they're on the horizon and it is calabrated for say 10 degrees out ..I can see why they think the car would be going faster than it is...

[scumdog]

Never heard of that 'defence' being used here, I wonder how much % error it allegedly creates?

[marty]

the camera is *always* set up at the calibrated angle to the road - you shouldn't see a camera van parked at too much of an angle to the centreline, and in fact it is part of the set up of the van that it is recorded as to it's parking location relative to the road - they use the simple 3/4/5 rule to set up i think. if you were to cross the c/l, and drive straight towards the camera then you may be able to fool it into thinking you're going quicker, but i am sure the photo wold get you into more trouble than just speeding.....

[thehollowmen]

Never heard of that 'defence' being used here, I wonder how much % error it allegedly creates?

Usually it works to the advantage of the speeding car... the closer it is to a car / hand mounted one the greater the angle and the smaller the reading..

the Sci am article had error rates up about 10 mph at 60 mph... for a car mounted one measuring the speed of a car in the next lane..

the cosign defence is more for when one has been calabrated "roadside" ... 10 or 30 degrees or whatever, and you get the cop standing on the corner pointing it directally up a straight so there is no angle... it will read high then

[thehollowmen]

the camera is *always* set up at the calibrated angle to the road - you shouldn't see a camera van parked at too much of an angle to the centreline, and in fact it is part of the set up of the van that it is recorded as to it's parking location relative to the road - they use the simple 3/4/5 rule to set up i think. if you were to cross the c/l, and drive straight towards the camera then you may be able to fool it into thinking you're going quicker, but i am sure the photo wold get you into more trouble than just speeding.....

That's true :-P
and I'm not advocating speeding or crossing the center line..

but what happens if you pull into a passing lane towards a speed camera? that's also a situation that might cause it to read high... Then again unless you're passing grandmas or old men wearing hats you would almost definitally be speeding...

Us bikers shouldn't have to worry about this though, these situations which get a false high reading are usually heading towards or directally away from the camera / radar detector... And our plate is on the back of the bike.

Heading directally away would mean we're heading off the road ;-)

[TwoSeven]

I dont think the accuracy of the units is reall important enought to be an issue. If it was i'm sure someone like Thales would have adapted a military grade radar. Now if you can detect and locate the correct postion of a artil. shell from 20k away - i suspect tracking a car would be pretty easy.

[Lou Girardin]

I dont think the accuracy of the units is reall important enought to be an issue. If it was i'm sure someone like Thales would have adapted a military grade radar. Now if you can detect and locate the correct postion of a artil. shell from 20k away - i suspect tracking a car would be pretty easy.

True, but don't think traffic radar is as sophisticated as military spec gear.
Accuracy may not sound important, unless your doing 147km/h and the radar reads 151. 28 days catching a bus.

[scumdog]

True, but don't think traffic radar is as sophisticated as military spec gear.
Accuracy may not sound important, unless your doing 147km/h and the radar reads 151. 28 days catching a bus.

Great one Lou - like you're going to know that you were ONLY doing 147kay when the cops tells you that you were doing 151kay? once again, -yeah right (gimme another Tui)

[TwoSeven]

True, but don't think traffic radar is as sophisticated as military spec gear.
Accuracy may not sound important, unless your doing 147km/h and the radar reads 151. 28 days catching a bus.

But in most cases I suspect that the 'your nicked matey' would still apply in both cases.

Personally I dont really agree with fines as such. I think they are needed, but i'd much rather see points on licenses. 3 speeding offences should see you without a vehicle for some time.